Pennsylvania's 5 Best Hiking Trails In Pittsburgh For A Scenic Outdoor Escape, According To Hikers

Pittsburgh and its surrounding Allegheny County are a delight for hikers to explore, thanks to over 200 miles of trails within the city and around its limits. Walking the 33-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail along the city's three iconic rivers is one of the five best free things to do in Pittsburgh. Yet even this popular inner-city trail might not make it into the city's five best hiking routes — that's how steep the competition is here.

Whether you're wanting to escape to the rugged Pennsylvania countryside or stick to city sights and sounds, you can find numerous hiking routes. Along with the aforementioned inner-city trail, Pittsburgh has enticing hikes 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and further from the city center. Where you choose to hike really depends on what you're seeking. With that said, there are certainly some hiking trails with better scenery and open outdoor space that are more popular overall among locals.

When you're next visiting The 'Burgh, you might want to consider one of the trails in this list for your outdoor exercise and recreation. Not only have they featured heavily in local blogs and tourist guides, but we've also cross-checked their popularity with avid hikers on forums like the r/Pittsburgh subreddit and AllTrails. We've tried to offer a mix of trails in terms of difficulty, length, and proximity to the city, but consistently high appraisals have taken priority. Here they are, in no particular order: Pittsburgh's five best hiking trails for a proper escape in Pennsylvania's beautiful outdoors.

Frick Park is a 644-acre green space only a 15 minute drive from Downtown Pittsburgh. Beautiful and transportive nature sprawls all the way from Point Breeze down to the Monongahela River. Hiking is one of the biggest reasons people visit Frick Park, which has numerous trails of varying lengths. One of the most consistently popular among hikers is the 5-mile Frick Park Loop Trail, which is ranked as the second-best Pittsburgh hiking route on AllTrails.

Over 1,600 reviews from outdoor enthusiasts on the trail map platform have given the Frick Park Loop a 4.7-star rating. The route covers the majority of Frick Park's outer edges, leading you through dense woodland, over hills, and past creeks. Locals on the r/Pittsburgh subreddit have recommended this route to people asking how to best explore the park for the first time. It ticks off a lot of Frick's scenic sights, including the Riverview Hill outlook, lush Fern Hollow valley trail, and Falls Ravine.

Keep in mind that this route is also used by mountain bikers, so just keep an eye out for any when hiking. You can tackle the route clockwise or counterclockwise — both have their merits. Clockwise has more uphill sections for anyone wanting a proper workout, while counterclockwise saves the tough Iron Gate section for last while also making it downhill instead of a steep climb. You can also bring your dog along for the walk — Just stop at the off-leash areas to let them run about. The park is also ideal for birdwatching, home to over 100 different species. Keep an eye out for deer as well.

Only 10 miles from Pittsburgh's city center, Fall Run Park lets you completely detach yourself from the city's hustle while hiking to a small yet beautiful waterfall. The trail here is short and easy, about 1.6 miles out and back with a relatively small elevation gain. Despite its surrounding suburban sprawls, Fall Run Park transports you into a natural haven with a shallow stream and forested ravine navigated via wide paths and wooden bridges. It's a great option for anyone wanting to spend time among nature without doing a lot of walking.

Give yourself about one hour to walk the trail, including time to admire the waterfall at the end before turning back. The cascade is most impressive after heavy rain, but that's also when the trail is at its muddiest. You might also be able to see little waterfalls along the stream. Just remember to wear proper walking boots if you want to see the falls flowing. People on AllTrails also recommend hiking the trail in winter when the white snow and frozen waterfall create an otherworldly experience. It's a big reason Fall Run Trail has a 4.6-star rating from over 1,200 reviews.

Fall Run Trail is a good family-friendly option for escaping to nature with your kids, especially during a hot summer or spring day. "The trail to the main waterfall is easy and well-kept, which was great for our little ones," one hiker said on Google. "They loved crossing the stream on those solid little bridges." Pack a picnic to enjoy at the base of the 25-foot waterfall or visit the nearby borough of Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania's retiree-friendly nook with Allegheny River views and indie eats, after your hike.

Schenley Park is another sprawling inner-city green space, covering 456 acres of hiking trails, woodland, golf courses, water features, grassy lawns, and other outdoor recreation areas. It's one of the hiking areas mentioned on the r/Pittsburgh subreddit, highlighted for being one of the best inner-city options. This tracks, considering it's only 10 minutes' drive from downtown or 25 minutes via bus. It's located in Oakland, a neighborhood described as Pittsburgh's "second downtown" with museums, restaurants, and lively culture.

One of the best hiking trails here is the Schenley Park Double Loop, which is also listed in Pittsburgh's top five routes on AllTrails. The Schenley Park Double Loop is a moderately difficult 4.2-mile route that takes between one and a half and two hours to complete. As you walk along it, you'll soon leave behind the bustling neighborhoods, replacing the city noise and sights with forested ravines, small waterfalls, stone bridges, wide ovals, and cliffs. Nature and city life intermingle here, with high-rises peeking through the tree branches in some spots and deer grazing in others.

One of the best stops along the loop is Panther Hollow Lake. It may be small, but its surrounding grassy shore and trees create a picturesque view. This isn't a steep hike, with little elevation gain as you go. The challenge for most hikers tends to be the number of unmarked road forks and fallen trees. Bring a map along if you can, or simply embrace the possibility of getting temporarily lost among peaceful nature while city life carries on, unobserved or heard, around you.

You need a car to reach North Park, which is about 30 minutes' drive north of Pittsburgh. The extra commitment is worth it if you're looking for scenic and enveloping outdoors. This is Allegheny County's largest park, covering over 3,000 acres with its 75-acre lake, forested trails, 1930s boathouse, golf courses, pools, and other outdoor activities. For hikers of every age and ability, there's no better route here than the 5.1-mile North Park Lake Shore Loop Trail.

A completely paved trail circumnavigating the lake and wooded areas either side, the route is used by hikers, runners, dog walkers, and cyclists. It's also one of the best accessible trails in Pittsburgh, providing the necessary surface, flatness, and amenities (restrooms and accessible parking) so people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters can also enjoy it. This isn't the one for hikers looking for a challenge or steep trek. It's a great option, however, if you want an accessible and easy route beside a beautiful lake and wilderness.

The North Park Lake Shore Loop has a 4.6-star rating from over 2,300 reviews on AllTrails. It's also been mentioned a couple of times for hiking on the r/Pittsburgh subreddit. The biggest complaints people have are about the roadways that intersect the trail in certain places and the weekend crowds of people. If you can visit during a quieter time, such as early morning or during the week, you can more easily enjoy the tranquility. The lake is a haven for wildlife and birdwatching, including bald eagles in winter and cormorants in spring, plus osprey, blue herons, and beavers.

Another local recommendation on the r/Pittsburgh subreddit is the Montour Woods Conservation Area, about 25 minutes' drive from the city center. Not only is the Hemlocks, Powerline, and Meeks Run Trail Loop the top-rated route in Montour Woods, it's also the top-ranked route in all of Pittsburgh on AllTrails. As the name suggests, this is a combination of three different trails, starting from the parking lot on Downing Drive. Hollow Oak Land Trust's map shows how the trails connect within the 372-acre conservation area, leading you through forest, past cliffs and caves, and along bridges over streams.

The loop covers about 3.2 miles and takes around 1.5 hours to complete. However, if you want to extend your trek, you can easily combine it with the Nike Trail up to the former Nike Missile Launch Site. Many of the trails around this section are used by mountain bikers, so just keep an eye out. "The trails were largely well maintained and pretty overall. There are plenty of trails and a good amount of variety," one recent visitor wrote on Google.

Despite its proximity to the city, this is a great route for surrounding yourself with nature. The bridge crossings are particularly scenic and you can find a small waterfall along the way. Keep an eye out for squirrels, raccoons, and chipmunks as you hike. There's a reason why people consider Montour Woods as Pittsburgh's hidden nature preserve with its lush forest groves and numerous wildlife spotting opportunities. Just remember the bug spray — Mosquitos can be particularly nightmarish here sometimes.

To compile this list of the five best hiking trails in Pittsburgh, we focused on routes that provided scenic outdoor escapes within 30 minutes' drive of the city center. We referred to local hiking guides, such as My Trails Are Many and Hikes and Hops, as well as Visit Pittsburgh. We cross-referenced these with the local suggestions on the r/Pittsburgh subreddit and the Pittsburgh trails ranked highly on AllTrails. We prioritized hiking trails with a 4.5-star rating or higher on AllTrails from at least 200 reviews. We also looked at testimonials from individual hikers on AllTrails and Google to make sure the routes consistently provided beautiful nature and tranquility.