Frick Park – An Enduring Legacy in Pittsburgh’s East End

Hiking Trails Abound in Frick Park

The trails at Frick Park are generally well-marked, and there are a few maps located throughout the park.

One of our favorite loops starts at the parking lot at Biddle Ave. and S. Braddock Ave. on the Biddle Trail, turning onto the Tranquil Trail, then up the Falls Ravine Trail, and finishing the circle via the South Clayton Loop.

From the Clayton Loop you can access Forbes Avenue which crosses over the park via a bridge. The bridge provides a nice view of the park and trail below.

As is to be expected, the trails can get quite muddy during rainy times, especially the Falls Ravine Trail that winds along a creek, so it is best to plan your visit accordingly.

Frick Environmental Center

Near the parking lot off of Beechwood Blvd., the Frick Environmental Center is under construction at the same location as the previous building that burned down in 2002.

This stunning building set to open in 2016 has been designed to earn LEED Platinum Certification. It will serve as an environmental education center for K-12 students as well as a welcome center for the park.

Lawn Bowling Greens

Perhaps one of the quirkiest features of the park is the Lawn Bowling Green on the northern side of the park in Point Breeze.

If you've never tried lawn bowling before, you can stop by on an open bowling night (Thursdays at 7 PM) to try it for free the first night (and for $10 after that).

There are even leagues and tournaments if you end up enjoying the sport.

Accessing Frick Park

The park is sandwiched between Squirrel Hill to the west and Regent Square to the east. There are several parking areas- one off of Beechwood Blvd., and two off of S. Braddock Ave. The off-leash dog park is located behind the Blue Slide Park on Beechwood Blvd.

Many of the trails are well maintained and gravel; however, some dirt paths also exist that can get muddy at times. Most of the trails are only market at main crossings, so depending on the path that you hike on you may want to reference a map on your phone (Google Maps is pretty good for most of the trails here).

For more information, please visit the Frick Park website at the Pittsburgh Park Conservatory.

Frick Park is also one of the features in the amazing book “60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Pittsburgh Edition” that we are working through as a part of this series. If you are interested in day hikes near the city we highly recommend picking this one up!

Looking for more parks to visit in the region? Check out McConnells Mill State Park, South Park, the Seldom Seen Greenway, or Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve!