Pittsburgh Hike/Bike Trails: Three Rivers Heritage Trail System

Are you looking to get Downtown on foot or on a bicycle? Are you looking for a great way to see the city? The Three Rivers Heritage Trail system is the best way to see Pittsburgh's past and future, as well as having a great bike ride in the city. These trails are well maintained, easy to access, and are some of the best sightseeing you will find within the city's borders.

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail System is actually the linkage of numerous separate trails. Each river shoreline in Pittsburgh has been lined with walking/cycling trails as the city developed. Some are more complete than others, but with almost no interruption you can travel the extents of the city along the rivers.

Riverfront cycling has its advantages. The trails are flat and wide, and they move along the hilly terrain with almost no effort. The rivers are quite nice as well, and they offer frequent stops for water and other hiking/biking essentials. You go through many of the coolest areas in town, like Station Square, the South Side, the North Shore (right next to the stadiums), and Downtown.

Running right along the rivers has disadvantages too. Flooding is a major problem, especially Downtown. The trails along the rivers at Point State Park and by PNC Park often flood, leaving them impassable for days. It is worst in the Spring if there is a strong melt that season. If they flood significantly, expect it to take 3-4 days after the floods for cleanup crews to remove debris and silt that piles up along the riverfront.

Still, these paths are great ways to get where you are going. As a student, I would bike Downtown by wiggling my way down from Schenley Park and onto the Eliza Furnace Trail (the trail along the north edge of the Monongahela). That would get me Downtown in less time than if I had went straight down Forbes Avenue. Getting to the South Side from Downtown is best done along these trails as well, since the ride is much more scenic (and less dangerous) than the ride along Carson Street.

There are bicycle rentals right on the South edge of Downtown at First Avenue. Grab a bike if you are visiting and enjoy a ride up and down the rivers that made Pittsburgh the strategic and commercial hub that it is.