I LOVE the Harrison Hills Park (map here). It's a nature lover's haven, and I love the trails. There are 14 miles of color blazed trails to run, bike or ride horses on and I've run all of them and attempted to mountain bike a few too. Some parts of the Green Trail don't get a whole lot of traffic or maintenance (, which is done by volunteers), so these can sometimes be overgrown with poison ivy.
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| The Green Trail Blazer - wait is that poison ivy hehe |
On the 500 acre park there are old growth woodlands, open meadows, streams and ponds, which form several different natural habitats for wildlife, and are wonderful to explore. There's decent fishing at the Pond along the Pond Loop.
There's a soccer field, picnic areas with gazebos (some have electric and water) that can be booked for parties and gatherings (book with the Allegheny County Parks Department). Bookings for shelters or groves are super affordable, starting at $25!
The Friends of Harrison Hills Park maintains an awesome Environmental Learning Center 'ELC' that houses a neat collection of specimens (birds, small mammals, insects, etc) and is the epicenter of activity especially in the summer months, with programs held every week for all the family. You can sign up for their email list to be sent the schedule of events for the year. I give lectures on bugs and volunteer to lead bug hikes every year. It's a lot of fun!Well, hope to see you at the Park!
