Leaders: Dianne and Bob Machesney (412) 523-0368. diannem15237@aol.com
If thunderstorms are predicted. Call Dianne to verify.
Bring a lunch for after the hike. There are picnic tables available in a roofed shelter.
Directions From Pittsburgh: take I-79 North to Exit 99, New Castle/ Butler. Drive east on Route 422 roughly 5.8 miles to the Prospect Exit. Turn left (north) onto Route 528.
Continue on Route 528 for about 7 miles. Meet in the Jennings Prairie Parking Lot on the left (west) side of the road.
We have not been to the EFNA this early in quite a while. This is a flat, game lands road/trail.
Directions: There are many ways to get to EFNA; if you have never been there, use the GPS coordinates 39.96107, -80.4627 with smartphone maps ahead of time. EFNA is located at the end of Smokey Row Rd in PA State Game Lands 302. The directions below are not the most direct, but the simplest.
Take I-79 south to Exit 14 Waynesburg. Turn right at end of ramp and travel PA 21 west for 19 miles through Waynesburg and Graysville. About 2.5 miles from Graysville, make a right onto Nebo Ridge Road (there is a farmhouse here on the right with stone siding ).
Follow Nebo Ridge Road for 2.8 miles. The road will make a sweeping curve to the left and you’ll come to a group of houses (old cars and junk lying around). Turn right onto unmarked Walker Hill Road at a sign for RHL 28. Continue about 1/4 mile, make a sharp left onto Smoky Row Lane, at a sign for state game land; follow that down the hill, through an S curve at the mine conveyor facility, then onto Enlow Fork. Go as far as you can go till you come to a gate and parking lot. Do not stop at the first lot on the left or you’ll have a few hundred yards of walking to do.
Rain or shine, for a leisurely paced, easy walk. Come early, 11:30, for lunch, 12 noon for start of walk. Meg is willing to transport 5 people in her mini van. Meet at the North Park Ice Rink/Basketball Courts on Kummer Rd at 10:45 AM.
Directions: From Pittsburgh take I-79 north to Exit 105. At the end of the ramp turn left on PA 108. Travel east on PA 108 for about 0.7 miles to West Park Rd (Dairy Queen on the right). Turn left onto West Park Road (SR 1015) and drive north about 1.8 miles to SR 1020 (you can see some large silos on the right). Turn right on SR 1020 (Miller Rd) and drive about 1.7 miles to the small parking lot on the right. (SR 1020 is a winding road and at an almost T intersection, turn right to stay on SR 1020.) If you reach the bridge, you have gone too far. The parking lot is just before you reach the bridge over Wolf Creek.
Arrive at 11:30 AM to eat lunch, weather permitting. No restroom facilities. We will start walking at 12 noon.
May 8, 1915 is 109 years, 11 months and 1 week from April 19, 2025. Spring comes much earlier, but the Botanical Society is still a strange looking company in knock-about clothes. Let’s see if we can beat 115 plants recorded by the 1915 MArvels of Roaring Run troop. Leader: Loree Speedy ; 724-518-6022
We will meet at the parking lot along the river and carpool to the smaller Rock Furnace lot upstream of Roaring Run for a hike of 3 miles, mostly downhill and along the river.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-376 Parkway East and continue on US 22 east for 1.5 miles to PA 286 (Golden Mile Highway). Continue on PA 286 – it will become PA 380 after the commercial development and Dairy Queen. Continue on PA 380 to PA 66 and travel PA 66 north (right at end of ramp) to Apollo. Cross the bridge into Apollo and turn right at the traffic light immediately after the bridge onto Kiski Avenue. Follow this road through the town about 0.8 mile until a fork; take the right fork onto Canal Road. The road dead-ends at the Roaring Run trailhead parking lot. We will meet here.
Leader: Shane Miller, Environmental Educator at Raccoon Creek State Park
Let’s join member and botanist Shane Miller for a trip through one of the most diverse populations of plants in the state. Be prepared for wet trails and moderate hiking.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take the Parkway West – Route 376 west (former Route 60 north) to Exit 52, Clinton (one exit past the Airport). At the end of the ramp, turn left and continue 1.1 miles to US 30. Turn right onto US 30 and drive 4.7 miles to the entrance for the Wildflower Reserve, on the right, just over a hill.
Hells Hollow Trail, McConnells Mill State Park, Lawrence County
The half-mile trail leading to a waterfall is easy hiking. Those who wish to continue should wear sturdy shoes.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-79 north to Exit 96 – Portersville. Turn left to travel PA-488 about 4 miles to Heinz Camp Road. Turn right onto Heinz Camp Road and continue about 2 miles to a T. Turn right and cross the Armstrong Bridge. Continue up the hill about 2 1/2 miles and make a right onto Shaffer Road. The Hell’s Hollow Trailhead parking lot is on the right about 100 yards after the turn, just before a one-lane bridge.
Leader: Lindsay Praksti, Westmoreland Botanical Society
O. E. Jennings, in the gazetteer of his 1953 Wild Flowers of Western Pennsylvania and the Upper Ohio Valley, called this area “good botanizing ground” with woods, marsh and a stream that flows through a deep gorge. We will join the Westmoreland Botanical Society.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take the PA Turnpike to Exit 91 – Donegal. Turn left on PA 31. Travel about 2 miles and turn right on PA 381 at the traffic light. Travel about 11.5 miles on PA 381. Once you cross a bridge over Mill Run Reservoir, look for a Camp Christian sign and turn right onto the next unpaved road. At the Y, turn right and continue to a trailhead parking area.
Gabrielle has a good feeling about this beautiful valley of the Browns Run tributary to the Monongahela River. As we enjoy rich diverse slopes of paw-paw, we will look for the Zebra Swallowtail.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-79 south to Exit 14. Turn left to travel PA21 east. Continue 21 miles to the Exit for PA 166 South. Turn right at the end of the ramp. Travel 1 mile north on Ronco Road. Bear right at the Y onto Shortcut Rd (unmarked). Continue 0.3 mile to trail parking on the right.
We will meet at the new Visitor Center along US 22. We will walk the Funk Bikeway and then some narrower hilly hiking trails along Fernwood.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-376 east (Parkway East) to its end at US 22 East – Murrysville. Travel US 22 for about 4 miles to the intersection of Trafford Rd (McDonald’s on the left). Continue along US 22 in the right lane about 7/10 of a mile. At The Fireplace and Airgas businesses, turn right into the new Robert Trail Access, where we will meet.
We will explore the wetlands, signs of beaver, and azaleas along a game lands trail along a stretch of Glade Run. This is an exploratory hike; bring shoes that can get wet, a walking stick if needed and a sense of adventure.
Directions: Chalkhill-Ohiopyle Road in the village of Chalkhill can be reached by traveling US-40 east about 10 miles from Uniontown. Alternately, from the intersection of US-40 and PA-381 south of Ohiopyle, travel west on US-40 for 3.7 miles to the intersection of US-40 and Chalkhill-Ohiopyle Road.
Turn north onto Chalkhill-Ohiopyle Road and travel 1.3 miles. You will cross Deer Lake (which may be drained or open water). Take the first left turn onto Greenbrier Road. Travel about a mile; you will enter State Game Land 51. Continue straight about 2/10 of a mile to the game land parking lot on the right..
We will meet at the parking lot for the picnic area and head along one of the hiking trails for Painted Trillium and Clintonia. Wear hiking shoes.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take the PA Turnpike east to Exit 91/Donegal. Turn left onto PA 31 and then, after a short distance, left onto PA 711. Continue on PA 711 north for about 9 miles. Turn right onto Darlington Road (this may be unmarked) and travel about 1 mile to its junction with PA 381. Continue straight onto PA 381 for a short distance, then turn right onto Linn Run Road. Travel through Linn Run State Park to the top of the hill. At the sign for Laurel Summit State Park, bear left and continue to the parking lot.
Leader: Loree Speedy and Liz Spence, with Park volunteers! Loree Speedy; 724-518-6022
Preston Park is an 88-acre English garden donated to Butler Township by Dr. Frank Preston, founder of Preston Laboratories, and Mrs. Jane Preston. Dr. Preston, a glass scientist, ornithologist, and ecologist, created and designed an English garden as a place to live, work and enjoy nature. Dr. Preston apparently walked the entire property daily at dawn, in accordance with his origins in England where a deep interest in nature is a great pastime. Preston Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is now maintained by Butler Township. For more information, visit here.
Directions: Travel I-79 north to Exit 83 – PA 528 toward Evans City. Travel PA 528 north for 2.6 miles to a T. Turn right at the T and continue east on PA 68 for 9 miles to Whitestown Rd (the first traffic light after the Butler Farm Show on the right).Turn right onto Whitestown Rd and continue 1 mile to turn right onto South Eberhart Road. Park entrance will be on the left. The GPS address is 415 South Eberhart Road, Butler, PA 16001.
Meeks Run Trail in Montour Run Conservation Area, Moon Township, Allegheny County
Leader: Meg Scanlon; 724-612-6192
Rain or shine, for a leisurely paced, easy walk. Come early, 11:30, for lunch, 12 noon for start of walk.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, travel I-79 north to Exit 64. Turn left onto PA 51 for 0.2 mile, turn left onto Forest Grove Rd for 1.6 mile, right onto Ewings Mill Rd for 1 mile. Ewings Mill turns right and becomes Hassam Rd. Continue 0.3 miles for parking on the left.
Arrive at 11:30 AM to eat lunch , weather permitting. We will start walking at 12 noon.
Little Sewickley Creek in Herminie, Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County
Leader: Mark Bowers; 724-454-4012
This is a flat, undeveloped trail on an abandoned railroad bed along Little Sewickley Creek, and can be muddy. Signs of spring include scarlet cup and hepatica, among others.
Directions: Take the PA Turnpike to Exit 67-Route 30/Irwin/Greensburg. Take the Route 30 East/Greensburg ramp. At the first stoplight on Route 30, turn right onto Arona Road, then another right after 0.5 mile onto unmarked Wendel Road. Travel this road 3.7 miles to a T. Turn right at the T and continue 1 mile to Herminie to a 4-way stop (VFD on corner). Continue straight to the next stop sign and turn left. Proceed through 2 more stop signs, end at a T, and turn right. Continue past the Dairy Queen on your right and continue down a hill; we will meet just before the highway bridge. Park on the left side. These directions are difficult as roads are unmarked and state roads through Herminie sometimes look like alleys. If you can use them, the GPS coordinates will likely take you by a more direct route.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 11:30 AM (lunch) Noon (walk)
Pleasant Hills Arboretum, Pleasant Hills , Allegheny County
Leader: Meg Scanlon; 724-612-6192
Established in 1950, the Pleasant Hills Arboretum is home to 65 species of trees – some more than 200 years old – as well as a variety of shrubs and other plants. Arboretum founder A.W. Robertson, who also helped establish the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, found his inspiration for the place from the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.
Walking the trails gives visitors opportunities for reflection and study as well as the ability to take in the many tree species including Beech and Oak. Tree plantings have included memorial trees, Arbor Day plantings, and select specimen trees like the recently planted Veteran’s Shingle Oak.
Rain or shine, this leisurely paced, easy walk will have us looking closely at how to identify trees, shrubs and meadow plants in this winter season. Gazebo and picnic tables for those that wish to come at 11:30 for lunch, 12 noon for start of walk. Port-a-john on site.
Directions: The Arboretum is located south of Pittsburgh at 199 W. Bruceton Rd., Pleasant Hills, PA, 15236.
Arrive at 11:30 AM to eat lunch at the gazebo, weather permitting. We will start walking at 12 noon. Handicapped parking and porta-john at this shelter.
Directions: Penn Tree is a majestic oak considered the oldest tree in Allegheny County, and perhaps the oldest in all of western Pennsylvania. A count of trunk rings after a lightning strike showed it to have taken root in 1598.
We will meet along Van Velsor Drive in Richland Township Community Park, across from the soccer fields. The tree is a quarter mile away along a wooded path (that could be muddy). If time permits, we can visit other bicentennial trees in the area.
Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 11:30 AM (lunch) Noon (walk)
Wahdo:Gwas Wetlands, North Park, Allegheny County
Leader: Meg Scanlon; 724-612-6192
Wado:Gwas Wetlands are a series of detention ponds created through a Turnpike mitigation project of wetlands impacted a few miles upstream. Designed to catch and slow street runoff from this portion of the watershed of the North Fork Tributary of Pine Creek, this interesting area contains a great blend of naturally occuring and planted natives. “Plant it and they will come”, allows new opportunities for wildlife that we may discover.
We will look for fur, feathers, scat, tracks and other animal clues as we identify trees, shrubs and herbaceous treasures wandering along the Dragonfly Interpretive Boardwalk Trail, while occasionally stepping off into the wet overgrowth. Extra interest can be found in our planted wildflower meadows created through many Eagle Scout projects. If you are a true adventurer and want to get up close to beaver and muskrat, wear your waterproof muck boots. Bring binoculars to search for the winter wren. This out and back single trail is very level. Rain or shine.
Directions: North Park is an Allegheny County Park and can be reached by McKnight Road/Babcock Boulevard or PA Route 8/Wildwood Road. We will meet at the Eagle’s Nest Education Pavilion (near the ice skating rink), along Pearce Mill Road. Handicapped parking and portajohn at this shelter.
Arrive at 11:30 AM to eat lunch at the pavilion, weather permitting. We will start walking at 12 noon. Handicapped parking and portajohn at this shelter.
NEW YEARS DAYS Field Trip, Mingo Creek County Park, Washington County, PA
Leaders: Mary Ann Pike – (412) 855-8239; and Loree Speedy – 724-518-6022; loreespeedy@gmail.com
Directions: Mingo is nestled in northeastern Washington County 3 miles from the Allegheny County border. There will be a lot of options to explore trees, shrubs and winter vegetation no matter the wintry weather.
We will meet at the Henry Bridge parking area. Travel PA-43 south (toll road) to Exit 44 for PA-136/Eighty Four/Monongahela. Turn right at end of ramp for PA-136 west. Travel PA-136 for 1.25 miles to make a right onto Mansion Hill Rd. At the end of Henry Bridge,, the parking lot is to your left. For those who enter park from PA-88 south and Little Mingo Road, turn left at the park sign onto Mingo Creek Road and continue about one mile to the parking lot on your right after Henry Bridge.
John Berckbickler made a nice sign for the arboretum
Leader: Meg Scanlon; 724-612-6192
The North Park Arboretum is almost 25 acres of native and non-native trees and shrubs, with an ever changing understory. Migrating birds utilize this area for feeding and shelter. Grass and dirt pathways and deer trails crisscross throughout. Plantings include older varieties and weeping cultivars, with most specimens surpassing 100 years old. Walk will include some moderate inclines, but most are relatively level. Trails can be wet even without rain.
Directions: North Park is an Allegheny County Park and can be reached by McKnight Road/Babcock Boulevard or PA Route 8/Wildwood Road. We will meet at the Juniata and Forest Glen Shelters on Old Babcock Blvd. Old Babcock Blvd is a park access road off of Wildwood Road across from the Kool Cones / 7-Eleven.
Arrive at 11:30 AM to eat lunch at the pavilion, weather permitting. We will start walking at 12 noon. Juniata Shelter has an ADA accessible portable restroom.
We will look for urban vegetation in little forgotten spaces in the city’s newest brownfield redevelopment. Meet along Tecumseh Street at Second Avenue by the Carnegie Library in the Hazelwood Center (5006 Second Ave – parking entrance on Second Ave). Park on the street or at the library. GPS coordinates: 40.40850, -79.94417 Google Maps Link
Indian Creek Valley Trail, Champion, Westmoreland County
The Indian Creek Valley Trail is a walking and biking trail constructed on the former railway of the Indian Creek Valley Railroad, nestled between Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge.
Directions: From PA Turnpike Exit 91 (Donegal), head east about 2 miles on PA 31 to traffic light. Turn right onto PA 711 South and continue 1 ¼ mile to stop sign at County Line Rd. Turn left onto County Line Rd and travel 1/10 mile to make the first left onto Roaring Run Rd (just before bank). Continue short distance to trail parking on the left.
This wooded portion of Montour Trail travels along Piney Fork of Peters Creek, promising fall plants of meadow and woodland. We will meet at the large parking lot at Bethel Park Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, Brownsville Road can be reached via Provost Road south of PA51 and PA88, via PA51 near Brentwood, or via Curry Hollow Rd near Bill Green’s Crossroads. Travel Brownsville Rd south through South Park. About ¼ mile after the South Park Township Municipal Complex, turn left onto Piney Fork Rd. Continue another ¼ mile to the trail parking lot on the right.
We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day for a nature walk. Low humidity, low 80;s, slight breeze! Nineteen members and friends attended, many who were experienced and knowledgeable in mushrooms, birds, wildflowers and trees. It didn’t matter where you where in the crowd, you were close to someone who knew the answer. See our list of sightings here: We saw 53 flowering species at Jennings and another 28 at Burton Rd. for a total of 81 for the day.
We walked the prairie and through the wooded area to the lower flood plain, where we saw a N. Water snake sunning itself on an exposed branch. It seemed like there was less Blazing Star in bloom and more Culver’s Root. Dale the grounds keeper said that area is due for a burning.
Purple LoosestrieHairy Willow Herb
There was a beautiful specimen of the small-flowered purple fringed orchid right on the side of the trail, so everyone got an opportunity for photos without getting their feet wet.
Some of us had packed a bag lunch and took advantage of the park’s shelter to recap our day. After lunch, a few of us stopped at Burton Road area of Moraine State Park to add to our species list.
Friday, July 26, 2024 (Rain date: Monday July 29) 10:00 AM
Leaders: Dianne and Bob Machesney (412) 523-0368
If thunderstorms are predicted, we will use Monday, July 29 as a rain date. Call Dianne to verify.
Bring a lunch for after the hike. There are picnic tables available in a roofed shelter.
Directions From Pittsburgh: take I-79 North to Exit 99, New Castle/ Butler. Drive east on Route 422 roughly 5.8 miles to the Prospect Exit. Turn left (north) onto Route 528.
Continue on Route 528 for about 7 miles. Meet in the Jennings Prairie Parking Lot on the left (west) side of the road.
Join Mason Heberling, Assistant Curator of Botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, to learn about this unique natural area. The Barking Slopes Conservation Area, protected by the Allegheny Land Trust, was once a coal mine, but is now an incredibly diverse forest. Mason will introduce us to the site and discuss current research on how this forest is adapting to a changing climate and plant invasions.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take PA Route 28 North to Exit 9(Blawnox). Merge onto Freeport Road. After 3 miles, turn right onto Hulton Bridge to enter Oakmont, and continue straight onto Hulton Road. Travel 1.5 miles to the Sheetz. At this stoplight (where Hulton Rd turns to the right), continue straight onto Coxcomb Hill Rd. Travel 3.3 miles and make a sharp left onto Barking Rd (after the Lock 3 Allegheny River sign). Travel Barking Rd 1.2 miles to parking for the preserve.
We will meet at the new Visitor Center along US 22.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-376 east (Parkway East) to its end at US 22 East – Murrysville. Travel US 22 for about 4 miles to the intersection of Trafford Rd (McDonald’s on the left). Continue along US 22 in the right lane about 7/10 of a mile. At The Fireplace and Airgas businesses, turn right into the new Robert Trail Access, where we will meet.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take the PA Turnpike to Exit 91 – Donegal. Turn left onto PA 31 East and travel 2.1 miles. Turn right at a traffic light onto PA 711/ PA 381 South and continue 10 miles to a T in Normalville. Turn left onto PA 381 and continue 11 miles to Ohiopyle. Drive through the town and make a right onto SR 2019/Kentuck Road. Travel less than a half mile and turn right into the parking lot for Cucumber Falls.
We will initially travel downhill to get to the riparian forest and wetlands at the bottom.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, proceed south on US 19 (Washington Road) to Boyce Road which is 3.0 miles south of South Hills Village (at Fort Couch Road). Turn right onto Boyce Road and proceed 0.5 mile to the intersection with Morton Road on the right. Turn right onto Morton Road and continue about 1.5 miles to parking for the Morton Complex on the left side of the road. Park here.
Alternatively, take I-79 south.Take Exit 54/ Bridgeville. At the end of the ramp, turn right onto Millers Run Road (PA 50) and proceed to the traffic light at the T-intersection with Washington Pike. Turn right onto Washington Pike and drive for 2.1 miles to the intersection with Boyce Road. Turn left onto Boyce and proceed 1.4 miles to the traffic light at the intersection with Mayview Road. Continue on Boyce Road for another 1.1 mile to Morton Road. Turn left onto Morton Road and continue about 1.5 miles to parking for the Morton Complex on the left side of the road. Park here.
Sandy Creek Trail at Belmar Trailhead, Venango County
Leader: Ron Zagrocki; cell: (717) 580-5736
We will walk along the Sandy Creek Trail, winding through undeveloped and remote forest along East Sandy Creek.
Directions: The Belmar trailhead is at Belmar Village on the west side of the Allegheny River. From Exit 29 of I 80, travel PA8 North for 14.4 miles and make a right onto Pone Ln (at the first traffic light; Red Express Service Station). Travel Pone Ln for 2.4 miles and make a right at the T onto Belmar Rd, and follow it to the parking area at the foot of the hill.
Sheepskin Hollow Nature Preserve, Columbiana County, Ohio
Many people have called this the “most wild” place in all of Ohio (and it is less than a mile from the PA border!). The trail is flat but can be muddy.
Directions: From Exit 36-Brighton of I-376-Beaver Valley Expwy, turn left on Brighton Rd (if coming from south, right if coming from north) and travel a short distance to the first stop sign at Tuscarawas Rd. Turn right and travel 2.8 mile to Lisbon Rd (GCU Credit Union on corner). Turn right onto Lisbon Rd and travel 6.7 miles. (When you reach the intersection with PA 168, continue straight on Lisbon Rd). Keep a lookout for a large stand of pines on the left. At the end of the pines, turn left onto Pancake-Carlson Road. Continue 1.2 miles to the bottom of a hill. After the underpass at the bottom of the hill, look for the parking area on the right before the bridge. There is additional room to park on the side of the road near the underpass.
Directions: Take I-79 north to Exit 116 to head east on I‑80. Travel I-80 east to Exit 29 Barkeyville/PA 8. Travel PA 8 north about 16 miles to Franklin. In Franklin, turn left onto 13th Street to pick up US322 West and PA 417. Travel PA 417 north 12 miles. Turn left onto PA 8 North in Cherrytree and continue about 6 1/2 miles to Titusville.
At the traffic light just before the Oil Creek bridge, turn right onto Bloss St toward Drake Well Museum. Go a mile or so to the Jersey Bridge Parking Area on the right, before the other bridge over Oil Creek. Meet at the parking lot.
We will join members of the local chapter of the Wild Ones to explore the exceptionally diverse Oil Creek Bike Trail.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-376 east and US-22 east about 45 miles to Blairsville. Continue past the Walmart and the ramps for US-119, and as you proceed up the mountain, take the second right for Pine Ridge Rd. Continue a short distance to the park entrance on the left. Follow the signs for Toms Run pavilion (about 3/4 of a mile).
We will join the Botanical Society of Westmoreland County for an easy stroll and moderate climb.
We will join Ava Turnquist, retired Natural Resources Specialist for ANF, to botanize a hardened path through the woods holding botanical surprises in the dense vegetation. A scenic view overlooks the Jackson Bay on the Allegheny Reservoir, Kinzua Dam and the surrounding forest.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, one can reach US 6 outside of Warren, PA, by taking PA Routes 28, 36 and 666 to pick up US 6 west of Sheffield, or by taking I-80, PA Route 8 and PA Route 27 in Titusville to pick up US 6 east just west of Youngsville.
At the intersection of US Route 6 and PA 59 west of Warren, travel east on Route 59 for 10 miles. Turn right onto Longhouse National Scenic Byway and continue 1 mile . Turn right onto Forest Road 492. Travel on Forest Road 492 for 1 mile and continue on Forest Road 492 to the right when it splits and follow it to the parking area, approximately 1 mile. We will meet in the Jakes Rock Overlook parking lot, which has a vault toilet.
