Dog walking in South Park

South Park

South Park is a 2,013-acre county park and is the second largest park in the county. In the 1930s, South Park was the setting for the local county fairgrounds. For more than thirty years, the fairgrounds attracted a half million people each season. Today, the fairgrounds are gone, but in their place, the park offers all the amenities one would expect in a modern county park. These include a wave pool, golf course, ice skating rink, picnic groves, tennis courts, and miles of trails for you and your pooch to explore. Oh, and there's also a dog park here that Fido will pawsitively love!

Downtown

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a non-profit organization that is converting disused railway lines all over the country into walking trails. The Great Allegheny Passage is one of 1,600 rail-trails supported by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Previously an unused railroad corridor, the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage now connects with the 184.5-mile C&0 Canal Towpath at Cumberland, MD to create a 334.5-mile route between Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. free from traffic and motorized vehicles. Indeed, motorized vehicles are strictly forbidden! Bicycling and hiking are the two most popular activities on the trail, as well as fishing and bird-watching. The trail is accessible from Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh between dawn and dusk.

Allison Park

Nestled in the Hartwood Acres Park, in the nearby neighborhood of Allison Park, is the Hartwood Acres County Dog Park. (That's a lot of parks!) This is a well-maintained dog park that is always bustling with people and their pooches. Water is available for thirsty mutts at a newly installed water pump. Wandering around the beautiful Hartwood Acres Park itself, you’ll never believe that you’re in the center of a big city. But the good news is – you are! Only a 30-minute drive and you’re in the heart of Pittsburgh – or the “City of Bridges”, as it’s known. (Fun fact: Pittsburgh has more bridges than Venice! 445 of them!)

Bellevue

Bellevue Woods Dog Park in Bellevue Memorial Park is a spot much loved by both residents and visitors alike. The park has large open areas for dogs to run and play, as well as wooded areas for you and your pooch to explore. If your dog is a little on the small side and you’re worried about them having to mix with bigger dogs, then this park is for you! Not only is there a separate area for small dogs, but the park hosts an event called Small Dog Social on Sunday afternoons. The park also features a small pond and an agility course.

Shadyside