Barb Peterson Memorial Trail Orientation Hikes
Rachel Carson Trail Challenge - Saturday June 24, 2023
On this Barb Peterson Memorial Trail Orientation series of hikes, we will prepare for the Challenge by tracing the route just as you will encounter it on Saturday June 24.
- Everyone is welcome; you do not need to be entered into the Challenge to participate.
- These hikes can be strenuous. The objective is to acclimate you to the trail and get you accustomed to following it in the direction of this year's Challenge. Leaders will be maintaining an average pace of about 2.4 miles per hour, or a little over 25 minutes per mile.
- You don't need to notify the hike leader that you plan to attend. Simply show up on time.
- Please bring at least a quart of water (more if the temperature will be warm) and some energy snacks (e.g. Powerbar).
- We will meet at the hike end point and carpool to the start point, leaving a sufficient number of cars behind to carry people back to the start when the hike is over.
- The minimum unaccompanied age is 12.
- Although dogs are wonderful, please don't bring them on these hikes.
- All hikes meet at 8 AM. Plan for each hike to take 6 hours (up to 4 hours for the hike plus up to 2 hours for sign-in, announcements, car shuttling, and so forth).
- The hikes are free. A suggested donation of $3 per person may be given to the hike leader on the day of the hike.
| Saturday June 3 Harrison Hills Park Bobwhite to Bull Creek Road | 7.4 miles 02:59 duration | Climbing 1538 ft Descending 1770 ft | |
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| This hike begins at Harrison Hills Park, skirting the bluffs over the Allegheny River, covering some easy and pleasant terrain. Then we hit Burtner Hill, one of the more infamous hills on the Trail. A nice view of the Bull Creek valley appears before a rapid descent to the finish. | Meet at the Bobwhite Shelter in Harrison Hills Park. Take Route 28 to exit 16, turn east (right if exiting northbound) at the end of the ramp, then right again at the T-intersection with Freeport Road. The park is about one mile down on the left. Take the left fork of the Park entrance road and follow it 1/2 mile to the shelter parking lot on the right at the Bluejay sign. Map | ||
| Sunday June 4 Bull Creek Road to Freeport Road | 9.4 miles 04:09 duration | Climbing 2591 ft Descending 2630 ft | |
| This hike starts on Bull Creek Road near Tarentum and hits Bakerstown Hill, Bailey's Hill, Creighton Hill, and Murray Hill in short order. We will hike along the bluffs over the Allegheny River across from New Kensington and finish in Springdale. | Meet at the parking area at the intersection of Bull Creek Road and Ridge Road. Take Route 28 to Exit #14 (Tarentum). Turn north on Bull Creek Road for a very short distance, turn right on Ridge Road, then immediately turn into the parking area on the right. Map | ||
| Saturday June 10 Freeport Road to Emmerling Park | 9.1 miles 03:29 duration | Climbing 1975 ft Descending 1914 ft | |
| This hike begins in Springdale and follows paved roads, traverses Log Cabin Hill, LeFever Hill, down Rich Hill, and then up to Emmerling Park and back down. Plenty of hills on this one. | Meet at the Springdale Veterans Association Hall parking lot in Springdale. Take Route 28 to Exit #12A (Pittsburgh Mills). At the end of the ramp, turn away from the mall on the main entrance road, then turn left onto Tawney Run Road. After about 1/2 mile turn right on Riddle Run Road. Follow this road until it ends at Freeport Road and turn right. The Springdale Veterans Association Hall entrance will be on your right in about 1/4 mile. Park on the right side of the building, on the gravel portion of the lot. Map | ||
| Sunday June 11 Emmerling Park to North Park Harmar | 10.5 miles 03:52 duration | Climbing 1956 ft Descending 1589 ft | |
| This hike begins in Emmerling Park and starts with some road hiking, follows Deer Creek, heads up Myers Hill, passes Hidden Pond, into the Hampton Nature Reserve, Crouse Run Valley, and finally enters North Park, ending at the Harmar Shelter. | Meet at the Emmerling Park lot. Take Route 28 to Exit #11 and follow Route 910 (Yellow Belt) west about 4 miles and turn right on Cove Run Road. Travel about 0.5 mile to park entrance on the right. Map | ||