5 Fun Hikes with Kids in Pittsburgh

I must say that finding good hikes for kids in this area is tough. With all our hills, it’s hard to find flat, short, easy hikes. That being said, I have found a few that I love. Here are five of my favorites. If you know of any other good ones, I’d love to hear about them! Happy hiking!

Fall Run Park

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This is one of my favorite places in all of Pittsburgh. The park includes a half-mile trail along a creek that leads to a waterfall. While there are numerous bridges to cross with one or two steps, it’s definitely jogger stroller-friendly. The creek is also very shallow and all shale rock, so the kids love to walk and play in the water. The trail is especially beautiful in the fall with all the colorful leaves. Find the hike in Fall Run Park in Shaler. From Rt 8, turn onto Fall Run Rd, then pass the playground and drive back to the trailhead.

North Park Braille Trail

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This hike is a short easy loop that is jogger stroller-friendly. We often complete the loop twice, with my boys sprinting the trail the first time and walking the second. Find it on Brown Rd, around the corner from the North Park Ice Skating Rink and across the street from the North Park Nature Center. The Nature Center has a pond that is also fun to walk around after the hike.

Washington’s Landing

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This hike is fun because it is flat and easy, is jogger stroller-friendly, and has city views. It’s a gravel trail around the outer edge of Washington’s Landing that leads over a walking bridge. Take the 30th Street Bridge over to the Island. Follow the road to Waterfront Drive and park in the public parking lot there.

Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve

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Beechwood Farms is a great place for hiking. The Reserve includes a natural playground area with a tree house, logs, and a tunnel built into the earth. There is also a pond, and in the spring, my kids love to find the millions of tadpoles and frogs. We just hike on the trail that goes past the pond for however long we want and then turn around and head back. While the trail starts out jogger stroller-friendly, it doesn’t stay that way for very long. There are a couple streams to cross, but mostly it winds through woods. Find it on 614 Dorseyville Rd in Fox Chapel.

McConnell’s Mill

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This trail is about forty minutes north of Pittsburgh, but it’s another of my favorite places. The trail follows a river that is just gorgeous. It also leads to a water mill and a covered bridge. You’ll often see kayakers getting in the river right below the waterfall by the mill. Depending on where you start, parts of the trail are jogger stroller-friendly. Other parts are narrow and rocky, but they pose no problem for my scramble-happy kids. Find it on 2697 McConnells Mill Rd in Portersville, PA.

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Stefanie Hohl
Hello Pittsburgh moms! My family moved to Pittsburgh for my husband’s medical training eleven years ago. We loved it so much, we decided to take a job here. I stay home with our five kids – one daughter and four boys. Yes, they are crazy. Yes, my life is chaotic. But it’s also lots of fun. When I’m not driving my kids to music lessons or swim practice or trying to get my 3 year-old to sit on the potty, I study and write. I have almost completed a Masters of Education with an emphasis in Children’s Literature. I write books for children and am working on getting published. I also run Storytime at the Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley. Oh, and I draw pictures and tell funny stories about my kids on my blog: www.stefaniehohl.com. But above all, I like to eat brownies. Out of the pan. Late at night.