As if there wasn't enough parks in the Laurel Highlands, there is Laurel Hill State Park a 3,935…read moreacre natural area of beautiful forest, overlooks, ponds and streams. My recent visit was promising at first, but the rain just kept coming all day long and it "dampened" my spirits completely. I stopped by the main office and got directions to the Jones Mill Dam. Since it was raining so much I gave it some time to clear up, but to no avail. This park is certainly worth checking out and it will be super beautiful later on in the Spring. The wood frogs, spring peepers and other animals will be active. On the same road that this park lies on is two other parks: Kooser State Park and Laurel Ridge State Park, so it is possible to hit those up while in the area. I will certainly make the trip out here later on towards May.

I was staying at Hidden Valley recently and I was looking for a cool place to hike in the area that…read moreI hadn't been to before and I happen to discover this gem. What a great spot for a hike, but an even better place for a swim, relaxing, a picnic on the grass or some sun on the sand by the water. So after we arrived we hit the trail that ran along the water while taking in the small but beautiful lake. We then proceeded to head into the woods. It was a great little hike and the trails were very easy. After we were done hiking we got the huge blanket and the cooler with snacks and drinks in it out of the car and headed over to a shaded spot under the trees. We sat in the grass area in the left corner of the parking lot and listened to music, ate, drank and enjoyed each other's company for a good while. Then after that we packed up our stuff in the car and headed down to the water and enjoyed the lake which is very clean and refreshing and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. I love that they have sand and everyone looked so happy. They also have an area where you can purchase food and beverages but they also have many other great amenities which I am sure can be discovered on here or on their website. I am so glad I discovered this place. I will most definitely be stopping by again when I am in the area. Enjoy :)

This lovely conservation area is 450 acres of beautiful forest with lots to see and a very shadowy…read morepast. The ruins of an old pipe factory are very visible and there are informative signs that tell the story. These occurrences took place in the 1800's. There is history of criminals murdered, accidental death(pipe factory), a hanging, an explosion, a drowning, a giant snake sighting, all taking place in the park. For this reason many people think that the sight is haunted by the people who met their fate here. I hate to burst the excitement, but I have never experienced ghosts, or any other paranormal activity while spending time there. In fact, despite it's dark past Dead Man's Hollow is a very tranquil place. If you have been there during May when Spring season really kicks off you will see tons of wildflowers that are spectacular. The pipe factory had a fire and the ground was burned. This happens to be very good for re-growth and as a result we get to experience a lot of beautiful flora. Also, the old pipe factory remains are covered with cool graffiti. The trails are at times narrow, but they are very clean. You are at some point going to climb up and down hills, so it is a very good workout. I would say that the hiking is a bit more challenging. To find it I would suggest searching via a trailhead name and not just the park name. One example would be "cat fish pond trail." There is a nice parking area near that trailhead. There is also another parking area on the other side of the park(more on that later). This other side is closer to the ruins.

We checked out the catfish pond today. It looked promising at first but soon discovered that there…read moreis very little accessibility to fish there. The spots that are open are at an incline sloped towards the pond and are very slippery and hazardous. I do not recommend taking young kids there. My daughter and I fished for an hour or so and only saw bluegill in the 3-4" range and smaller minnows. We used lures and worms and had many bites but the fish were too small to get hooked. We did see many water turtles and even a few babies whose shell was about 2-3" in diameter. We also saw one large snapping turtle appear for a few seconds. There are also a bunch of bullfrog minnows whose bodies were the size of golf balls (early June). It's a cool place to see but we won't be returning to fish.

Finished our stay-cation with a 5 mile hike through bear run. We followed the red loop - within…read moreabout 1/4 mile you lost the sounds of the road and could only hear the stream that the hike traversed and crossed. The terrain was challenging at times with rocks and fallen logs that required climbing. Areas also very muddy that could not be avoided. The path is clearly marked and getting lost would be something someone did on purpose! Across the street from falling water, the parking lot is behind the barn. Multiple trails of varying difficulty. Would definitely visit again.

What a great place!!! Who knew??? I know we've driven by here dozens of times going to Ohiopyle or…read moreFallingwater and just thought it was a parking lot of some sort. But NO! This place is amazing!! A big thanks to Susan D and her list of hiking places for pointing it out! This is not to be missed if you're looking for some outdoor adventure and some great hiking along miles and miles of trails. We drove out here solely to spend a great fall day in the woods. Armed with trail maps we got online we picked out roughly the miles we wanted to hike and started off. What surprised us was the condition of the trails - amazing! Some were pine covered making for soft comfortable walking. Others were moss or grass covered and a few had some loose rock that you had to be careful with. I know this is Laurel Mountain but I was amazed to be hiking through dense forests of spectacular mountain laurel and rhododendron. What a gorgeous place! We were there after all the leaves were gone but we are sure to come back when the place is in bloom or in full fall color. We didn't run into a single person anywhere during our extensive hike ( we enjoyed it so much we went far beyond our initial hiking plan!). If you enjoy hiking and being outdoors, I highly recommend you give Bear Run a try. It's worth the drive!!

Although this trail is pretty, and well-kept, I prefer the Yough Trail. If this one had been closer…read moreto where I lived, I might have been here more frequently. Take your pick, but do try them both!! Whitney B. is right on - this trail is a real asset. Crushed limestone surface is great for running, but it's long enough for a serious bike ride. As always, don't forget to pass on the left and hail when passing!

Running, biking, skating, strolling, walking, frolicking, sprinting, slacking - all things that can…read morebe done on the Montour Trail. As Miriam W. mentioned, Arrowhead Trail is a subsection of Montour Trail and that's the area I most frequently use as well. In the spring, summer, fall, and the mild winter months it's such a great place to get outside and get in some exercise. Depending on the season and time of day you decide to go, it can get fairly crowded. But it doesn't bother me too much b/c most people are courteous of others and give you your space. But if you are fortunate enough to find a time of day when it's not so crowded, it's a great place to go and be quiet with your own thoughts in the outdoors. I have seen some squirrels, deers, and wild turkeys roaming about. Kinda freaks me out when I'm by myself - not the squirrels so much as the deers and wild turkeys. I think they are so used to seeing humans they don't scare off very easily.

Grandview Park is a very cool place to hike - not only does it have some awesome Pittsburgh views…read morewith a beautiful, open, flat area featuring benches, picnic tables, porta-potties, trash cans, and even a working three-tier fountain for dogs and people alike, but it has a trail so forest-y that you will not believe how close it is to downtown. Grandview not only has the unique combination of city convenience and natural beauty, but the park hours are 6 AM to 11 PM which makes it a great spot for a first date. One thing to know is that while the main areas are accessible and enjoyable, the trail itself has certain parts where the branches, leaves, and vegetation grow very close to the path, so you may find yourself brushing through plants as you walk. One of the things on the path you may want to be careful about brushing up against are the several branches of what are called wineberry plants along the trail. They are beautiful and fun to spot, but be careful because the stems have thorns and they grow very close to the edges of the trail in some areas. Because the trail can get narrow in places, and it helps to be small and nimble because otherwise you will probably find yourself rubbing against these plants. There is also a hidden gem near the Grandview Park access road between Grandview Elementary and Emerald View Park where you can find two beautiful cypress trees. I have honestly never seen trees quite like these before. They look like what would happen if a regular tree had a soft and sweet little baby with a pine tree. They are unique, whimsical, and somehow both elegant and adorable at the same time. They are definitely worth taking a moment to appreciate when you are on this part of the trail. Another important thing to know is that there are some steep ledges on this trail which are no joke. You actually could get seriously hurt if you fell, so be mindful of where you are walking. Also, make sure you take this trail with someone you trust because, honestly, if someone wanted you to die, there are definitely places where they could make that happen on this trail.

Great view of downtown which makes it a prime spot for the Fourth of July fireworks. This is where…read morewe watched our very first Pittsburgh fireworks. There's some overgrown weeds and trees blocking some of the view behind the bandstand. Otherwise, it's a great spot for live music, food trucks, and views of the sunset and the city.

The round trip distance is about 14 miles. While there are several access points with free public…read moreparking, the leader of my biking group selected starting at Lynch Field where there was plenty of parking and a park building with clean restrooms. There is a climb at the start on blacktop paved trail but once through the mural-painted tunnel and all the way up the hill, it is a flat trail. There are a couple of road crossings and a section on an industrial road with a dedicated bike lane but the bulk of the gravel path travels parallel along the either live or retired railroad tracks. On the Saturday in August we went there were way more walkers than riders. It's not a long trail but there are a few places right of the trail to stop to shop, drink, and eat. Near the other end of the trail, it splits and you can decide which trailhead you want to end at before turning around or do both if you want to get a few more miles in. It was mostly overcast when we rode but I'd say it isn't a shady trail for the most part even though there are lots of trees along one side of it. Kudos to the volunteers that maintain the trail as it was well maintained on our ride. And being located in Greensburg, there are several places to grab a bite to eat and drink after being on the trail.

This is a very nice Nature Reserve, located right next to St. Vincent College. Winnie Palmer was…read morethe wife of Golf Legend Arnold Palmer, and she had the foresight and resources to create this little refuge that is free and open to the public. The highlight for me was visiting "The Barn," which is a staffed building in a restored barn that is like a little nature museum. They have lots of displays and also a few living creatures that you can observe. There are also lots of trails, gardens, and a pond on the property, that you can explore. They also have a restored historical log cabin, called the "Blockhouse" which you can see. The only disappointment we had when visiting yesterday, was that the boardwalk over the wetlands was closed for repairs. Otherwise, I would recommend checking out this place if you like nature and are in the area . . . Cheers!

I was in town for the Banana Split Festival, because Latrobe is the home of the banana split, and…read moreducked out of the sun into the shade of the numerous large trees in this park. It has a nice fountain and numerous benches to rest on. There is no playground here, so it's not that type of park, but little kids are able to find a lot to do here anyway. There is a nice view of the mountain ridge from here too.