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Here are 10 sites to make the July 4 holiday weekend a memorable one

Quincey Reese And Megan Swift
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Grab the fishing pole, pump up the bicycle tires, and knock the mud off your hiking boots.

Hearty cyclists and hikers easily mix with novice trail walkers on hundreds of miles of trails and shorelines to be found across the region.

Here are 10 of our favorites, worthy of a day-trip or overnight stay this summer.

Westmoreland/Three Rivers Heritage Trails

The Westmoreland and Three Rivers Heritage trails are popular for walking, running and biking. These “rails to trails” are wide and flat, making them ideal locations for people of all ages and abilities.

The Westmoreland Heritage Trail consists of an 8.5-mile section from Saltsburg to Delmont and a 9.3-mile section from Export to Trafford. Plans are afoot to connect the two, according to the Westmoreland County website.

Directions to the access points can be found on the trail website.

While the Westmoreland trail showcases Pennsylvania woods and streams, the Three Rivers Heritage Trail has sections on both sides of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. Visitors can access various Pittsburgh neighborhoods and business districts from the trail, as well.

Free parking for the 33-mile trail can be found at Millvale Riverfront Park, Schenley Park and Peggy’s Harbor Marina, according to Trail Link.

Frick Park

A self-proclaimed “escape from the noise of the city,” Frick Park is Pittsburgh’s largest historical regional park. Coming in at 644 acres, it is a popular location for biking, walking and hiking.

Tennis courts, baseball fields and a lawn bowling green provide alternative outdoor activities. Families can visit Blue Slide Playground, made famous by late rapper Mac Miller’s debut album “Blue Slide Park.”

Visitors can also stop by the Frick Environmental Center — launched by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy in 2016 — to learn more about the park’s ecosystem and other environmental topics.

Ohiopyle State Park

Those looking for a place to enjoy hiking, biking, sightseeing and water sports need look no further than Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County.

The Youghiogheny River Gorge is the focal point of the park, offering opportunities for whitewater rafting, kayaking and swimming. The visitor center features a view of the falls and various exhibits on the wildlife and recreational activities in the area.

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Additional sightseeing locations include the Baughman Rock Overlook — located just up the street from the visitor center — Cucumber Falls and the nearby town.

Hikers may seek out the Laurel Highlands Trail, and cyclists can access the Great Allegheny Passage — a 150-mile rail trail stretching from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md. Visitors can also cool off and enjoy a ride down the natural water slides located in Meadow Run.

Laurel Ridge State Park

Stemming from Ohiopyle, the Laurel Highlands Trail in Laurel Ridge State Park covers the mountains of Cambria, Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties. Hikers of the 70-mile trail can behold the beauty of the Conemaugh Gorge, as well as the blooming of mountain laurel in June and rhododendron in early July.

The park has a pavilion at the Route 653 trailhead that can be reserved or, if unreserved, used on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Those wishing to extend their stay can backpack and stay at one of the shelter areas, each of which features spaces for tents and Adirondack-style shelters. Overnight stays require a per-night fee and a reservation. Reservations can be made online or by calling 724-455-3744.

A listing of the trailheads and shelter areas can be found on the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website.

Twin Lakes Park

Twin Lakes Park in Unity offers smaller-scale outdoor fun.

Visitors can fish the Upper and Lower lakes or rent pedal boats, canoes and rowboats for an hour at a time. Rentals can be made at the boathouse, which also offers concessions and bait. Personal flotation vehicles are not permitted on the lakes.

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The lakes are surrounded by a 2.5-mile walking trail, and there are 10 pavilions throughout the park that are available for rental. Reservations can be made online.

The park also holds oncerts, which typically take place at the Brian T. Rusnock Amphitheater, located in an expansion of the park across from 1087 George Stations Road.

Keystone State Park

Just over 15 minutes away from Twin Lakes Park is Keystone State Park, a popular summer day-trip and family vacation spot — complete with its own beach area.

Sand leads into the man-made, 78-acre Keystone Lake, where guests can enjoy swimming, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, picnicking, fishing, walking on trails and camping.

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Two pavilions are available to reserve up to 11 months in advance. The pavilions, which can be reserved here, feature charcoal grills, drinking water and electric outlets. Unreserved pavilions can be used on a first-come, first served basis.

For those interested in camping, Keystone offers tent and cabin sites.

Reservations can be made here for camping cottages, modern cabins, modern electric and non-electric sites, modern tent only sites and yurts on and around Keystone Lake.

The 1,200-acre park is located in Derry Township off Route 22 near New Alexandria, and it’s open daily from sunrise until sunset.

Forbes State Forest

Spanning more than 60,000 acres of land across Westmoreland, Somerset and Fayette counties, Forbes State Forest in the Laurel Highlands offers interesting natural features, such as the highest point in Pennsylvania at 3,213 feet, Mount Davis.

Mount Davis includes an observation tower at its highest point, which offers 360-degree views of the state.

With over 300 miles of trails, people can go backpacking, hiking, camping, mountain biking, hunting, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

Forbes State Forest has six motorized campsites available from April 2 until the last day of the regular rifle deer season, and camping permits are required, according to its website. Those who are primitive camping with backpacks must obtain a permit if staying more than one night in the same location.

The forest also includes the Roaring Run Natural Area, Quebec Run Wild Area, Wolf Rocks Overlook, Blue Hole, Beam Rocks and Spruce Flats Bog, as well as the historic Wharton Iron Furnace, a stone structure that was built as a blast furnace in 1837.

Cole Run Falls, a 20-foot waterfall, is found within the Blue Hole division of the forest.

According to its website, Forbes State Forest was named for Gen. John Forbes, who ordered the construction of a road from Bedford to Fort Pitt for the British army’s attack on Fort Duquesne in 1758.

Linn Run State Park

Linn Run State Park is 612 acres of mixed hardwood and evergreen forest in Cook and Ligonier townships that borders Forbes State Forest.

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Open every day from sunrise until sunset, the park is ideal for picnicking, hiking and fishing and has 10 cabins and one pavilion available for rental here. Nine of them are rustic with no indoor plumbing, and one cabin is modern with indoor plumbing.

Adam Falls, a 12-foot waterfall, is a scenic spot near Linn Run State Park’s picnic area.

Linn Run is an “excellent” trout stream for fishing, according to its website, and it begins where Grove and Rock runs meet.

The park also features the ruins of an abandoned hunting lodge from the early days of “retreat camping,” according to PA Bucket List. The ruins are located along the Flat Rock Trail, which runs parallel to Linn Run and would’ve been a road leading to the McGinnis Rod and Gun Club in 1922.

Bushy Run Battlefield

History buffs will appreciate a trip to Bushy Run Battlefield in Penn Township, a historical park that’s operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society.

The park hosts a yearly large-scale reenactment of the historic two-day Battle of Bushy Run on the first Saturday and Sunday in August, featuring 18th century military camps, a Native American village, a sutler trade area, live historical music, a children’s area, concession stand and more.

In order to participate in the historical demonstrations, participants must be at least 17 years old to carry or use a weapon in reenactments, according to its website.

Bushy Run’s visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and noon-4 p.m. Sundays. At the center, interested patrons can schedule battlefield tours or call in advance for group tours.

Not only is Bushy Run a historical site, but the 213-acre property also has trails for walking, jogging, hiking and running. Named trails include the Iroquois Trail, Flour Sack Trail and Edge Hill Trail.

Lake Erie and Presque Isle State Park

For those willing to drive further, Lake Erie, the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes, is the perfect getaway spot — specifically Presque Isle State Park.

Lake Erie has many sandy beaches, with easy water access for boating, kayaking and swimming. In Pennsylvania, the city of Erie features access to Lake Erie and other local attractions like the Erie Maritime Museum.

Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre peninsula with sandy beaches and trails that juts out into Lake Erie, and it’s Pennsylvania’s only “seashore.” Visitors can go swimming, boating, kayaking, fishing, surfing in select areas, bird-watching, hiking, inline skating and walking, or they can simply lay on a beach towel and soak up the sunshine.

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The state park also has wetlands, ponds and a lagoon that house many different plants and animals. A one-hour tour of the lagoon is available by pontoon boat, and more information can be found here.

Presque Isle State Park, which is also home to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, Commodore Perry Monument and Presque Isle Lighthouse, is open from 5 a.m. until sunset daily. Also nearby is Waldameer Park and Water World, where kids can ride roller coasters and water slides.

Quincey Reese and Megan Swift are Tribune-Review staff writers. You can contact Quincey at 724-757-4910, qreese@triblive.com or via Twitter @quinceyreese and Megan at 724-850-2810, mswift@triblive.com or via Twitter @mgswift7.

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Categories: Lifestyles | More Lifestyles | Outdoors | Regional
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