Trails Beyond Murrysville

This list includes many great areas for easy walking, hiking, mt. biking, and cross-country skiing in Southwest PA. The list includes paved trails like the one at Twin Lakes in Greensburg that is suitable for handicapped use, seniors looking for an easy walk, or young families pushing baby coaches.The Rachel Carson Trail and many others can be quite challenging. The Great Allegheny Passage and other rail-trails are good for casual walks, extended hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Hartwood and Crooked Creek are popular for horseback riding. Additional suggestions are welcome.

• Ann Rudd Saxman Nature Park - Although diminutive in size, Ann Rudd Saxman Nature Park offers limitless opportunities to observe and study our natural world. Following the self-guided nature trail is a great way to experience all of the natural beauty that the park has to offer.
• Armstrong Trail - This rail-trail runs along the Allegheny River for 38 miles from Schenley to East Brady.  There is a pretty side trail North of Kittanning to a small waterfalls (Buttermilk Falls).
• Baker Trail - The Baker Trail is a 132-mile (212 kilometer) hiking and backpacking trail, following forest paths, old jeep trails and dirt roads through woods, farmlands, along rivers and creeks. The Baker Trail is one of the 18 state-designated hiking trails and is included on the trails map of Pennsylvania.
• Bear Run Nature Reserve is the largest property owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, is located in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. (Trail Map)
• Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve comprises 134 acres of woodlands, fields, streams, and a pond. It also features more than 5 miles (8.0 km) of walking trails—open from dawn to dusk every day year-round, some of which are accessible for individuals with special needs.
• Boyce Park - The park roads are very popular for walkers.  There are a lot of trails throughout the park that are used by mt. bikers, hikers, and cross-country skiers.  The trails are not particularly well marked or maintained.
• Bushy Run Battlefield - Loop trails within the battlefield offer pleasant hiking opportunities up to several miles through mature forests and open fields.
• Butler-Freeport Trail -The Butler-Freeport Community Trail is the corridor of the remarkably diverse Buffalo Creek Watershed in the southeast quadrant of Butler County. Starting in Laneville, the trail has Buffalo Creek as its companion for over 3 miles through the forest of the Buffalo Creek Gorge. The Buffalo Creek Gorge is the spectacular view which can be seen from bridge on Route 28 a mile north of the Sarver-Freeport exit. The Trail then picks up Little Buffalo Creek as its companion for another 8 miles, crossing the creek seven times. Many of the smaller tributaries are reminiscent of mountain brooks, offering natural cooling on a hot day and the thrill of rushing, tumbling water in all seasons. Gradually as the trail meanders northward toward Butler, it travels from the woods of the Gorge to a broader forest valley with the trail securely passing between cliffs on one side and the Little Buffalo Creek on the other to more open woods to farmland and village communities before again plunging into forest as it leaves Little Buffalo Creek near it headwaters - Alle-Kiski Trails Map
• Buttermilk Falls Natural Area (48 acres) is located two miles south of Route 22 at Clyde, Indiana County.  The site features a 45 foot waterfall and scenic woodland.
• Cedar Creek County Park  - Cedar Creek Park is the premiere access point to the Youghiogheny River Trail for Westmoreland County residents. This walking and biking trail is part of the Great Allegheny Passage, a regional trail system planned to link Washington D.C. with Pittsburgh. The trail passes directly through the Manderino Riverfront portion of the park. an especially nice area to hike is  the Cedar Creek Gorge. Water cascades down the natural shale steps in this deep gorge cut out by Cedar Creek in the northern section of the Park. There are several waterfalls that are difficult to visit on an unnamed tributary of Cedar Creek.
• Conemaugh River Lake - The Bow Ridge Recreation Area adjacent to the dam, offers trails excellent for hiking and observing nature by foot or bicycle. Tunnelview Historic Site, directly downstream of the dam, provides a self-guided historic walk along a section of the restored Main Line Canal that once connected Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (1834-1854). The trail is maintained by the Indiana County Parks Department.
• Crooked Creek - recreation area surrounding the lake offers many opportunities for hiking, biking, and includes a Horse Park.
• Five Star Trail is a rail-trail located along the Southwestern Pennsylvania Railroad corridor between Lynch Field in Greensburg and Youngwood, PA., in central Westmoreland County.
• Frick Park is known as Pittsburgh’s woodland park for its extensive trails throughout its 561 acres of steep valleys and wooded slopes.
• Ghost Town Trail is a 36 mile rail-trail along Blacklick Creek in Indiana and Cambria county. 
• Great Allegheny Passage - The Great Allegheny Passage is a 150-mile system of biking and hiking trails that will connect Cumberland, MD and Pittsburgh, PA when completed. In 2006, the southern end of the trail was completed, making the connection at Cumberland, MD to the C&O Canal towpath. This created a continuous trail experience, 320 miles long, from Duquesne, near Pittsburgh, to Washington, DC. The final few miles from Duquesne to Pittsburgh are still under construction. Take a ride through the Great Allegheny Passage, By Bob Karlovits, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW,  Monday, May 17, 2010
• Harrison Hills County Park - This Allegheny County park has a very scenic trail that runs along a bluff high over the Allegheny River. There are quite a few trails which are generally well marked and maintained.
• Hartwood is an Allegheny County Park consisting of 629 acres. Preserved within the park is one of the largest and most spectacular country estates in the region.Hike or horseback along its wooded trails or cross country ski depending on the season. (Maps)
• Highland Park in Pittsburgh is accessed through the beautiful entry garden, a Victorian-style gathering place with gardens, a fountain and reflecting pool, a paved trail around the reservoir, and benches for relaxing. It includes the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
• Indiana County Trail Guide - West Penn Trail, Ghost Town Trail, Hoodlebug Trail.
• Keystone State Park - It is about 1.5 miles to walk around the lake.  The wooded/wetland area at the East end of the park contains several miles of trails. The web site describes the trails.
• Kooser State Park - In the heart of the Laurel Highlands at an altitude of 2,600 feet, Kooser State Park attracts visitors year-round to its 250 acres of forest and the beautiful trout stream that flows the full length of the park. A loop trail around the lake, and the trail along the stream is a beautiful, easy walk any time of year, and is great for cross-country skiing.
• Laurel Hill State Park consists of 3,935 acres of mountainous terrain in Somerset County. The 63-acre Laurel Hill Lake is a focal point of the park. Laurel Hill is surrounded by thousands of acres of pristine state park and state forest lands. A trail system invites visitors to hike and explore the park and observe the diversity of plants and wildlife. Hemlock Trail passes through a beautiful stand of old growth hemlocks.
• Laurel Mountain State Park high atop Laurel Ridge at close to 3,000 feet in elevation has many miles of trails of varying difficulty that are great for hiking or cross-country skiing.
• Laurel Ridge State Park's 13,625-acre stretches along Laurel Mountain from the picturesque Youghiogheny River At Ohiopyle, PA to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown, PA. This large park spans Cambria, Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties. The main feature of the park is the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, which features trail shelters for overnight camping.
• Laurel Summit State Park at 2,739 feet above sea level provides trail head parking for Spruce Flats bog and Wolf Rocks Trail.
• Linn Run State Park's varied topography and mixed hardwood and evergreen forest make this 612-acre park a scenic place for picnicking, hiking and cabin rentals. Grove and Rock runs join to make Linn Run, an excellent trout stream that has a lovely waterfall, Adams Falls. Forbes State Forest borders Linn Run State Park and offers 50,000 acres of land for outdoor recreation.
• Loyalhanna Gorge Trail - Park at  Darlington turn off from Rt. 30E.  Park at N 40 16.122, W079 18.318. Look for trailhead nearby. Trail climbs then runs along base of sheer cliff.   Trickle Falls (GC16RZC)
• McConnells Mill State Park in Lawrence County, encompasses 2,546 acres of the spectacular Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. Created by the draining of glacial lakes thousands of years ago, the gorge has steeps sides and the valley floor is littered with huge boulders and is a national natural landmark. A gristmill built in the 1800s is open for tours. 9 miles of rugged trails traverse the gorge. Please wear appropriate clothing, including boots. For your safety and to protect the resource, please stay on the trails. Explore Trails for complete trail descriptions.
• Moraine State Park - The 28.6 miles of trails follow the lake shore, wind through forests and fields and explore the habitats of the park. Explore trails for detailed trail descriptions. Biking: A paved, seven-mile bicycle trail winds near the shoreline between Davis Hollow and the Bike Rental Building in the northwest corner of the park. The trail can be accessed at many places in the Lakeview Beach and Watts Bay Marina areas. This trail is not a loop the trail has many steep grades and curves.
  Trail Biking: There is a six-mile loop trail for mountain bikes on the North Shore. Trail heads are located off of Mt. Union Road and Alexander Ridge Road.
• Northmoreland County Park - There is a mile long, paved trail around the lake.  Other trails are shown on the park map.
• Pine Ridge Park is a 635 acre Indiana County park located on old Rt. 22 near the Chestnut Ridge Inn, three miles East of Blairsville.  There is a trail along Tom's Run, a mountain stream, and several other wide trails of varying difficulty. The park is mostly undeveloped woodland.
• Pittsburgh Area Hikes  - Localhikes Website
• Rachel Carson Trail - The Rachel Carson Trail is a hiking trail north and east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, spanning 35.7 miles (57.4 kilometers) between Harrison Hills County Park in the extreme northeast corner of Allegheny County, and North Park in the north-central area of the county. The trail is relatively primitive and steep in places. Few bridges have been built, so many streams have to be crossed as-is.
• Riverview Park in Pittsburgh is a  287-acre park known for its wooded trails and dramatically steep hillsides. The park’s extensive network of trails invites hikers, joggers, and the occasional horseback rider into the woods.
• Roaring Run Watershed Association - This beautiful area in Apollo PA includes the rail-trail along the Kiskimentas River, and a side trail along the cascading Roaring Run creek. The trail from Roaring Run to three waterfalls on Rattling Run isn't easy to find but is worth the effort. There is a second parking lot and trail head on  Brownstown Rd.  that is about a mile upstream on Roaring Run.  At the village of Edmon, There is trail-head parking, and a paved trail that runs downhill to the Kiski River.  Then there are a series of switchbacks that lead to a nice waterfall on Flat Run.  It is about a mile from Edmon to the waterfall, and an additional 3.5 miles to the Apollo trailhead.
• Schenley Park in Pittsburgh contains 456 acres of trails, woods, and attractions.
• Three Rivers Heritage Trail is a wonderful pedestrian trail and greenway system in the Pittsburgh region running for 21 miles along both sides of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, it is an almost complete public route for cyclists, walkers, runners, and in some places rollerbladers.
• Todd Nature Reserve's 334-acres has five miles (8 km) of trails including a one-mile (1.6 km) Loop Trail that runs around the circumference of the reserve with shorter trails bisecting it. The Ravine Trail is the most difficult trail on the reserve, and includes several small stream crossings.
• Twin Lakes County Park - A 2 1/2 mile paved, handicapped accessible trail circles the two lakes.  Other trails are shown on the park's map.
• Trail Link - the most robust source of FREE trail information on the Web. Find detailed information on more than 30,000 miles of bike trails, walking trails, equestrian trails, and hiking and running trails including interactive trail maps, trail descriptions, pictures and more.
• Westmoreland Heritage Trail - The long term goal is acquire and construct a twenty mile hiking and bicycling trail from Saltsburg to Trafford. Five miles of trail are completed and open from Saltsburg to Slickville. The next portion of trail to be constructed will be from Slickville to Delmont.
• West Penn Trail - Conemaugh Valley Conservancy - The West Penn Trail is a 17-mile rail-trail between Saltsburg and our Westinghouse trail head near Blairsville.
• Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. Ten crushed gravel trails in the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve offer everything from a short loop to the historic Lochry Blockhouse, to longer loops close to the perimeter of the reserve. The ten trails on the reserve property total 8837 feet or 1.6 miles.  (GC1R9BP)