Natural Areas in Forbes State Forest

Forbes State Forest is comprised of a number of tracts in Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland Counties, which vary in size from a few to thousands of acres in size. More information, along with a bunch of maps, may be found HERE. Some notable areas include Roaring Run Natural Area (pictured above), Spruce Flats Bog, Mt. Davis Natural Area, and Quebec Run.

Todd Nature Reserve

Todd Nature Reserve is managed by the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Audubon Society. It is located a few miles north of Route 28 in Butler County. Directions and more information may be found HERE.

Raccoon Creek State Park Wildflower Reserve

Most peoples' Raccoon Creek State Park experience is centered around the 1930's era "fake lake" that offers fishing, swimming, etc. It was built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which also constructed other lakes and campsites across the Pennsylvania.

The Wildflower Reserve, on the other hand, is all natural, and has been a focus of study by botanists for decades. It is estimated that something in the neighborhood of 600 different plants grow there, from Skunk Cabbage in the late winter/early spring to Asters of all sizes in the late fall. The flower pictured above is a Cut-Leaf Toothwort, which is plentiful in the early spring.

The Reserve is open to the public from 8:00 am to sunset all year long, and is located right off of Route 30 in just inside the Beaver County line from Pittsburgh. There are about 5 miles of trails, and seasonal interpretive guides are available at the Reserve office. Please Note: No pets are allowed on the trails.

Cedar Creek Park

One of the hotspots for wildflowers in Southwestern Pennsylvania is Cedar Creek Park, which is right beside the Rt. 51 and I-70 Interchange in Westmoreland County. In late March, the slopes of the park begin to see scattered snow trillium, and the blooms continue for the rest of the season.

For more information on Southwestern PA's Spring Wildflowers, check out Paul Wiegman's Pittsburgh Tribune Review Articles (especially this one).

Westmoreland County also manages a number of other properties that it has protected for their natural value. These include Ann Rudd Saxman Nature Park and the Loyalhanna Creek Greenway. The Loyalhanna Watershed Association manages a trail through a portion of the latter.

The Relict Prairie at Jennings Environmental Education Center

This one is another leftover from the glacial period up in Butler County. Back in the day, glaciers dumped and packed down a bunch of sentiment, and as they retreated and the country warmed and dried a massive prairie emerged. Much of it still exists out in the Midwest, but from Ohio eastward wetter weather allowed forests to dominate except in a few isolated pockets, many with an underlying layer of clay that kept trees from successfully taking root.

Jennings Environmental Education Center, a few miles north of Moraine State Park along Rt. 528 (and just south of Route 8), is home to one such "Relict" Prairie. It contains hundreds of plant species, many of which - including the pictured blazing star - don't exist in many (if any) other spots in Pennsylvania. Peak bloom ranges from late July through August. Butterflies and Goldfinches (especially when the thistles are out) also abound.

There are easy hiking trails mowed through the prairie, which make for nice, leisurely strolls that are accessible to anyone that can move under his or her own power. Interpretive signs and scheduled guided tours are also available.