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.
Since founding Discover the Burgh, we've made it our mission to see, do, and experience everything Pittsburgh has to offer. One of our goals was to explore each of the nine county parks of Allegheny County, and over the last two years we finally completed our task of visiting them all.
What we discovered about these Pennsylvania parks from our visits is pretty incredible.  The nine parks in Allegheny county cover 12,000 acres (that's 18.75 square miles), have well over 60 blazed trails covering over 70 miles (our estimates), and feature numerous other activities throughout the year that will keep even the most active busy for a considerable period of time.
To help you determine which of the Allegheny County parks you should visit on your next outing, we put together this guide which shares some our favorite aspects of each park in the county. For more information about each park, click the link in the description to be taken to our full article!
Raccoon Creek State Park is a gem for hikers in southwestern Pennsylvania. This massive park contains miles of paths, creeks, a lake, waterfalls, and even is home to an impressive wildflower reserve that has a twice a year bloom.
We were very fortunate to check out the wildflower reserve during peak bloom in 2017, and we wanted to share our experience to encourage you to get out and explore this one during the next bloom event as it was our highlight of the spring season!
We’re fortunate here in Pittsburgh to be home to a lot of green space in and around the city. You may know some of the staples, like Frick Park and Schenley Park, but beyond these we are also lucky to have several other large parks that are practically hiding in plain sight. Take the Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway. … Read more
When it comes to getting out into nature, we love the great outdoors and will do everything we can to find a unique hike regardless of how rigorous it ends up being (which has gotten us in trouble a few times if we are to be honest).
But we know that this level of exertion is not always for everyone, and sometimes you just want to get out somewhere for an easy stroll or bike ride. For those who seek out this kind of outdoors experience, The Panhandle Trail (a converted rail trail) is for you.
On the surface, Fall Run Park in Glenshaw, PA (just north of the city off of Route 8) seems no different from any other as it is a peaceful hiking trail that has relatively low foot-traffic.
But for those who make the effort to visit this one, the roughly one-mile out-and-back hike rewards you with something a bit surprising: a waterfall!
Raccoon Creek State Park is a 7,500 acre park located about 30 miles west of Pittsburgh. With a 100+ acre lake, a 300+ acre wildflower reserve, over 40 miles of hiking trails, and relatively little infrastructure beyond these, this park is perfect for those who want to experience the great outdoors as it was meant to be.
During our recent visit we decided to try out two of the most popular hiking trails, the Forest Trail and Lake Trail, to capture a cross-section of the nature this park offers.
Deer Lakes Park in West Deer Township is a 1,180 acre park that is known for its man-made lakes that are stocked with numerous types of fish for residents' use. Although these are beautiful in their own right, the thing we love most about this one is the hiking trails in the woods!
Boyce Park, located east of Pittsburgh in the Monroeville/Plum area, is over 1,000 acres full of trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a few unexpected gems like ski slopes and a snow tubing area.
We recently did some hiking in the park and enjoyed the beauty of the densely wooded, quiet trails that had some of the best markings out of all of the parks in Allegheny County.