Last Updated: February 26, 2025

Growing up, walking was never exactly a hobby of mine.  Sure, my mother tried to make it my hobby.  Our 2 mile round-trip walk from our house down Superior Road to the American Legion on nice summer evenings wasn’t too bad.  And if we took a city vacation, a lot of our sightseeing was done on foot.  Overall, and maybe this is my flat feet talking, but I can’t say I particularly enjoyed walking for exercise as a kid (or any kind of exercise for that matter unless it was a team sport).

For some reason, all of that changed around the start of the pandemic.  Something clicked in my mind that made me realize how fun walking can be.  There is a joy that I feel when I experience the world around me on my own two feet.  Our picturesque city of Pittsburgh has countless streets and neighborhoods to explore.  The nature that surrounds us is a beautiful sight to behold, and I want to take advantage of the fresh air every chance I can.  There is always something new to appreciate on each and every walk.  So I try to go in every time with a mindset that it’s not just about the exercise but being able to see the world from a new perspective.

When I got into walking, it was normally restricted to North Park or Hartwood Acres since they have dedicated, paved trails.  But as 2022 rolled around, that all changed.  In March, I decided I’d walk from Oakland down Forbes Avenue through Squirrel Hill so I could check out the recent Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in-person.  On my way back, I went through stretches of Pittsburgh that I had never seen before and was fascinated by all that I could be missing out on.  And when I realized how relaxing and reinvigorating the whole thing felt despite being 7 miles, I was hooked.  It was on this day that my great love for urban walking was born.

Now that I live in Highland Park near the Pittsburgh Zoo, walking is part of a regular routine for me.  And the biggest game-changer has been the app Strava, which allows me to track the routes I take along with my distance and speed.  While I enjoy having all that data to look back on, it also holds me accountable to my goals since others can see it.  I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for a way to better track or manage their exercise, and no, Strava is not paying me to say that.  It simply is that good.

Anyways, I’m providing this backstory because even though I grew up within a half hour of nearly all these places on this list, it took me a long time to realize just how walkable Pittsburgh is and how fun it can be to explore it.  So I thought it would be helpful to put together a list of some of my favorite spots around in the area for people to check out.  Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or you’re visiting for a weekend, I think any of these are worth checking out.  And even if you have trouble prioritizing exercise or can’t find the time, I would encourage you to look into it.  As I’ve discovered, Pittsburgh might be best experienced on foot.  Now onto the list, which is in no particular order:

Allegheny RiverTrail Park

Formerly known as Aspinwall Riverfront Park, this roughly 1.5-mile trail along the Allegheny River has quickly become one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh.  It might also be one of the most beautiful.  Located between the old Brilliant Branch Railroad Bridge and the Highland Park Bridge, it’s the perfect place to come if you’re looking for a casual stroll some evening because it’s flat and relatively short.  Over the last few years, millions of dollars in fundraising have contributed towards more outdoor seating and patios, an awesome playground, a concert space, and expanded trails.  While it’s still a well-kept secret compared to other local parks, there are more and more people taking advantage of this awesome spot every time I’m there.  

Eventually, I think this will become an even bigger hotbed for trail activity in the years to come.  Volunteers are hoping to expand the trail across the river via the Brilliant Bridge, where it would fork off into Highland Park and along the Allegheny, continuing all the way up to Oakmont.  I’m ecstatic just thinking about it.  At the present, you can also take it into Sharpsburg and connect with the (extremely small) Etna Riverfront Trail.  From there, you can walk along the railroad tracks for a few miles until you hit the Heritage Trail near the 40th Street Bridge in Millvale, which will take you all the way to downtown and beyond.  I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it and have only done it once myself, but that’s the easiest way to link between the two.

I do want to give this section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail an honorable mention.  When I was in high school, my mom and I would park at the 31st Street Bridge and bike from there past Heinz Lofts, PNC Park, and Heinz Field, then go across the Fort Duquesne Bridge and loop around Point State Park.  It’s truly one of my favorite routes in the entire city.  However, in the past five years, there has been an influx of homeless camps along this trail, especially near the 16th Street and Veterans bridges.  If that’s a concern to you, then I wouldn’t recommend this portion.  Plus, the geese (and their droppings) are everywhere.

Frick Park

Frick Park offers arguably the best collection of wooded trails in Pittsburgh, with around 17 miles in total.  I don’t think you can go wrong picking any of these spots.  Whether you want something short and flat or a tough elevation climb, Frick has it.  And the trails are all really well-maintained too.  If you’re looking for a good route to take, I like to park on Reynolds Street in front of the Frick Museum, then take the Homewood Trail and connect to the Tranquil Trail, which will take you under the Fern Hollow Bridge until you eventually hit a parking lot.  From that parking lot, I link up to the Nine Mile Run Trail, which has a beautiful offshoot that allows you to walk along the stream.  You can stay on that trail by crossing Commercial Street and walk under the Parkway East.  It will take you all the way to Duck Hollow along the Monongahela River.  However, because of the many trail options along with Frick Park’s close proximity to some of Pittsburgh’s prettiest neighborhoods, there are countless other routes to take.  And that conveniently brings us to my next recommendation. 

Shady Ave. & Beechwood Blvd.

Once you’re in Frick Park, you can hop on the Riverview Trail and take it towards Blue Slide Playground until you hit Beechwood Boulevard.  Beechwood, along with Shady Avenue that parallels it to the west, are my two favorite streets to walk.  Both roads are located in proximity to Squirrel Hill, Point Breeze, East Liberty & Bakery Square, and Greenfield.  I’ve even used them to walk home from the Waterfront in Homestead before.  I think this convenience to other neighborhoods is part of why I love both of these roads so much.  If I want to cut through Chatham’s gorgeous campus, I can easily do so.  If I want to meander around one of the aforementioned neighborhoods and need a cut-through to get home, I know I have a great option to get me there.  And while both have plenty of hills, they also have some of the nicest homes in the city, which always adds to their charm.  As an added incentive, this area truly is shady as the name would suggest, so it’s usually a pretty comfortable walk even on hot days.  

Schenley Park & The Run

Similar to Frick Park, Schenley also provides fantastic trails while serving as a convenient link between Oakland and Squirrel Hill.  At this point, I spend nearly every Monday afternoon in Schenley Park, and it never gets old.  This can be attributed to its many great options, most of which are wooded and help you feel disconnected from the two bustling neighborhoods surrounding you.  If you’re looking for a nice loop, you can park near the Carnegie Museum on Forbes or outside of Phipps Conservatory, cross the Panther Hollow Bridge, and take a right at the swimming pool to get on the Bridle Trail.  When you hit the intersection of Greenfield and Panther Hollow Road, both the Upper and Lower Panther Hollow trails will take you back towards Phipps.  And Schenley is great on a wet day too!  If you’re concerned that the trails might be muddy, Overlook Drive, Circuit Road, and Schenley Drive are all paved options.  With how much this park has to offer, I frequently beat myself up that I didn’t take advantage of it when I was a student at Pitt.

If you venture below South Oakland, a phenomenal hidden gem is the Junction Hollow Trail, which will take you under the Parkway and into a small section of Greenfield known as The Run.  It’s a quiet spot.  Every time I walk through this tucked-away valley, I feel at peace.  Like some of the previous trails, it provides great access to many other areas of the city.  Sometimes I’ll go this way so I can then walk up Greenfield Avenue and pack into the heart of the park.  It’s also easy to get to the up-and-coming Hazelwood Green, where eventual development will hopefully bring the foot traffic this spot deserves.  You can also hop on the Eliza Furnace Trail all the way to Downtown.

My favorite connection that The Run offers, though, is to the Great Allegheny Passage.  If you cross the Hot Metal Bridge into the South Side and make an immediate left, you’ll be able to take that trail all the way to Cumberland, MD where it turns into the C&O Canal Trail on its way to Washington, DC.  I’ve only done the stretch from the South Side to the Homestead Grays Bridge at the Waterfront (and I’ll never be crazy enough to do the whole thing), but I’ve loved it.  In that roughly 4.5-mile section paralleling the Monogahela, you can pass the Steelers practice facility, get an ice cream cone from Page’s Dairy Mart, or stop by Sandcastle Waterpark.

Highland Park

It might be surprising to hear that I don’t frequent my own neighborhood park, by when I do head over there, I’m always struck by its serenity in its tucked away corner overlooking the Allegheny River.  There are three great loops you can walk if you choose to visit here, none of which are super long or difficult.  The first two can be accessed via Highland Avenue while the third links Negley and Stanton.  The most popular trail goes around the reservoir on top of the hill.  You could also take Reservoir Drive, which has been recently reconfigured to have walking and biking lanes.  The biggest loop is around Lake Drive.  It’s a little more challenging and doesn’t offer the same sidewalks or pedestrian lanes that the others do, but it does have nice views of the Pittsburgh Zoo and the river.  This path will take you past the swimming pool, dog park, beach volleyball and tennis courts, and Carnegie Lake, a quaint fishing spot.  I do wish that there was better access down the hill to reach the area of the park along Washington Boulevard though.  Overall, I think people would be surprised at how much Highland Park has to offer, including the neighborhood itself.

Hartwood Acres

Many Pittsburghers will know Hartwood Acres for its annual drive-thru Christmas light show that used to be held every December or for its summer concert series, but it also has some fantastic paved trails for parkgoers to use.  Growing up, my family would take full advantage of these events, so I love reliving those memories every time I’m there.  The park has entrances on Middle Road and Saxonburg Boulevard , so it’s easily accessible for many people north of the city.  My preferred route is to park at Middle Road, loop around past the amphitheater, and head up the hill towards the mansion.  The mansion, of course, is the best part of going to Hartwood Acres.  If you’re coming from the direction I described, you can either stay on the paved path (which is a tough half-mile straight uphill) or you can hang a right on the gravel path towards the horse stables.  Either way, taking one of the many routes around the house is a must-do, and in my opinion, it makes this the best park in all of Allegheny County.  From there, I enjoy heading all the way to Saxonburg Boulevard before turning around.  Depending on if you do this last part or not, you’re looking at roughly 3.5-4.5 miles.  The wooded trails are also really well-maintained here, so I’d recommend it for hiking as well.

Hampton Community Park

Located only 2 miles up the road from Hartwood Acres, this one might seem a little out of left field.  Even growing up only 15 minutes away, I never went to Hampton Community Park unless my sister had a softball game.  But now that I’ve actually experienced it firsthand after recent upgrades, including trail installation, I’m honestly wondering if I might want to move to Hampton someday (something that would’ve made me sick to my stomach as a kid).  This park has it all:  baseball and softball fields, a community center with gyms and a library, a swimming pool, and various courts.  The new trail allows you to take in the entire campus, including a pond set back between the trees.  It also links up with the Rachel Carson Trail, a 46-mile hiking trail spanning the northern end of the county from Harrison Hills Park all the way to Wexford.  Because this park sits between Hampton’s middle & high schools, it’s also easy to incorporate those into your walk since there are sidewalks to connect them all.  Depending on your route, you’re probably looking at anywhere from 2-3.5 miles on one go-around.

North Park

Probably the busiest spot on this list, you know what you’re getting yourself into when you go to North Park.  There are dozens of activities to take advantage of across all age groups.  And if you want to get in some good exercise, look no further than the 5-mile lake trail that loops around the park via Ingomar Road, Lake Shore Drive, Pearce Mill Road, and Babcock Boulevard.  This one can get a bit vanilla at times, but it gets the job done.  Its biggest drawback is that, besides a shortcut near the boathouse, you’re stuck using the same route every time.  If you don’t think you can finish the whole thing or maybe it starts pouring down rain, you have to hope you’re not halfway around the loop.  Either you’ll have to turn around or keep pushing onward.  However, it really is a pretty spot and offers easy-to-moderate difficulty depending on how you map it out.  Plus, like other county parks, they offer some great wooded trails as well (along with the Rachel Carson Trail again).

Honorable Mention: Ross Park Mall

I know, I know.  This one wasn’t expected at all.  Instead, you thought I’d put Pittsburgh Mills on the list since it’s a glorified walking track for our local senior citizens at this point.  But if we find there’s a day where we’re just looking for something to do and feel like people-watching, Ross Park Mall is the place to be.  Rather than spend my time in a ghost town, I’d rather go here so I can remind myself that the in-person retail shopping experience that I love isn’t dead yet.

Closing:

Pittsburgh is full of countless beautiful spots beyond what I could list here.  With our three rivers, hilly terrain, and well-preserved woods despite an urban setting, there are plenty of opportunities to get outside and enjoy a beautiful day.  I hope after reading this that you go try one out!  And maybe even download a Strava account and give me a follow while you’re at it!  Walking is an easy habit to form and it pays dividends.  All of these could be great for running too if you’re into that, which again, I’m not.  But I want to keep pushing myself so I can maybe get there someday too.  As time passes, I hope to discover even more local places to explore.  I know for sure that I need to get to both the Montour Trail and South Park in the South Hills, plus I’d like to finally check out Moraine State Park.  No matter where I end up, I know I can find joy in experiencing the world on my own two feet.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:

What are some of your favorite places to walk, run, or bike in the Pittsburgh area?  Are there any glaring omissions from this list?  Do you have any questions about any of these?  Let us know in the comments!