Braddock's Trail Park in Westmoreland County that, unless you are specifically looking for it or live nearby, you've probably never heard of before.
That is because this 148 acre park is relatively off-the-beaten-path for most hikers, and even we overlooked it for several years until our friends at UncoveringPA told us there is a modestly sized waterfall there to check out.
So we all hopped in a car and went down to see what the park is like!
Cedar Creek Park is a 479 acre park located on the shore of the Youghiogheny River in Westmoreland County, just under an hour southeast of Pittsburgh.
Although known for its picnic pavilions, access to the river, and being home to a section of the Great Allegheny Passage trail, Cedar Creek Park is also home to a beautiful one-mile hike through a shaded gorge that makes for a perfect morning out from Pittsburgh.
Cross Creek County Park is a 2,000+ acre park in Washington County just east of Avella, PA (about 50 minutes west of Pittsburgh and just a few miles from the Meadowcroft Rockshelter).
The park features several areas with facilities such as picnic tables, kids play areas, and more, but the real gem of this park is Cross Creek Lake!
Buttermilk Falls is a beautiful waterfall located just outside of the main stretch of Beaver Falls, PA.
But while you may not drive out to this town to visit the waterfalls on their own, they make for a great stop if you happen to be in the region and are looking to explore!
The Todd Nature Reserve in Sarver, PA, is a 175 acre forest and wildlife sanctuary managed by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
The land once belonged to W.E. Clyde Todd, a passionate bird watcher and Curator of Birds at the Carnegie Museum in the early 1900s who used to bird watch on the property. In an effort to keep the land a wildlife sanctuary for generations to come, Mr. Todd donated the land to the Audubon Society in the 1940s and they have managed it to date.
With many hiking trials, a beautiful pond full of frogs, bird watching, and spring wild flowers, there is truly a lot to see at the nature reserve bearing Mr. Todd's name!
Mingo Creek County Park is a 2,600 acre park located in Finleyville, PA, about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh.
With a beautiful paved walking trail along the creek, covered bridges, an observatory, and picnic pavilions abound, it should be no surprise that this park is often considered to be a favorite among residents of Washington County!
Ohiopyle is a 19,000 acre state park located in southwestern Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half south of Pittsburgh.
It is often considered to be one of the star attractions of the region as the park offers numerous hiking trails, historical landmarks, and so much more- making it impossible to see it all in any single visit.
During a recent trip we tried the hike from Cucumber Falls to the Cascade Falls and quickly found out why it is one of the best trails to experience in the park (and the perfect hike for a day trip from the city)!
Kane Woods Nature Area is a small greenspace with hiking trails in Scott Township. But what it lacks in size it makes up in tranquility and local history!
The Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens is a nature reserve in Oakdale, PA- located right next door to Settlers Cabin Park. The park opened in early 2015 on a 460 acre plot of land once used for mining and logging, and currently has about 60 acres that was transformed back into pristine nature and open for visitors to enjoy.
This one does require a payment for entry, and those who visit will enjoy a serene hike in nature through several themed zones and unique art pieces.
Round Hill Park in Elizabeth, PA, is a 1,100 acre park that takes on a familiar layout as far as local parks are concerned- namely being home to a large concentration of pavilions, unblazed hiking trails, and a few play areas for kids.
In fact, for the longest time we thought this was all that was available at Round Hill Park, and for that reason we made it the last of all of the Allegheny County Parks we visited.
But there was one thing we did not know that Round Hill Park has, and that is a working exhibit farm that is so impressive it is worth the drive to Elizabeth alone.