IN Hampton
Crouse Run Nature Reserve
Wildwood Road by Tuscan Inn
lower parking lot, Allison Park;
pinecreeklandtrust.org
Put on your muck boots and enjoy
crossing the stream to the trail that follows.
Crouse Run is an enchanted and magical
nature reserve! This area includes exposed
rock, hemlock trees, wildflowers and
birds. Interested in helping to maintain
the reserve for years to come? Visit the
“support” page of the website.
Hampton Municipal Park -
Rachel Carson Trail
3101 McCully Road, Allison Park;
412.486.0400, or hampton-pa.org
This scenic park provides forested hiking
trails, along with a portion of the Rachel
Carson Trail, which extends 35.7 miles
from North Park to Harrison Hills Park.
Hartwood Acres Park
200 Hartwood Acres, Allison Park;
412.767.9200, or alleghenycounty.us
Hartwood Acres features a 1929
mansion surrounded by a lush forest. Hike
or bike the wooded trails, or take the paved
path by the mansion and formal gardens,
peppered with magnificent sculpture.
Wildwood Mine Loop
Pie Traynor Field Parking in North
Park, South Ridge Drive, Allison Park;
alleghenycounty.us/parks
Put your loyal canine friend on a leash
and get some fresh air at a unique 4-mile
trail. Pass through Rocky Dell Run, a forest
of giant trees and an abandoned picnic
pavilion from 1927.
IN Mars
Adams Township Community
Park
698 Valencia Road, Mars; 724.625.2221,
or adamstwp.org/parks-community-
park.html
Celebrate spring with a 1.3-mile hike
that takes you through a beautiful country
setting.
IN North Allegheny
Acorn Park
Magee Road Extension, Franklin Park;
412.364.4115, or franklinparkborough.us
Acorn Park welcomes mountain bikers
this spring! This 25-acre park is “a natural
area having been untouched for over 100
years. Hiking, equestrian, and mountain
bike trails traverse most of this park.”
Bradford Woods Reserve
Bradford Road, Bradford Woods;
bradfordwoodspa.org, or
alleghenylandtrust.org
Hike on a winding trail through tall trees,
over a charming wooden footbridge and
through a clearing with wildflowers and a
pond that make up this 4.5-acre reserve.
Knob Hill Park
525 Pleasant Hill Road, Wexford;
724.935.3090, or marshall.pa.us
This nature park has a wide variety of
trails for springtime adventures! Try the
half-mile Sean DeArment Nature Trail.
Visit the website for maps of the trails.
Rachel Carson Trail
Babcock Boulevard and Pearce Mill Road
by the Beaver Shelter in North Park,
Allison Park; rachelcarsontrails.org
Dubbed “The Bloody Muddy” for good
reason, this 34-mile trail takes you on the
ultimate hike starting in North Park.
IN Pine-Richland
Deer Lakes Park
1090 Bailey Run Road, Tarentum;
724.265.3520, or alleghenycounty.us
Enjoy some spring stargazing! Located
just 20-25 minutes away in bordering
West Deer Township, this 1,180-acre
park features the Wagman Observatory,
owned and operated by the Amateur
Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh.
Take a late afternoon hike, or mountain
bike on the park’s 20 miles of trails and
then enjoy an evening star party hosted
by the association. Visit wp.3ap.org for
more information. (Venture Outdoors,
ventureoutdoors.org, and L.L. Bean, llbean.
com, also host hikes at the park.)
Irwin Run Conservation Area
Irwin Road, Pine Township; 412.741.2750,
or alleghenylandtrust.org
This pristine and protected wetland,
densely wooded slopes and stream valley
are adjacent to North Park! The area is
perfect for a peaceful walk, or a challenging
mountain bike ride! To learn more about
the area and ways you can help preserve it,
visit the website.
Latodami Nature Center of
North Park
575 Brown Road, Wexford;
724.935.2170, or sites.google.com/site/
latodaminaturecenter
Combine your curiosity about nature
and love of hiking at the 250‑acre Latodami
Nature Center! Located in North Park, it
includes a field, forest, pond, and wetland
and stream habitats, with a series of nature
trails. Enjoy a wide variety of naturalist-led
hikes each season.
Pine Park
100 Pine Park Drive, Wexford;
724.625.1636, or twp.pine.pa.us
This 105-acre park has everything you
need to enjoy a spring hike! The park
includes nature and hiking trails with
picturesque views of Pine Lake, wooded
areas and rolling hills.
Richland Park
1049 Van Velsor Drive, Bakerstown;
724.443.5921, or richland.pa.us
Want to see one of the oldest pine
trees in Allegheny County? Take a hike
on a beautiful wooded trail in this 80-
acre park which leads you to Penn Tree,
approximately 413 years old.
IN Ross
Evergreen Community Park
3430 Evergreen Road, Ross;
412.931.7055, or ross.pa.us/index.php/
evergreen-community-park
This gem of a park includes lovely,
forested trails and a quiet pond for
watching fish and birds.
Lowries Run Slopes
493 Lowries Run Road, Ross; www.
alleghenylandtrust.org
See how Allegheny Land Trust’s 16 acres
off of Lowries Run Road is returning to
its natural and beautiful state! Take a hike
on a short trail loop through the property,
and “witness first-hand the reclamation of
Lowries Run Slopes Biological Diversity
Area.” Parking is located at the back of
Bruster’s Ice Cream on Lowries Run
Rd. The trust suggests that hikers ask for
permission from an attendant at Bruster’s to
park – be sure to thank the person and treat
yourself to an ice cream cone.
Continued on next page >
CRANBERRY ❘ SPRING 2020
43