Townsend Park is very nice! We play baseball here so we come here at least twice a week. The fields…read moreare very nice and the equipment is helpful to rake the field. I have never hiked the whole trail but I did see the entrance to one. The park is also very clean and you can tell it's well kept.

Townsend Park is part of the Murrysville Parks Department and like its sister Duff Park, it offers…read morea surprisingly extensive trail system. I did some winter hiking here along with some of my co-workers as part of my job's wellness program. Most of Townsend Park's trails are loops, so it's possible to hike as little or as much as you want. This does mean doing some doubling back, but that doesn't detract from an enjoyable hike. We started out from the parking lot on the Ron Stoll Trail, going in a clockwise direction. The Ron Stoll is the park's main trail, being rather wide and an easy hike. We turned left onto the Pine Grove Trail for about .10 mile. The park's website says that owls are known to roost here. We then made another left and went clockwise on the Twin Oaks Loop Trail, paralleling a stream for much of its length. This trail ends at the main access road, but a left and another left put us back on the Twin Oaks Loop Trail. We then completed the Pine Grove Trail back to the Ron Stoll Trail. We the went clockwise on the Pokeberry Hill Trail, which has some moderate hills. We then regained the Ron Stoll Strail, backtracking down to the Heart Attack Hill Trail. Don't worry folks--it's not as bad as its name implies! But it is a vigorous walk up to the top of the hill from about an elevation of 1200 feet to 1340 feet. The hike on this trail is o-so worth it with views of the Laurel Mountains. We took a break here before descending counterclockwise on the Spring Hill Trail. This trail goes down the back of Heart Attack Hill towards a natural spring. We then did another clockwise loop on the Sunset and Sunrise Trails before going down the Bulltown Link Trail. We then did another backtrack to the Heart Attack Trail before returning to the parking lot. Townsend Park may not have the extensive trail system that, say, Frick Park has. But in looping the trails, it's possible to get a good 4 mile hike in. It's definitely worth a morning's exercise here.

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.

Emerald View is a Pittsburgh treasure! The concept is stunning, a series of trails that encircle…read morethe neighborhoods of Mt Washington and Duquesne Heights. The reward is a natural paradise in the midst of an urban center and stunning views of the Downtown skyline. You can hike within the dense canopy of leaves, and then arrive at beautiful views of the West End, the West End Bridge, and of Downtown. The park showcases the city in such a unique way, and it is only minutes away from our downtown hotels. What a remarkable treat for Pittsburgh visitors, but also city residents. Created in 2005, it's the newest and smallest of our network of 5 main city parks, that include Frick, Schenley, Highland, and Riverview. The trails were professionally designed, then developed by community volunteers plus a workforce training program. It's 257 acres, and filled with opportunities for birding, nature hikes, and urban exercise.

Folks, I've had so many incredible photos I've shot from here over the years and need to really…read morepull them up and get posted. Perhaps it's just an excuse to visit on my next trip home. The park is on the Mount (Mt. Washington) with over 250 acres and crazy-good views of the city. It has gardens and walking trails (10+ miles). The most interesting and best part of this park is that it was a dump site (illegal) restored into a beautiful area for everyone to enjoy.

It's a wonderful park on the Allegheny River with nice pavilions. It has a spectacular bike trail…read morethat follows the river all the way to Downtown. I go here every year to see birds, especially the Yellow Throated Warblers that sing from the Sycamore trees. The hit series, the Mayor of Kingstown, was once filled in the park.

This is a nice trail. My kids got distracted immediately by the natural playground which was small…read morebut fun and then we walked and rode our bikes. Great views. Mostly flat trail. Well kept.

A wonderful place to see wildflowers and birds. There are some species of birds that you won't find…read moreanywhere else. The conservation area is managed by the Allegheny Land Trust. The one side of the park is a difficult climb, the trail goes up a very steep hill, but the views are nice.

It has kind of an odd name for a park, but I got the feeling that there is much to offer here. For…read moremy first visit I took the easier trail that goes along the railroad and veers up a bit. It is very damp and almost swampy as far as I can tell. I am not sure how true that is, maybe it was just because it was after a big rain. The trail is a decent hike that ends at the train tracks. There was a ton of mushrooms and other types of fungi, which was pretty cool to see. I also saw some deer and old ruins while I was on this trail. I have heard that the other trail has some pretty nice views of local towns. I am going to have to come back again and check out the rest of it. I guess we can add this place to the ever growing list of natural areas to visit near Pittsburgh.

Really tranquil environment for an afternoon walk or a fishing excursion the trail is a half mile…read morethe entire length around

This is a cute little park. We got to see turtles which was a highlight and there's some small…read morehiking trails and a nice relaxing swing while you watch the pond. The playground is nothing to write home about but it's nice. It'd be a nice place for a run and outside workout.

I've lived in the area for a while now but have never made it to this lake before. Today was the…read moreperfect weather for a walk so I finally made it here. The park is on the smaller side but does have plenty of parking spaces. The trail is paved and clearly marked. I was expecting it to loop all the way around the lake but it didn't seem to. There were a few trails off of the paved path that I didn't explore. The views of the lake are very nice and there are a few benches to stop and enjoy it. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this place was and also how busy it was. I arrived just before 10am and the place was buzzing with people enjoying the lake.

This park is very well paved for parents that want to walk with a stroller. It's quite beautiful…read moreand relatively quiet.

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!