Cedar Creek Park & The Red Waterfall, near Pittsburgh, PA

Along the Great Allegheny Passage are fabulous sights to see but I wanted to talk about two along the trail but close to each other that you can see both in the same day. Cedar Creek Park & The Red Waterfall.

The Great Allegheny Passage is a biking/hiking trail that goes from Downtown Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD. The total miles for the trail is 149 miles.

At Cumberland, you can get the C&O Canal Towpath and get all the way to Washington, DC in another 184.5 miles. Along both trails are places to get snacks, camping, hotel/motels, visitor centers, and other great sites. You can find printable maps here.

Cedar Creek Park

I love Cedar Creek Park. I have been there several times over the years. It has a wonderful creek and just about 45 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, PA. It has everything that you can possible want to see or do in a park.

The park has pavilions, a dog park, an activity center rental, amphitheater, a large playground plus several small playground around the pavilions, the Great Allegheny Passage, the Youghiogheny River, a train across the river that you might see, a boat launch, wildlife, Cedar Creek Gorge, model radio controlled airfield, and hunting areas when in season. (Wear bright clothes when hiking in hunting season or stay on trails that are heavy used.

The park has two entrance. One is the main entrance and the other is the left before that entrance. The main one will get you to everything that you want to see except for model radio controlled airfield and new sites. All the photo will be for the first entrance until I change it up.

The first thing that you want to do is get down to the river. Once you get to the river go left and go down to the parking lot the furthest down that you can get. This is closest to the Cedar Creek Gorge hike area and one of the best hikes that you can find.

The Cedar Creek Gorge trail is mostly flat. But the sights are wonderful. I love how the water falls over the shell type rocks.

The water is so clear that you can see most of the bottom of the creek and the things that are in the creek.

I also love how the tree want to live on this creek and use their roots to get to the water and just hang on the edge of the creek.

Every time I go down here. There are always people with their dogs.

During the winter, you can see all down the trail a long way. It is a beautiful almost dead forest.

But during the summer, the green life of the forest returns. This is the same bridge in both seasons.

If you are around Pittsburgh in both seasons, I would go twice. It is like a different place but the same trail.

Once up in the Gorge, you can hear the creek as it babbles and trickles down to the river. Some area are wide and some not so much.

The hike is basically flat but it has trails off it that go up the hills on either side if you want to get into the brush.

It is a truly nice hike which anyone can do. If you bring a stroller, you will have to pick it up over the bridges and a few roots but it is possible.

Look for wild life. This little guy was getting a drink from the stream while I was there. Lots of birds but they move quickly.

I also saw to woodchucks when I was driving down the hill. But I was driving and they were moving quickly…Be care when driving here!

Once your done with this trail. There are so many options of things to do. Such as hiking or biking a bit of the Great Allegheny Passage which cut through the park.

They have a boat launch area.

At the top of the hill or by the waterfront, they have a few great places to have a picnic.

Depending on the picnic area, they have play equipment and horseshoe pits.

Then they have wonderful places for lovers to seat and enjoy each other in hide areas.

This bridge connects to areas of the park so you do not have to walk on the pavement but look at the incredible view of another waterfall gorge area.

As you leave the park, take the first right and you get to the rest of the park through a few houses.

You can find this bridge that will get you back to the main park on foot or hike down the little water and find some great stuff.

There is a waterfall down that way but I understand that it is almost impossible to get to in once the area is all spring green again.

This area is to the right as you come into the second area of the park and across from the bathroom and down the hill. They also have a picnic areas here as well.

If you are bring a model plane, there is so much space to play with them in. They have a bathroom which does not have water but is better then a porta pottie.

Plus this viewing area for those who just want to watch.

For me, this park is a wonderful place to get away from the city and enjoy nature. It is so beautiful and peaceful and it looks so different during the year that it is going some where that you know but completely different all at the same time.

The Red Waterfall

The Red Waterfall is a beautiful unfortunate site. The Waterfall is stunning but the reason that the waterfall is red is due to acid mine drainage which was a major source of water pollution for human mining in the area that happened years ago.

Location to Park at: Start at Blythedale Park, Buena Vista, PA 15018. Then walk up to the Great Allegheny Passage Trail and walk down not very far about 5 minute walk.

Find the park then cross this little field as the trail is right up it and go to your right.

Once your on the trail it is just a brief walk around the corner.

Then you hit this little sign that got you at 119 mile of the trail and you cross a bridge but you have to stop.

Because it is not the Red Waterfall but it is a nice sight to watch the water run down the rocks to the Youghiogheny River.

Then it is just down the way on the left it comes out of no where.

You can hear it from here as it tumbles down.

The side view is just this red rock area with some water coming off it but then you get in front of it.

It is just stunning. The red under the water just comes out so clear and the trees in the waterfall make it total cool.

Take the trail back toward the river to get better view of the waterfall. It great to see thing in one snap shot.

There is also this great little waterfall next to the Red Waterfall. Just a bit of a drip but it is cool. There are a few of them along the way.

They also have this little bench that sits directly in front of the waterfall. I just sat and watched it for a while totally at peace.

The trail behind it, gives you better views of the Red Waterfall and the Youghiogheny River.

Keep in eye out for birds. I saw a few that were lovely. They have incredible little songs that they are singing. I think that I heard a woodpecker pecking as well.

There was a family of squirrels as well but they refuse to stay still while I was trying to get there photo.

If you notice the water on the side of the trail, it is slow moving with several pond like areas. If you are going during hours with high levels of bug activities make sure that you take bug spray with you. It should not be an issue but just in case.

Also, there are some great little trails off the main trail that go down to the river to get a better view. This is a photo from the first trail on the right as you enter the trail from the playground.

The trail goes either way for miles if you want to take a bike or a longer hike. Each mile of the Great Allegheny Passage has something else great to see. But for me on that day, the only thing that I want to see was the waterfall.