Butler County’s Great Outdoors!

Butler County has so much to offer when it comes to outdoor activities! Hiking, biking, kayaking, paddleboarding… the list goes on and on.

They are among the leading factors in Butler County’s post-pandemic resurgence. this NextPittsburgh article highlights how outdoor recreation and business combine to help contribute to the economy.

Pictured Biking on the Butler Freeport Trail
Credit John R. Keck

Among the trails mentioned in the piece is the Butler Freeport Community Trail, a 21-mile rail-trail that opened in 1989. The trail, which is a crushed limestone surface, is great for walking, jogging, hiking, bicycling and even cross-country skiing (mentioned here just because it’s still March in western Pennsylvania and, well, you never know). Discover the Burgh describes the Butler Freeport Community Trail in greater detail in an article it updated earlier this year: “For those who like to be out in rolling hills and farmland, the Butler half of the trail is for you. The trees thin out a bit at this section of the trail and allow for views of sweeping vistas and several active farms just feet away from the path.”

Not far from the Butler Freeport Community Trail in Sarver, is the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania’s Todd Nature Reserve and its six miles of hiking trails bursting with natural beauty.

For those who like to be out in rolling hills and farmland, the Butler half of the trail is for you. The trees thin out a bit at this section of the trail and allow for views of sweeping vistas and several active farms just feet away from the path.

Moving toward the northwest corner of Butler County in Slippery Rock, is Jennings Environmental Education Center, which is one of several state parks specifically dedicated to providing environmental education and recreational programs to the community. Jennings also has a 20-acre prairie and wooded hiking trails. Nearby, is the 57-mile Butler County segment of the North Country Trail, which starts in South Dakota and ends in Vermont.

If that seems like a lot of trails, it’s really just a start! Check out our Great Outdoors page to learn all about the great hiking, biking, walking, running trails and more that Butler County has to offer.

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