The covered bridge here at Hillman State Park is very cute! It's a cheerful bright red and located…read moreon a road that didn't seem too busy, giving us a good opportunity to slow down and enjoy checking it out. The park is home to a radio control model airport with a variety of amenities - preregistration has to be made through the nearby Raccoon Creek State Park office. A large number of signs posted indicated that the park is open for hunting. There are also hiking trails available.

It's August, so I was out hunting for butterflies to take photo's of and I have never been to this…read morepark, so I decided to head out here. I have heard of it when going to Raccoon Creek Park, which is a much better park. I couldn't even find the place for the first 30 minutes in the area. I finally stumbled upon it and must have gone in the back way. Well, it was full of hunting areas and trails that are full of so much brush that it seems like it would be tick infested, in fact there is a sign warning about ticks. Anyways, I couldn't find any good trails, but I ran into a lot of milk weed and some butterflies that I did capture on my digital camera. I was not excited about this park. It seems like it is set up for people who want to hunt. That kind of scares me a bit because I don't want to get shot!

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

I've been coming to this park since I was a wee little one. So many memories at this park…read more... But more recently, this is the park that we generally hold our family reunion every year. Always a good time. The pavilions are always clean and the park is always well kept.

Nice place that is well maintained. They offer multiple things to do, family oriented. Play ground,…read moreswi

My wife and I visited here yesterday after stopping at "Marsha Cassel's Kitchen on Main" Restaurant…read morejust up the road. I had never been on this side of the lake. They have a nice boat ramp, dock. and fishing pier suitable for handicapped people. There is a playground nearby, picnic pavilions, and a hiking trail leading to a Historic 1881 Truss Bridge. It wasn't the most exciting thing in the world, but it was cool to see and walk over this old bridge. Cheers!

What a beautiful park in SW PA. We stopped by on a sunny Sunday to check out the boat docks,…read morefishing areas, and trails. There were several people out fishing from the dock and multiple people on kayaks in the lake. The bathroom facilities near the docks and shelters were clean and honestly smelled like flowers. The park seems very well maintained and even has a wooden track/course for biking that was pretty cool looking.

Love coming to this place all year around...nice'a short trail heading up to the waterfall with…read moremany scenic pictures to take...always let people know about this wonderful place.

Reviewing things in 2020 is, well, a little strange. If you're like me, you aren't exactly rushing…read moreout to the places we normally review. Instead, Settlers Cabin Park is one of the spots I frequent these days - for exercise, for a literal change in scenery, and to unplug from the current day-to-day of working at home. I want to mention early that part of the beauty of this 1,600+ acre county park is that it was once the site of various coal mines - this gorgeous space has been restored to what you see when you visit it now. Knowing that adds another level of appreciation, at least for me! After its history, the second biggest reason I love Settlers Cabin Park is the number of trails available to use. If you check out their website and maps, you can see an overview of the five or six total trails here. Some of them are on the shorter side, others are longer, and a lot of them directly interconnect at different points. That makes it easy to explore more than one trail in a single visit - one day I started out on the green trail, somehow went far enough to get to the purple trail, and finished the loop back to my car on the blue trail. (I promise, that will make more sense after looking at a map!) There are other things here besides the trails - tennis courts, field hockey, playgrounds, pavilions, wave pools, etc. Interestingly, Settlers Cabin Park is technically also home to the Pittsburgh Botanical Garden, which is another outdoor spot I adore. For the trails alone, I consider Settlers Cabin Park to be my perfect escape these days. I can hike anywhere from 1.5 to 6 miles, at any pace that I want. Bonus points - as long as I don't mind the hilly climbs involved, I can take some time to enjoy the sight and sound of the park's baby waterfall. (Some articles call it a mini waterfall, but given how small it is, I call it a baby!) Any time I spend here is always time well spent, and I'm sure I'll be back again soon.

If you grew up anywhere near Robinson, Settlers Cabin is basically the summer spot to be…read more I've been hitting up that wave pool since I was a teenager. And honestly, you can't talk about Settlers Cabin without mentioning the picnic groves. I swear, half of my summer weekends over the decades have been spent at a cookout, grad party, or other gatherings with friends at one of those pavilions, eating hot dogs and hamburgers. When my daughter was little I brought her there through her teenage years with her friends. Always a good spot to spend a hot summer day in Pittsburgh.

First time coming here with my 6 month old son! He loved the swings and this park is in great…read morecondition. Be sure to bring a mask for Covid protection as there are signs posted.

Went for a walk after work I was really impressed with the park it was really relaxing and well…read moremaintained. It's a nice park to take the family for a picnic lots to do for the kids there's a nice playground with a castle in it. I didn't play frisbee golf but the course looked really nice. I was really impressed how well maintained the park is plus the restrooms are clean if your in the area it's worth stopping.

It's a very nice place. If you have any physical limitations the somewhat short walk to the falls…read moreis a bit of a challenge. There are a few kind of steep uneven wooden steps. Then at the actual fall there are large uneven rocks you must walk on if you want to get to a swimming hole there. Definitely not for older people with balance issues or small children.

While working in Beaver County I have passed this sign to Buttermilk Falls countless times, but…read morenever had occasion to stop until yesterday. It was a gorgeous, sunny, unseasonably warm March day & I was the first car in the tiny dirt parking area on the left as soon as you turn in. The Falls is now directly across from the new entrance to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. There is a big stone covered with graffiti on the right. After you park, you just hop out and hit the path and follow the sound of gushing water. it is a short distance to the Falls, but it is uphill and it is steep and rocky and this is not a suitable path for anybody with physical limitations of any sort. It can also be dangerous for young children. It's very beautiful and it is worth the hike up. If you're sturdy footed (muddy & rocky), you can walk right behind the falls and it's quite beautiful. Highly recommended for a sightseeing but I'm sure it gets crowded and warmer weather.

I just found out that there's a dog park there. I started taking my 15 year old dog and she loves…read moreit. There's a side for dogs 30 lbs and over and a side for smaller dogs. There's a picnic table under a tree and a fountain to fill water bowls. I just wish I had known about it sooner. There are only 2 problems that I can see. They need to build a set of steps from the road to the enclosures. It's a small hill but it's very steep and if the grass is damp it's very hard to get up and down without falling. The other thing is I wish there was a port a john closer. Other than that my dog and I are loving it. Thank you Washington Park.

This park is more expansive than you first realize, and has several venues, and great classics like…read morethe Main and Stone Pavilions, which can hold events for hundreds of folks at a time. The trees and trails meandering throughout the Park make for a relaxing walk in the woods. The pool and ball fields provide plenty of recreational activity opportunity.