Pittsburgh's best national parks

With all the rich history that define the city, it's only fitting that a wealth of landmarks and breathtaking scenery would be featured in Pittsburgh's best national parks. Here are five of the best-known national parks, historic sites and memorials in or near Pittsburgh.

National Historic Landmark

Point State Park
101 Commonwealth Place, Pittsburgh
412-281-9284

There at the tip of Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle, Point State Park is renowned for being a hotbed of war action. It was designated a National Historic Landmark for the roles it played in the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the Revolutionary War and United States expansion into the Northwest Territory in the late 1700s. Visitors looking for frontier history will enjoy the park's Fort Pitt Museum, which focuses primarily on expansion into Western Pennsylvania and the Ohio River Valley. Other park highlights include an impressive water fountain, riverfront promenades and overlooks showcasing city views. 

The park is open every day of the year, sunup to sunset. Day use areas close at dusk. Public transportation is a reasonable option,  as both the bus and the T light rail system (subway) are free to ride within the Golden Triangle.

More: Best Pittsburgh hiking trails | Best Pittsburgh camping spots

National Historic Site
Friendship Hill 
223 New Geneva Road, Point Marion
724-329-2501

This serene park sits in the seclusion of Point Marion yet is quite near the hubbub of Pittsburgh. The home of American politician Albert Gallatin, with the original structure still standing, Friendship Hill showcases the complete range of the expansive Monongahela River. An autumn highlight is FestiFall, which celebrates the Gallatin era with historic food, activities and crafts.

National Road Heritage Park
65 W Main Street, Suite 103, Uniontown
724-437-9877

Proof that the Pittsburgh area isn't all about steel, this Uniontown park features hundreds of acres of lush parkland along the Historic National Road, which extends over 600 miles. The journey takes visitors past vast numbers of cultural, historic and archaeological standouts from the days when modern America was still being forged. Visit the park's website to become a "Friend of the Road."

National Memorial

Johnstown Flood 
733 Lake Road, South Fork
814-495-4643

When the South Fork dam failed May 31, 1889, it unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, Pennsylvania and killed 2,209 people. The visitor center and grounds are open year-round at this park that both laments the victims and celebrates the strength and unity required to save others and rebuild after the carnage. The remains of the dam are preserved within the park and the Park Service offers guided tours, including the Journey Around Lake Conemaugh Van Tours and Path of the Flood Van Tours. Energetic visitors can also take on a lively Path of the Flood Hike.

National Memorial

Flight 93
Mailing address: P.O. Box 911, Shanksville
814-893-6322 

On September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. The Tower of Voices is conceived as a powerful, 93-foot tall musical instrument that holds forty wind chimes, commemorating the actions of the 40 passengers and crew aboard one of the planes, Flight 93. They are lauded for thwarting the attack on the U.S. Capitol that Tuesday morning.

For more information:
National Parks Service map of Pennsylvania parks: www.nps.gov/state/pa/index.htm

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