Snapshots of Pittsburgh From a 12-mile Run

Oct 15, 2011 · 5 minute read · Comments
runningPittsburghFiveFingersFrick ParkSummersetHomewood Cemetery

Today in Pittsburgh was a beautiful day for a run: sunny with clear, blue sky! So I went for a leisurely long run, with no particular route in mind, just going wherever I felt like going. I brought along my camera, as I did on Monday’s run, and took a bunch of photos.

Can you guess where this view of Pittsburgh came from? The answer will emerge below.

Frick Park

I began by running into Frick Park passing by the blue slide playground and past the meadow.

Then immediately into the Riverview Trail.

Then a sharp descent on the Riverview Extension Trail.

At the bottom, Fern Hollow. You can see how wild it has become. Several years ago this entire area was a big parking lot. It took years for the restoration to take effect, and I love it.

Now on the Nine Mile Run trail. I don’t like that it’s rough concrete, unfortunately (I did take a different way back). Notice the buildings high up in the distance. That’s near where we’re heading!

Crossing a bridge, near the end of the Nine Mile Run Trail in Frick Park.

Nine Mile Run

We’re not in Frick Park any more. Crossing Commercial Street.

The Nine Mile Run Trail actually continues, across the street.

A quiet stretch of the trail. Sometimes I see cyclists coming this way.

Remnants of this area’s past.

Fairly recent bridge crossing Nine Mile Run.

Been ascending, but now comes the biggest ascent, on a rough trail off the main path.

Summerset at Frick

Now we’re way up at the end of the developed section of Summerset at Frick. This huge project only happened a few years ago.

A quick look backward, at the rest of Summerset.

Looking forward, development still in progress.

Highest view of Pittsburgh from Summerset. This is the photo I used at the beginning of the blog post.

It’s time to head back. We’ve reached the end of Summerset, really. You can see where the new homes stopped being built.

Going back down the way we came.

Duck Hollow and on

Turned off at the fork to pass by Duck Hollow. It’s always curious to see these homes hiding in this area. There used to be a big problem with dumping here, but a lot of work has gone into cleaning up.

Now at the Monongahela River, along which there lies a long trail: Three Rivers Heritage, or Steel Valley Heritage.

People like to fish here.

Returning to Frick Park

Time to turn around and head back all the way to Frick Park. Note the train on the bridge.

And I always see someone fishing here. It doesn’t look safe!

Just going back the way we came along the Nine Mile Run Trail.

Back in Frick Park

(Photos are much sparser from here on.)

After returning to Frick Park, I took the Deer Creek Trail to avoid the concrete of the Nine Mile Run Trail.

Then I took the Tranquil Trail up north. I always seem to see a lot of couples taking a walk on this trail. It’s a nice, quiet place to be.

I took the Homewood Trail way up, then emerged to pass by the famous Frick Park Lawn Bowling Greens. I’ve actually seen little old ladies play here before.

Just a quick view of Homewood Cemetery, before heading back down Tranquil Trail. Homewood Cemetery is where I tend to run in winter because of snow and ice drainage and peace and quiet. I used to do marathon training up here too.

All the way down Tranquil Trail now, back to Fern Hollow. That meadow area is a favorite of dogs and their owners at play.

Returning home

The rest of the run was just going back up the Falls Ravine Trail and back up the Riverview Extension Trail and out of the park back home.

It was about 12 miles total, a pretty long run for me these days. But the weather was incredibly great, and the run was so peaceful.

I wore my KSO Trek shoes, as usual, but this was probably the longest run I’ve done in these shoes.

My feet were pretty sore by the end, because of all the rocks I had to deal with, but after half an hour of stretching and recovering, and eating a large restorative meal, I felt fine. Going to take a rest day off from running tomorrow, but Monday I should be ready to enjoy the autumn changes further.

I feel blessed that I can regularly just hop out the door and go on little journeys like this in Frick Park.

(Update of 2012-10-13)

By coincidence, almost exactly a year later, I introduced a friend to running Frick Park largely along this route. I will never get tired of running in Frick Park.