If you are in Pittsburgh Riverview Park is a must goto. I go…read morethere with my golden retriever, There is 2 huge dog park areas that are totally enclosed and are huge also the entire park is dog friendly. I also go there with my grand daughter as there is a great playground. If you are a jogger or walker there is a huge walkway or jogging area. There are many events that are in the park which are great. If you are in the area this is a must come to park.

Riverview Park has one of the largest and most extensive trail systems in the Pittsburgh area. With…read moreso many interconnected trails winding through different neighborhoods, it's easy to have a different experience every time you visit. I also like that you can step into a nearby neighborhood and grab something to eat before continuing your hike. Compared to Schenley or Frick Park, it also tends to be less crowded, making it a great option if you're looking for a quieter, more peaceful walk. That said, the trails are not as well maintained as many of Pittsburgh's other parks. Some sections are in great condition, while others have overgrown vegetation, uneven rocky terrain, steep drop-offs, and occasional hazards like broken glass. I noticed small pieces of glass along the Archery Trail, so I would recommend wearing hiking boots or sturdy athletic shoes rather than thin-soled sneakers. Because of the terrain, I think this park is much better suited for walking and hiking than for running. Most of the trails are not wheelchair accessible and may be difficult for young children, older adults, or anyone with mobility challenges. Even with the overgrowth, the scenery is beautiful, and many areas were filled with fragrant plants and wildflowers. I didn't personally see any poison ivy during my visit, but it's always a good idea to stay aware of your surroundings. One area that could definitely be improved is restroom access. There are very few restrooms throughout the park, and one restroom that had been open during a previous visit was locked in the middle of the day on a Sunday. Adding a few portable restrooms near the busiest trailheads would make a big difference for visitors. Parking is easier than I expected. While there aren't many dedicated parking lots, there is plenty of street parking throughout the surrounding neighborhoods. Depending on which trails you choose, you may also come across areas where unhoused individuals have set up encampments. During my visits, everyone kept to themselves and I didn't have any negative interactions, but it's something visitors should be aware of and another reason to stay aware of your surroundings in such a large urban park. The observatory has unfortunately been closed each time I've visited, but the park frequently hosts community events that are worth checking out. It's encouraging to see ongoing improvements, and I hope the city continues investing in this park because it has so much potential. Overall, Riverview Park is a beautiful place to explore and one of Pittsburgh's most expansive trail systems. While there are areas that could benefit from better maintenance, additional restrooms, and continued safety improvements, it's still well worth visiting. With a little more attention, I truly think it has the potential to become one of the best parks in Pittsburgh.

I love Fall Run! Everything about it. Great little hiking trails, water falls, and areas for…read morepicnicing. The best part is that if you look closely, you will find that someone has set up little gnome, faeries, and mushroom houses and scenes throughout the property. Usually in and around trees. Finding the little ceramic figures just living their lives in the forest makes for a fun kind of scavenger hunt. And, oh...there are little trolls as well.

There is great scenery in this local park! The linear trail is wide and has multiple bridges…read more Perfect spot for a quick nature fix.

Wonderful bird walk and talk at lovely facility. Beautiful grounds and fun gift shop.read more

Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve is the headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania…read more(ASWP). The ASWP's website says that this reserve contains 134 acres of sanctuary, several trails that total five miles, and facilities such as a nature store, native-plant nursery, play area, educational classrooms, teachers' resource center, and a library. Rental spaces include a barn, auditorium, and classroom. My husband and I visited the nature store and the native-plant nursery. At the nature store, we saw products such as bird feeders, bird seed, binoculars, gardening gloves, nature books, t-shirts, honey, stuffed animals, puzzles, greeting cards, etcetera. At the native-plant nursery outside, we thought that the plants were somewhat small in size but had a varied selection and were priced reasonably. The ASWP's website has a list of available plants, which includes over 150 species of trees, shrubs, and perennials that attract birds, butterflies, and bees. In the future, I plan to return to Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve to hike their trails. I think that I would enjoy seeing their woodlands, fields, streams, pond, and wildlife.

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.

It's pretty. It's not a super exciting trail but there are nice picnic areas and it's very green.read more

A wonderful treasure of the Pittsburgh region. I have learned untold knowledge of wildflowers…read morenative to Western Pennsylvania by walking these trails each Spring. It's a living museum of wildflowers! With an abundance of Trillium in the 1980's, the park was a stunning sight with blankets of Trillium. But a growing deer population in the 90's decimated the Trillium population. An experimental deer enclosure revitalized the park, and the wildflowers are making an impressive comeback. While there is only a few miles of trail here, the wildflowers are the main attraction, and you should come in successive weeks in April and into May if you want to admire these fleeting beauties. Dedicated volunteers regularly remove invasive species, and each year the trails and bridges are regularly repaired and upgraded. For your first trip, go with a wildflower expert, such as a guided tour provided by Venture Outdoors, which is excellent. See you on the trail!

Clean park, the trails overall could be in better condition, I had to jump over a fallen tree to…read morecontinue, also the rocks on the trail are washed away

Duff Park is a wonderful park for hiking. Since we started incorporating hiking into our weekly…read moreworkout regime, we have found that Duff Park offers a lot of challenging hiking trails and some flatter biking trails. I suggest if you are new to the park to grab a map located at the main parking area off School Road South in Murrysville. I am not sure if this park offers a playground or picnic area as I have never seen it, but I am fine with that since we come specifically for the hike. There are plenty of trails to navigate through and some are very steep and narrow. Specifically one section of Forbes is reminiscent of being in the jungle. The vegetation is up past your shoulders, overgrown and covers the trail. You somewhat just follow the stamped down path that is rather unnerving if you do not like not being able to see where you are stepping. There are also many benches to rest on as you walk the trails as well as informative plaques posted on the trails detailing different trees and vegetation. You can definitely get a good workout in if you navigate several different trails. Though not all the trails are good for kids I would say there are plenty that you can take grade school kids on without any major issues so it can be a nice family workout as well.

I've been coming to Raccoon Creek State Park for over 50 years now, and it's one of those rare…read moreplaces that has somehow kept its magic across generations. My earliest memories from the 1970s are filled with the smell of charcoal smoke at the picnic groves and the freezing shock of jumping into the lake on hot summer afternoons. As a kid, that beach felt massive, and a simple day trip with packed lunches (the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches melted to goodness from the sun) and blankets spread out on the grass was the best part of summer with my sisters and mom. As I grew into adulthood, the way I used the park changed, but I never stopped going. I didn't always go swimming but instead would explore the miles of hiking trails. The best part, though, was getting to experience it all over again through my daughter's eyes. Taking her there when she was little and watching her hit the water and run around the playground were special times indeed. Raccoon Creek isn't just a park to me; it's a constant in my life. Over five decades later, facilities might get updated here and there, but the familiar feeling of the place hasn't changed a bit. It's serene, nostalgic, and always feels like coming home.

Nice and quiet. Surprisingly nice mountaintop view from our primitive campsite…read more But we visited on a weeknight after a long rainy stretch of weather which cleared everyone out

Had a wonderful day here. We walked and explored all the memorials and history here. We spent…read moresometime at the water steps, it was nice for such a hot day.

Beautiful nature scenery. Beautiful view of the city skyline. It is located near the two stadiums…read more Plenty of fine restaurants along the North Shore to enjoy a meal while visiting the park. Clean grounds. Plenty of benches along the walking/biking paths. Nice park along the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. Fishing is also allowed along the rivers. Highly recommended.