IN Penn Hills Spring 2020 | Page 31

Roaring Run Watershed Canal Road, Apollo; roaringrun.org The half-hour drive to Apollo is worth every minute when you take in the beauty of Rattling Run and Roaring Run. This 650- acre recreational area features spectacular waterfalls and majestic boulders peppered with flora and fauna. There are over 12 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails available. The site is former coal mining land and an abandoned railroad, now owned by the Roaring Run Watershed Association, a nonprofit environmental organization. For more information, or ways to help maintain the area, visit the website. IN McKeesport Dead Man’s Hollow Liberty Way, McKeesport; alleghenylandtrust.org Along the Youghiogheny River, this Allegheny Land Trust nature conservation area is 440 acres, with over two miles of established hiking paths. Try the Ruins Trail, which displays the remains of the former Union Sewer Pipe Factory, or the Dead Man’s Trail which features a three- trunk sycamore tree. Great Allegheny Passage McKees Point Trailhead, 100 Fifth Avenue, McKeesport; 1.888.282.BIKE, or atatrail.org Awaiting you this spring is 150 miles of hiking and biking rail-trail between Cumberland, Md., and Pittsburgh. In Cumberland, the GAP joins the C&O Canal Towpath, creating a continuous 335 miles-long trail experience to Washington, D.C. You’ll pass picturesque rivers, lush mountain landscapes, sparkling streams and more. Renziehausen Park Rose Garden and Arboretum Eden Park Boulevard off Walnut Street, McKeesport; gardenclubofmckeesport.org Experience a feast for all of your senses at this 3.5-acre display of roses, perennials, a water pond, herb garden and butterfly garden. Maintained by the Garden Club of McKeesport, the rose garden contains 1,200 rose bushes and an additional 300 miniature rose bushes. Visit the website for more information. White Oak Park 3 Muse Lane, White Oak; 412.678.3774, or alleghenycounty.us/parks This park features 810 acres of plants that exist nowhere else in the state, including trillium, wildflowers and groundcover plants. It also offers trails for hiking and biking with challenging hills. IN Monroeville Boyce Park 675 Old Frankstown Road, Monroeville and Plum; 724.327.0338, or alleghenycounty.us/parks For springtime hiking or mountain biking, 1,096-acre Boyce Park has it all! Try the atmospheric 2.2-mile Boyce Park Log Cabin Trail, featuring the Carpenter Homestead log cabin, with blooming trees and wildflowers. Want to travel to the top? Try trails leading up to Indian Hill, a 1,360- ft. hill. Visit the website for maps. Want to help preserve the park trails, or learn more about hiking and biking events? Visit the Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group (PTAG) website at ptagtrails.com. Monroeville Park West 2399 Tilbrook Road, Monroeville; 412.856.1006, or monroeville.pa.us/ parks/monroeville Rejuvenate your spirit with a spring hike close to home! This green and lush landscaped park, which includes a flower garden, is equipped with both hiking trails and paved paths. IN Murrysville Duff Park 4500 School Road South, Murrysville; 412.327.4100, or murrysville.com Designated as a wild plant sanctuary by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, this natural 148-acre paradise is perfect for hiking or mountain biking. Try the 1.5-mile Funk Trail which runs along Turtle Creek and crosses the creek twice. For more information on the trail and how to help maintain it, visit Murrysville Trail Alliance at murrysvilletrails.org. Lillian Kellman Nature Reserve 3490 Kellman Drive, Murrysville; 412.327.4100, or murrysville.com Get away from it all and spend some quality time with your dog. A hike on the wooded trails at this 56-acre reserve that borders the Skena Nature Reserve will be fun for the both of you. For info on how to help maintain this trail, visit Murrysville Trail Alliance at murrysvilletrails.org. Pleasant Valley Park 2557 Pleasant Valley Road, Murrysville; 724.327.4100, or murrysville.com Nature lovers will appreciate hiking and mountain biking through these wooded trails and old farm roads. Open fields and remote valleys await the visitor. Would you like to help build and maintain the trails for years to come? Join Pleasant Valley Park volunteers! Visit the website at pvpark.org/ volunteers.htm. Continued on next page > PENN HILLS ❘ SPRING 2020 29