Doggin’ Pittsburgh: Where To Hike With Your Dog When You’re In The Steel City

Mary Croghan Schenley was a 14-year-old heiress when she ran off with a British sea captain in 1842, causing a huge scandal. She fought a long court battle to keep her inheritance and when she won, she donated 300 acres to Pittsburgh on the condition that the land be called Schenley Park and that it never be sold.

The resulting open space on Schenley Avenue adjacent to the University of Pittsburgh is

a classically designed 19th century park with formal and pastoral gathering places

scenery

Thirty minutes to the northeast you can really get out and walk your dog in

Hartwood Acres. Hartwood Manor, named for a 16th-century English estate,

It was developed by Mary Flinn Lawrence. In 1969 she offered the estate to Allegeny.

county as a park after he died and suddenly the county had a

crown jewel for its park system.

When you come to Hartwood Acres, you come to walk. There is no recreation

sports facilities in its 629 hectares. The manor house, horse stable and outdoors

the sculptures are still in place to admire before heading out on the undulating dirt paths

through the wooded field. A web of short and long trails and

pristine horse trails conspire to provide a delightful canine walk in Hartwood

Hectares.

To get to Hartwood Acres, exit Pennsylvania Turnpike north of Pittsburgh

take exit 4 (Butler Valley) and head south on Route 8 for two miles. Turn left on

Wildwood Road and turn right on Middle Road for approximately 1.5 miles to the entrance to

Hartwood Acres (left).