I love me a good river and the Monongahela is a good river. From the native American word,…read moreMonongahela means "falling banks" in reference to the rather unstable banks of the river that used to collapse quite a bit. That doesn't seem to be a problem in Pittsburgh but you never know. Today, the river is long and slow and deep. That makes it good for shipping and I just happened to spot a barge bringing materials upriver from the Ohio and stopping here on the South Shore. The river flows almost entirely south to north, which is rather unique. Coming from the confluence of the West Fork River and the Tygart Valley River, it drains a good piece of the Appalachian mountains through its 130 miles that are entirely navigable thanks to a series of locks and dams. Pronouncing the name of the river is always a great opportunity to find the out-of-towners. But it's "mnaoŋihla". Enjoy it!

The Monongahela River is 127.8 miles long, it starts in Fairmont West Virginia and flows north to…read morePittsburgh. It's made up of the West Fork and Tygert River. The reason this river flows north is due to the fact the mountains south of here in West Virginia are much higher than Pittsburgh and forces the river to flow downhill, which in this case downhill is north. It was named by the native Americans and has been translated to mean "deep sliding banks" or "falling banks." The "Mon" has no islands it's entire length, which is almost as unique as flowing north. Just about every long river in North America has an Island. It's one of the rivers that feeds into the Ohio River. There are two major rivers that flow into the Mon, and that's the Cheat River and the Yough. For many years the Monongahela River was so polluted because of the steel mills that lined the river almost it's entire length, that this river would never freeze, even in the coldest of winters. Because of it's navigational importance mile 0.0 is actually located at the Point of Pittsburgh and mile 127.8 is Fairmont. At one time it was referred to as the "biggest little river in the world" due to the fact more cargo traveled up and down the Monongahela River than traveled through the Panama Canal. There are nine locks and dams on the Mon, the first being located near Kennywood Park, it's called Lock and Dam No. 2. The Last Lock and Dam is Opekiska, near Fairmont. Older Locks and Dams have numbers attached to them, newer ones have names.

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.

Part of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail that runs along the Allegheny & Ohio Rivers …read more Beautiful views of the city during a bike ride as well as Memorial Parks along the North Shore including The Fred Roger's, Vietnam, Korean, WWII & The Law Enforcement. Along the Ohio River is The USS Requin, (French for Shark) as submarine museum associated with the Carnegie Science Center. The Rivers Casino is also nearby if you're feeling lucky! Also along the North Shore there's a variety of restaurants for a bite along the ride. Well kept trails with friendly people along the way to chat with if you're so inclined. Always a nice and relaxing ride along the rivers. It's a refreshing ride in the heart of town that's close to the city yet surrounded by nature. A perfect mix of nature surrounded by downtown amenities. Love spending the day along the trails, highly recommended!!

Walking the North Shore recently I came across the new chalk drawings near the Shore Thing…read moreplatform. Very nice to see. Some are 3D if you stand in the right area.

When I lived in Bloomfield, I'd often walk over to Oakland and the Panther Hollow Trail. The trail…read moreis part of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system. It's well-maintained and kept clean. The trail is perfect for walking and biking. Whether you're out for a casual & leisurely walk or to get your jog on, it's a perfect trail. Peaceful and serene, surrounded by nature in the heart of a bustling city.

Given that I live in N. Oakland, this trail is my gateway to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail…read moreSystem, a.k.a. the bike trails that run along all of Pittsburgh's rivers. It cuts through Schenley Park in pretty much the straightest and least hilly manner possible, connecting Oakland and Greenfield. The only part of this trail that I don't particularly like is the Greenfield end, where it loops around through part of the neighborhood, under the railroad bridge, and up into the trailhead parking lot for the Eliza Furnace trail. While it may be the safest way to get through this neighborhood at present, I particularly dislike the narrow blind corners, so on my way up to the trail, I often avoid them by climbing the hill and crossing the RR tracks (which you're not supposed to do, but I'm a railfan, so I know about trains and I'm careful). Speaking of which, closer to the Oakland side, this trail connects to the other Schenley Park trails via a connector that crosses the RR tracks. While not nearly as busy as many other RR tracks in PGH, these tracks (the same ones I cross) see a few trains a day, so take appropriate caution when crossing them. I've heard that wild turkeys live along this trail, but I've never actually seen them--at least, not in the park. (I did see them near Central Catholic HS one time). If you do encounter them, be careful, as they are hostile to cyclists and may attack!

an excellent hidden gem, allowing exploration of nature & art…read more old tunnels & forgotten track tracks covered in graffiti paired with natural rock formations & a short creek nature trail walk covered in moss & various fauna, all blending together for quite a scenic experience it was a delightful off-the-beaten-path visit, not sure I'd go routinely if I lived in the area, but would definitely recommend as a one time must-check out experience

I have always loved this hidden South Hills gem. Art and exploration nestled in an urban setting…read more Wooded green space with a creek and little paths for walking, lunching, and more. Natural stone and man-made features for climbing. Abandoned railroad tracks, graffiti and more.

Visit Aspinwall Riverfront Park and you'll find a great spot to rent a kayak! This rental booth is…read moreoperated by Kayak Pittsburgh, a specific project that's part of the Venture Outdoors nonprofit group. Aspinwall is their 3rd Kayak Pittsburgh location in the area (with other locations on the North Shore and in North Park). With plenty of free parking available at this little park, you normally just have to show up and pay for your kayak. (Note that during 2020, an online reservation is required due to the popularity of their kayaks and because they need to control the number of people in the area at a time.) You'll be provided with a life vest and paddle after checking in. The staff will also answer your questions and provide tips on kayaking if you need them. They'll then help you get your boat into the water, where you can paddle at your own pace and enjoy the scenery. I do want to mention that because this is a river location, you'll want to keep the strength of the current and any wind in mind as you paddle along the Allegheny. You may find yourself working harder in one direction or another depending on what the current and wind does during your visit. So give yourself plenty of time to get back to the launch point, and be careful about overexerting yourself early on. Other tips from this regular kayaker are: bring PLENTY of water; don't forget your sunscreen and a hat; bring a waterproof bag for your valuables; and consider investing in some sports gloves so that your hands don't get too sore or blistered paddling. Do those things, and you're sure to have a blast during your time on the water!

The Nine Mile Run is a small stream that connects Frick Park with the Monongahela River. Chances…read moreare you've driven over it, biked over it, or walked over it but you wouldn't know it. You can cross it in hundreds of places but you won't need a bridge. That's because the stream runs almost entirely underground, emerging in Frick Park. The address shown is approximately where it emerges. People have lived in the Nine Mile Run Watershed for many centuries. The Native American Deleware tribe resided here until the 1600s. LIkely they hunted and fished here because it has been home to many species. When the Europeans arrived, they formed small communities and the region prospered, especially with the arrival of the steel industry. When that industry declined in the 1970s the area suffered a sizeable population loss. It is now reinventing itself into a post-industrial environment with plenty of green space. Nine Mile Run flows through Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, Edgewood, and the eastern most portion of Squirrel Hill. It is currently unhealthy. As the 20th Century began, streams were often used to transport trash and sewage and most of the Run was piped into underground culverts. The Run often gives off a stench of sewage after a rain. That's because over a quarter of the watershed is covered by impermeable surfaces such as pavement and sidewalks which do not allow rainwater to filter into the soil. Whenever it rains, Nine Mile Run becomes overwhelmed with water runoff, causing erosion, destruction of animal habitat, and environmental degradation. This is not helped by Pittsburgh's outdated sewer system. Just how antiquated is the system? No permits for the construction of the type of sewers Pittsburgh uses have been issued since the 1930s. Nine Mile Run was also deeply affected by the steel industry. While the mills kept us fed and put our kids thru school, they did heavy damage to the environment. Nine Mile Run Wateshed contained no mills, but millions of tons of slag were dumped along the edge of the stream. In 1922, Duquesne Slag Company bought 94 acres of the Nine Mile Run Watershed and over the years bought more and more land. Despite this being zoned a residential area, Duquesne Slag continued dumping. It's estimated that some 200 million tons of slag rest in the area. Today the Nine Mile Run Watershed is in the middle of decade long restoration project. Reclamation projects have resulted in new housing, vegetation, and greenways on the former slag heap. The Watershed is currently home to 250 plant species, 22 different mammals, and 189 types of birds. A 100 acre greenway is being built to connect Frick Park with the Mon River. A trail has been built along the stream and it will eventually link up with the Duck Hollow Trail and a direct connection will be made to the trail system in the park. My Girlfriends and I hike Frick Park's extensive trails and we are looking forward to being able to hike all the way from Reynolds Street down to the Mon.

The Nine-Mile run Watershed is located in the Regent Square/Edgewood area of Pittsburgh and covers…read more~6.5 square miles. It boasts a stream and breathtaking scenery. It includes hiking trails and the largest urban stream restoration completed by the Army Corp of Engineers. The Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, is s non-profit organization located at 321 Pennwood Ave., supporting preservation of the site. They maintain a Facebook site and sponsor social and fund-raising events.

Fun night on the water! Finding the Venture Outdoor downtown boat launch was easy with their…read moredirections (below the Convention Center). Note: there is no restroom on site. Our guides Matt and Sophie were wonderful. They reviewed the mechanics of kayaking including posture of straight torso with loss hips. They gave a safety briefing and made sure our life jackets were properly secured. And then we hit the water in time to enjoy the sunset. Their rental equipment (kayak boats, paddles, and life jackets) is in great condition. And for the night paddle, the kayaks were outfitted with glow stick lights (in addition to the required standard boat green/red lights). There was other River traffic but there was only one wake encountered during the whole two hours. I'm a beginner level kayaker and it was an easy paddle for just the right duration. Tip: if there are two of you together, I advise getting your own kayak so see more of each other and don't have to coordinate your strokes). There was a Pirates baseball game that night and it was cool to hear the roar of the crowd. The route that night also included The Point waterfall and the Science Center submarine. The only thing that could have made this outing better is if the Pirates had won and we could have watched the celebration fireworks from the water.

Review 200! Yeah! I was reserving this milestone review for somewhere special. I recently had a…read morepretty rocking birthday weekend full of wonderful places to fill this slot but I had to go with one that truly embodies my physical lifestyle, so naturally I had to choose Kayak Pittsburgh. Being a newbie I wasn't sure what to expect, other than I was pretty sure it was going to be awesome. The prices to rent are very affordable and definitely worth the experience. We didn't spend as much time on the river as we would have liked to, do to some upcoming reservations later in the day, but now that I have gotten a taste of it I am dead set on going back as much as I can. We started by heading up the river, but there are much more scenic views down river. Cruising down past the stadiums than over to the point to get a victorious picture of me hoisting my oar in front of the fountain. Such a wonderful way to see the city. Since we were on a tight schedule there wasn't much time for relaxing so it was basically nonstop paddling. This is a serious upper body workout. Heading back up the river was challenging at times, but still so much fun and a great workout! Can't wait to go back.