Westmoreland County's beautiful parks and trails bustle with activities all spring and summer

While the parks and trails of Westmoreland County are a year-round treasure, they come especially alive in the spring and summer. The county has put together a fun-filled schedule for the coming months that provide many ways to enjoy the outdoors.

“Most of our major events are free and they are all family-oriented, with something for everyone in the family,” says Lauren Jones, communications coordinator for the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation, which oversee 11 community parks and five trails. “There is music, entertainment, food, crafts, games and more, giving Westmoreland County residents of all ages something fun to do that is close to home.”

Kicking off this year’s schedule, the 2023 Mammoth Park Fishing Derby was held April 23 in Mt. Pleasant. The free event had adults and youth compete for trophies as well as other prizes. And there are two more fishing derbies this year: The Northmoreland Park derby will be held Sunday, May 21 and the Twins Lakes Park derby will be on Father’s Day, June 18. Both events run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It is a great way for family members young and old to bond and cultivate a love for fishing,” Jones says.

The Westmoreland County Senior Games open May 2 and run through May 12. More than 30 athletic contests, from archery to bicycling to shuffleboard, will be held at various locations. May 4 and May 8 will be all-day events at Mammoth Park.

“I think the bureau is the only entity in the county that puts on an event like this,” Jones says. “It is an Olympic-style contest, but super athleticism is not required. It is all about having fun and staying fit after the age of 50.”

There will be plenty of action for children in the county’s parks, especially when school lets out for the summer. From June to mid-August, the bureau will host 13 Summer Environmental Programs with five different themes: “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Wildlife Explorers,” “Water Wars,” “Ultimate Survivor” and “The Summer Games.”

The Westmoreland County parks offer picnic and play areas, recreation programs, fishing areas, athletic complexes, as well as plenty of open space, forests, and streams. They provide opportunities for living and learning, along with improved health and wellness, Jones added.

Sports facilities include baseball and soccer fields, basketball, tennis, volleyball, pickleball, shuffleboard and bocce courts, horseshoe pits, toboggan/sled areas, lakes stocked with trout and game fish, handicapped accessible fishing decks, bicycle trails, and a skate and action park.

Other recreation areas include dog parks, amphitheaters, lakes for boating and fishing, swings and playgrounds, a giant slide, model radio-controlled airfields, equestrian trails, a BMX bike track, walking paths, adult and children’s fitness set-ups, limited areas for hunting, a dek hockey rink, a nine-hole disc golf course and a scenic observation deck.

There are many free events throughout the year — outdoor concerts, haunted Halloween hikes and several festivals.

The 11 Westmoreland County Parks are Cedar Creek Park in Rostraver; Mammoth Park, Chestnut Ridge Park and Bridgeport Dam Park in Mt. Pleasant; Northmoreland Park in Allegheny Township; Twin Lakes Park in Unity and Hempfield; Ann Rudd Saxman Nature Park, Swede Hill Park and Historic Hanna’s Town in Hempfield; Sewickley Creek Wetlands in New Stanton; and Loyalhanna Gorge Recreation Area in Derry and Ligonier townships.

The trails supported by the county are the Five Star Trail (Greensburg to Youngwood), the Westmoreland County section of the Great Allegheny Passage, the Coal and Coke Trail (Mt. Pleasant to Scottdale), the Westmoreland Heritage Trail (Saltsburg to Delmont and Export to Trafford) and the Little Crabtree Creek Trail (Twin Lakes Park to Crabtree).

For more about the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation, visit co.westmoreland.pa.us/parks. Details about 2023 events are displayed under “Events and Programs.” See also the county’s Guidepost Magazine, available online in the Parks section, or call 724-830-3950.