Prior to moving to Monroeville a little over a year ago, the only time I heard about Boyce Park was during the winter months. They offer the only downhill skiing and snow tubing in Allegheny County and it’s commonly used by families with little ones just learning to ski. I was pleasantly surprised, when we started exploring the park last summer, by all that it had to offer for kids and adults alike.
Boyce Park is located on 1,000 acres, spanning across the Municipality of Monroeville and Plum Borough and is managed by Allegheny County Parks.
For families that like to explore nature trails or set out to hike for part of the day, this is the perfect place to venture to. The park offers 28 miles of trails that intersect with each other, while offering semi-flat to steeper hikes. It takes a little exploring to find the entrances, but once you find a handful that you like they are fairly easy to access and find parking close by. One thing to note, many of these trails are also utilized by mountain bikers, so be cautious while hiking.
One we did explore was the White Blaze Trail. We entered at the Archery Practice Area, near the soccer fields, and walked a good 2.5 mile loop. It was steep at times and narrow, but all shaded and even on a hot summer day, was comfortable for a morning hike. We had the boys in carriers, which was a good plan because of the terrain.
There are also a lot of little trails or cut-throughs between some of the rental pavilions in the park, if your group is looking for a short little trek. We walked the Explorers trails, up to the pavilion and then walked through a short trail which brought us out on the other side of the park looking down toward the Ski Lodge. Lots of areas to explore. Here’s a map: Boyce Park Trails Map.
A few neat activity areas the park offers:
The Audubon Society has towers located throughout the park. At first, they look like something for bats, but when you get up to them, it tells you about birds called Chimney Swifts and how these towers help provide shelter for breeding and raising their young.
Nature Center: located off Old Frankstown Road, the Nature Center offers a nice Sensory Trail that is very easy to navigate. Luke, our two-year-old, enjoyed this trail, checking out the different types of trees and flowers and a few wooden bridges before circling back to the main building. The Nature Center and Organic Greenhouse offer year-round tours and activities for kids of all ages.
O’Block Playground: located off Center road, right before the main entrance to the park, is a nice playground for kids of all ages. Boyce Park has also recently added exercise equipment with ellipticals and other stations for adults to use while their kids are playing right in front of them. This is a nice added bonus.
Wave Pool: Open 11:30am – 7:30pm (weather permitting) from June 3 – Labor Day; the pool is also offering FREE LEARN TO SWIM CLASSES for ages 6+ . Space is limited to sign up at: Boyce Park Free Swim Lessons.
3B’s Action Park: If you’ve got a daredevil who’s looking for a safe place to practice, look no further than this action park. Utilized for boards, bikes and blades and located next to the Wave Pool.
Archery: this area, located near the soccer fields, is open year round, bring your own equipment and targets. Children should be supervised by an adult.
There are a number of other summer activities offered at Boyce Park, some day features and some week-long sessions for all different age groups. Be sure to check it all out here: Allegheny Parks Activities and Registration.
Boyce Park is open daily 8am – sunset.
For more information on Boyce Park, click here.
Office
675 Old Frankstown Road
Pittsburgh, PA, 15239
You may also want to check out the other Allegheny County parks that Pittsburgh Moms Blog has reviewed here:
A Family Outing at White Oak Park
A Family Day on the Farm at Round Hill Park
A Perfect Family Outing at South Park
North Park: Family Fun for All Ages