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    Five Star Trail

    4.0 (1 review)

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    2 years ago

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    Dead Man's Hollow - The first early signs of Spring!  It looks like it will be a good one.  Beautiful crocus flower near the catfish pond area.

    Dead Man's Hollow

    4.1(9 reviews)
    27.2 km

    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.

    Photos
    Dead Man's Hollow - Beautiful crocus flowers near the catfish pond area.

    Beautiful crocus flowers near the catfish pond area.

    Dead Man's Hollow - The "cloth of gold" crocus flower.

    The "cloth of gold" crocus flower.

    Dead Man's Hollow - Just two dudes hiking the trail.

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    Just two dudes hiking the trail.

    Coal and Coke Trail

    Coal and Coke Trail

    4.5(2 reviews)
    17.6 km

    The Coal & Coke Trail is a neat little biking and hiking trail in Westmoreland County connecting…read moreMount Pleasant with Scottdale. A mere 5 miles in length, it's one of the few Rails-to-Trails I hadn't covered yet. Really, I couldn't justify the time or gas money to do a 10 mile round trip bike ride. A 10 mile hike is of course another story! And that's just what I did as part of my employer's wellness program. I planned the whole thing and of course headed up the hardy group of hikers able to complete the entire 10 mile round trip. The trail begins and ends in city parks at both ends. We began at Willows Park in Mount Pleasant. The address I gave you above is the parking lot and it's based on information from www.traillink.com Drinking water and restrooms are available in the park, but the restrooms appear to be closed in winter. We began by working our way southbound. The trail was built on the roadbed of a Pennsylvania RR branch. As ts name implies, the railroad hauled coke ad coal over the line. The railroad was abandoned for many years, however after 8 years of planning, the trail opened in 2007. Upon leaving town, we hiked through some scenic wooded areas to the town of Bridgeport. At one point we noticed the trail paralleling an active rail line. The forest here is old growth and we crossed one of a few small streams. Beyond the town of Bridgeport, we again entered the woodlands while paralleling Jacobs Creek. Curving to the west as we approached Scottdale, we arrived at the scenic high point of the day. The sewage treatment plant. Yep! The trail even goes through plant's parking lot and is routed onto Sewage Treatment Lane! Well no worries--we crossed Old US 119 and then ducked under the new highway before entering our last stretch of woodlands. Part of the trail is incomplete at Scottdale, so we had to walk down Mildred Street , Bessemer Street, and Mt. Pleasant Road (they're actually all the same street) before reaching Kendi Park. The trail resumes briefly here but this was our rest stop and turnaround point. So this is a pleasant and relatively easy trail to hike or bike. Just remember, there aren't any places to obtain food or water along the path, so be sure to bring adequate supplies of each.

    Great place to walk. You can choose to challenge yourself or take it easy. Got lots of great pics…read moreas well

    Photos
    Coal and Coke Trail - Quaint short trail.. Very nice

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    Quaint short trail.. Very nice

    Ghost Town Trail

    Ghost Town Trail

    4.7(3 reviews)
    34.6 km

    This is a gorgeous trail. It is very easy and you can walk as far as you want. The trail is well…read moremaintained (mostly crushed gravel) and a fun place to go for a walk, run, or bike ride. You will see beautiful forest areas along the way.

    Well another biking milestone for yours truly and her husband Rick. We did the entire 60+ mile…read moreround trip between Black Lick and Ebensburg on the Ghost Town Trail! It took all day, I'm still saddle sore and my leg muscles ache a little, but it was totally worth it. Besides, we're building up our strengths so we can do the 120+ miles of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail between McKeesport and Cumberland, MD. There's not too much more I can write about the trail. Last year we rode the Black Lick to Nanty Glo segment of the trail and most points of interest are between those two towns. Still, the remaining segment between Nanty Glo and Ebensburg makes for a pleasant ride. I did find out a few other things about the trail since the last time we rode it. Just east of Black Lick, the trail passes a salvage yard of discarded rail cars. These almost seamlessly blend into the scenery and they're altogether appropriate because this is a rails-to-trails conversion. Between Dilltown and Vintondale the creek has a bright red color because of the acid drainage from the coal mines. At several points you will exit the cool green forested surroundings and experience an "ecological disaster area", a legacy of the mining era. You'll see the remains of some slag dumps, which have an eerie beauty to them. Keep an eye out for the AMD & Art Park (AMD stands for Acid Mine Damage). One other thing to consider. This trail goes through some state game lands. During hunting season, you should wear brightly colored clothing. Riding the Ghost Town Trail can be very rewarding. Plan to take the whole day and be sure to enjoy the sights along the way.

    Photos
    Ghost Town Trail
    Ghost Town Trail - The trail is maintained enough to bring a tricycle

    The trail is maintained enough to bring a tricycle

    Ghost Town Trail

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    Keystone State Park - Green Heron

    Keystone State Park

    4.2(26 reviews)
    15.3 km

    Great park and campsites within an hour drive from PGH. We stayed in the Hillside campground which…read morewas pet friendly. The bathhouse was close by and well maintained. They had a large family bathroom which was great for the little one. However, I think our campsite may have had some poison oak/ivy plants so be cautious. The campsite was also a close hike to the entrance of Keystone state park and the lake. Beautiful views all around!!!

    According to Keystone State Park's website, the park traces its history to the early 1900s. The…read moreKeystone Coal and Coke Company built a lake here and transported its water to a facility to wash coal. The executives used the lake also for recreational activities such as boating and fishing, and they built lodges for meetings, vacations, and hunting. In 1945, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land. Today, the park is about 1,200 acres in size. Its amenities include the lake and sand beach, visitor center, picnic tables, lodging (i.e., cabins, cottages, and yurts), campground for tents, modern restrooms, hiking trails, ball field, boat rental, and fishing pier. Visitors may choose to go swimming, watch wildlife, attend educational programs, hunt in certain areas during hunting seasons, etcetera. This past weekend, a group of my friends and I visited Keystone State Park. I arrived around 11 AM on a Sunday, and I easily found a parking space in a lot. I explored a farmers market that had been set up in nearby tents. We found picnic tables under mature trees for shade. The lake and beach were within walking distance. In June, the water surprisingly felt cold. A friend went fishing. We enjoyed each others' company and the activities at this park, and we feel interested in returning again in the future.

    Photos
    Keystone State Park - Chicory flower in the park.

    Chicory flower in the park.

    Keystone State Park
    Keystone State Park

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    Five Star Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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