Urban Hike

A lot has changed in Hazelwood since hazelnut trees covered the river bank and resident John Woods was drafting the original plan for the City of Pittsburgh. And more changes are coming soon. Join Urban Hike as we get to know Hazelwood past, present, and future the best way we know how — on foot!

We’ll begin and end at a new amenity in Hazelwood — the Summer Marketplace on the 4800 block of Second Ave. We’ll depart from the market at 10:00 a.m., but Mee Mee’s Tis So Sweet, a resident-owned business, is setting up early just for us! Bring some cash and join us at 9:30 a.m. for coffee and unique baked goods. And stay after the hike for grilled lunch specials from Elite Treats & Specialty Feasts, including smoky mac and cheese. Yum! (Note: both businesses are cash only.)

Worried about all those calories? Don’t be! This hike is 5 miles long and Hazelwood is full of hills and steps, so you’ll be burning them off. Really. This will be a challenging hike! In addition to length and elevation, we will face uneven terrain and, if weather permits, dirt trails. This hike is not appropriate for beginning hikers and we suggest that attendees of all abilities bring water and comfortable shoes.

Other things to know:
Parking is available on both sides of Second Avenue, but please leave space in front of the market for regular customers. There are also some informal parking lots off of Gloster St, one block towards the river from Second Ave.

The last leg of the hike is on private property, so all hikers will have to sign a waiver to proceed. Those who do not wish to do so may end the hike early.

We hike rain or shine, so bring your sunscreen and/or umbrella accordingly!

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, June 20th!

Thanks to all who attended this weekend’s Hill District hike. You can find a pdf of the map on our Past Hikes page.

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Did you know that “The Hill District” isn’t actually a City of Pittsburgh neighborhood? It’s five! Visit four of them (Middle Hill, Terrace Village, Crawford Roberts, and Bedford Dwellings) with Urban Hike to learn about some of the past and future of this storied “district.”

We are excited to offer this hike as part of Jane’s Walk, an international movement very much aligned with Urban Hike. On the first weekend in May, hundreds of citizen-led walking tours will take place around the world inspired by Jane Jacobs, a community activist who promoted walkable communities (and opposed urban renewal projects, including the one that removed blocks of houses and businesses in order to build the Civic Arena). For more info, visit http://www.janeswalk.org/

We’ll meet Saturday, May 2 at 10:30 a.m. in the community room of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Hill District branch. There should be plenty of street parking available in the immediate vicinity, as well as a small lot behind the Library.

The hike is about 4 miles long. As the neighborhood’s name suggests, there are plenty of hills and a healthy set of steps — so it’s not the easiest hike for kids in strollers. Or for the adults pushing them. Bring your hiking shoes, water, and whatever the day’s weather requires – we hike rain or shine! The hike will last around 2.5 hours.

We look forward to seeing you on May 2nd!

Recap:

Saturday May 2
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Meet at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Hill District Branch
2177 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Urban Hike is excited to be a part of the festivities of Brookline Unveiled, a celebration of Brookline timed with the unveiling of the recent Brookline Boulevard makeover. We will begin with a walk along the Boulevard, venture into the hilly residential area, and end at the Brookline Unveiled celebration where hikers will have their pick of great food options and live music. Along the way, we’ll visit a couple of unique neighborhood spots and walk (down) the longest set of steps in the city (378!) Of course, if we lose elevation we have to gain it somewhere else, so this hike will not be for the weak-kneed (pun very much intended).

We’ll leave from Cannon Coffee at 10:00 a.m., so arrive early if you want to grab a pre-hike refreshment. Other Brookline Unveiled festivities also begin at 10:00 a.m. and a block of the boulevard will be closed, so if you’re arriving by car and need to park, leave extra time for that too.

The hike is a little under 4 miles — with hills and stops we’re estimating it will take 2 to 2.5 hours. Come prepared for whatever weather we’re facing as we hike rain or shine. Given the steps and hills, this probably is not a good hike for strollers (again, both meanings intended!) If you would like to visit the famed Las Palmas taco stand or any of the food trucks in for the Unveiled festivities, make sure to bring cash.

Recap:

Saturday September 6th
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at Cannon Coffee
802 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15226

Join us for a 4-mile walk in Millvale this Saturday, July 19th. The hike begins at 10:00 a.m., but we suggest you arrive early to grab a treat from the highly regarded Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery. As we hike, we’ll catch a couple of highlights in the business district, peak in on the Max Vanko murals, speak to some Franciscan nuns about their peaceful and eco-friendly Millvale home, and, as always, walk on residential streets to get the real feel of the neighborhood.

This hike is a bit flatter than most, but it’s still Pittsburgh, so there will be some hills and city steps. Come prepared with your walking shoes, a bottle of water and, if needed, an umbrella. We hike rain or shine.

Don’t let the parking meters on North and Grant Avenues fool you, they are free on weekends. Park wherever you can find a spot near the bakery.

If you have time after the hike, stick around for lunch at Sidelines Bar and Grill with the Urban Hike crew or brunch on your own at the original Pamela’s — the P&G Diner — which is within a block of our starting spot at Jean-Marc’s.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

The participants of the Pittsburgh Marathon may run 26.2 miles, but they only cross five bridges. Do them one better by joining Urban Hike in downtown as we tread six of the river-spanning steel pathways that make Pittsburgh the City of Bridges.

We will meet in Firstside Park at First Avenue and Ross Street at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, June 1st. From there, we will embark on over six miles of walking over, under, and beside bridges. We’ll even encounter ghosts of bridges past! This is longer than our typical hike, so plan for up to 3.5 hours’ worth of Golden Triangle trekking. The path is fairly flat, though there are a handful of bridge-related level changes along the way plus one hilly climb up the Bluff and down the stairs on the other side.

Street parking is free on Sundays everywhere in Pittsburgh, but for those of you who aren’t up for a parallel-parking hunt, the First Avenue parking garage is only a few blocks away. Firstside Park is also easily accessible from the First Avenue T Station. As always, the hike is on, rain or shine. We hope to see you there!

To kick off the 2014 season, Urban Hike is visiting an old friend — Greenfield! Since our visit last fall featured more pouring rain and low-hanging clouds than the picturesque panoramas Greenfield is known for, we’ve decided to head back and try again. Hopefully this time the weather will cooperate — but as always, the hike is on, rain or shine.

We’ll meet Saturday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m. right in front of Big Jim’s Restaurant in “The Run”. There should be plenty of street parking available in the immediate vicinity, with additional parking near the Junction Hollow Trail.

The hike is about 5 miles long. Hills and steps abound — so it’s not the easiest hike for kids in strollers. Or for the adults pushing them. Or for anyone. Period. But after the winter we’ve had, we think it’s time to get out, get some fresh air, and get moving! The hike will last around three hours, and we’ll end with an optional lunch at Big Jim’s afterward.

Details:
Urban Hike’s going back to Greenfield
Saturday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m.
Meet across the street from Big Jim’s Restaurant at 201 Saline St. 15207

We’re trying a new style of hike. We’re returning to a neighborhood we hiked years ago, but this time with no map, no speakers, and no frills. Just a big group of friends out enjoying a Pittsburgh hike — steps, views, old houses, paper streets, and some fresh fall air.

We’ll start in Allegheny Commons, hike up into Fineview, and return to East Allegheny for some optional after-hike refreshments. The hike should only take about an hour and a half, so plan to warm up afterwards at the historic James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy.

Besides James Street, we won’t be going inside at all, so this is a great hike for dogs. We will be going up and down lots of steps however, so it is probably not ideal for strollers.

Details:
Urban Hike’s No Frills Fineview Hike
Sunday, November 3 at 1:00 p.m.
Meet at the northwest corner of E. Ohio Street and Cedar Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Thanks for coming out for our hike! Rain like we had helps put the “green” in Greenfield. 😉 Our small but hardy group walked nearly five miles, handling the hills and steps in stride. Along the way, we:

• Heard from two Greenfield Community Association speakers on current neighborhood initiatives
• Toured Greenfield Presbyterian Church‘s sanctuary and cozy community space
• Paid a visit to Frank Gorshin’s final resting place in Calvary Cemetery
• Refueled with a satisfying meal at Big Jim’s in the Run
• Ended at the impressive Saint John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church

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September 21st is the last day of summer — get out and enjoy it with Urban Hike! We’re headed to Greenfield; Despite the tranquil-sounding name, we won’t find many flat fields here. Winding streets, steps, hills and heights are more this neighborhood’s style.

But we know you can handle it! Come prepared for whatever the late summer weather brings … we’ll hike rain or shine. We are starting and ending at 201 Saline St.  (Right in front of Big Jim’s restaurant in “The Run”.) There should be plenty of street parking available in the immediate vicinity, with additional parking near the Junction Hollow Trail.

From there we’ll head up and down Greenfield’s hills, taking in the sights and hearing from a few local speakers along the way. The hike is just under five miles long. We’ll begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. The hike will last around three hours, and we’ll end with an optional lunch at Big Jim’s afterwards. We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

View from the corner of Lydia and Bigelow streets

Here’s the recap:

What: Urban Hike’s Greenfield hike
When: Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Meet outside 201 Saline Street in Greenfield.
Why: Winter is coming. Get outside while you still can.