Saturday, May 3, 2014, 10:00 AM

Foxburg, Clarion County & Parker Game Lands – Bear Creek Area, Butler County

Leader: Dianne Machesney

Contact Information: DIANNEM15237@aol.com;  cell: (412) 523-0368;                    home: (412) 366-7869

We will walk a nice paved trail that goes along the Allegheny River for about a mile and then turn back. Plan to have lunch at the Foxburg Inn; good food at decent prices and a glass walled dining room overlooking the river. After lunch, we will travel south about 3 miles to the Bear Creek area in the Parker Game Lands. We will walk along the road looking for wildflowers on the banks.

Directions:   From Pittsburgh, travel PA 8 north to Butler. In downtown Butler, turn right onto Cunningham St to pick up PA 68 east. Travel PA 68 east for 1.5 mile to pick up PA 38 N. Continue on PA 38 N for 21 miles to PA 58. Turn right onto PA58 and continue about 7 miles to the Foxburg Bridge over the Allegheny River. Take first right after the bridge into the parking lot.  Go to the far end and park.  If using GPS, use the address for the Foxburg Inn, 20 Main Street, Foxburg, PA 16036.

Saturday,   April 19, 2014, 1:00 PM

Duff Park, Murrysville, Westmoreland   County

Leader: Loree Speedy, 724-518-6022;    loreespeedy@gmail.com
Expect some uphill trail climbing in this lovely old-growth wooded slope.

Directions: From  Pittsburgh, take I-376 east (Parkway East) to its end
at US 22 East – Murrysville.  Travel US 22 for 5 miles to a traffic
light and Sheetz at School Rd. Turn right onto School Rd, traveling
about 1/8 of a mile, cross the bridge over Turtle Creek, and park in
the parking lot on the right.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 10:00 AM
Wolf Creek Narrows, Butler County
Leader: Dianne Machesney
Contact Information: diannem15237@aol.com

cell: (412) 523-0368; home: (412) 366-7869

Directions:  From Pittsburgh take I-79 north to Exit 105. At the   end of the ramp turn left on PA 108. Travel east on PA 108 for about   0.7 miles to West Park Rd (Dairy Queen on the right). Turn left onto West Park Road (SR 1015) and drive north about 1.8 miles to SR 1020   (you can see some large silos on the right). Turn right on SR 1020   (Miller
Rd) and drive about 1.7 miles to the small parking lot on the right.
(SR 1020 is a winding road and at an almost T intersection, turn right
to stay on SR 1020.) If you reach the bridge, you have gone too far.
The parking lot is just before you reach the bridge over Wolf  Creek.

Wolf Creek Narrows is known for its spectacular display of spring
wildflowers – Virginia bluebells and golden saxifrage in the hemlock
hardwood forest and white trillium in the mature stands of sugar
maple, all along a high-quality stream  meandering through towering
cliffs.

Sunday, April 6, 2014,   1:00 PM
Cedar Creek Gorge, Westmoreland County

Leader: Mark Bowers, 724-454-4012; 4beagles@verizon.net
Directions:  From Pittsburgh, travel PA 51 south to its junction   with
PA 201 (just after Bills and Willowbrook Plaza). Continuing on PA   51,
travel 2 additional miles to the traffic light for Concord Ln   (gas
station and Burger King on left) and turn left.  (This   traffic light
at Concord Ln can also be reached by I-70 exit 46B and   continuing
north on PA 51 for a very short distance). Traveling on Concord Ln,
bear right at fork and then turn right onto Municipal Dr.  Continue
about 0.6 mile past Timm’s Lane, and turn left into the main   entrance
to Cedar Creek Park. Follow this road downhill, cross the bike trail,
and turn left to continue through a series of parking lots until you
reach the farthest parking lot, near the Gorge Trail.

There will be early spring plants popping out along the stream, but
wear sturdy shoes if you wish to make the climb to see Snow Trillium.

Don’t miss our last meeting of the season featuring our annual cookie exchange.   The club will provide the hot apple cider and guests should bring a batch of their favorite holiday cookies to share.  Our speaker for the evening will be Mike Fialkovich.  His program is about the ecology of the State of Washington. See the “meetings” tab for more details.   We’ll see everyone in March when our programs resume.

The club is beginning its new season on September 12th with a wine and cheese reception.  Wissahickon Nature Club will provide the wine.  Members will please provide an hors d’oeuvres and cheese rather than desserts.  RSVP requested.

Click here or on the Meetings tab for more information.

Saturday, August 10, 2013, 10:00 a.m.

Preston Park, Butler Township, Butler County

Leader: Dave Heltzell of Volunteers of Preston Park.

A joint outing of the Botanical Society of Western PA and Wissahickon Nature Club.

Preston Park is an 88-acre English garden donated to Butler Township by Dr. Frank Preston, founder of Preston Laboratories, and Mrs. Jane Preston. Dr. Preston, a glass scientist, ornithologist, and ecologist, created and designed an English garden as a place to live, work and enjoy nature.  Dr. Preston apparently walked the entire property daily at dawn, in accordance with his origins in England where a deep interest in nature is a great pastime.

Park Volunteer Dave Heltzell will introduce us to the park’s significant historical and cultural resources, including Dr. Preston’s glass research laboratory. Preston Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is now maintained by Butler Township. For more information, visit Butler Township’s Preston Park website

Directions: Travel I-79 north to Exit 83 – PA 528 toward Evans City. Travel PA 528 north for 2.6 miles to a T. Turn right at the T and continue east on PA 68 for 9 miles to Whitestown Rd (the first traffic light after the Butler Farm Show on the right).Turn right onto Whitestown Rd and continue 1 mile to turn right onto South Eberhart Road. Park entrance will be on the left.  The GPS address is 415 South Eberhart Road, Butler, PA  16

Outings are free and open to the public.

Join us on an outing to Jennings Prairie in Butler County, PA on Monday, July 29.

This is the perfect time to see Blazing Star, Whorled Rosinweed and sunflowers. American Goldfinches, Indigo Buntings, flycatchers, Common Yellowthroats and Cedar Waxwings make the prairie their summer home. Expect to see an amazing array of glorious butterflies. We may come across a Red Eft or catch a glimpse of the elusive Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake.

Meet leaders Dianne and Bob Machesney at 10:00am at the Jennings Environmental Education Center (across from Prairie parking lot) on the right (east) side of the road.
Google Maps: 2951 Prospect Rd. Slippery Rock, PA 16057, (724) 794-6011

Directions from Pittsburgh: Take I-79 North to Exit 99/Butler. Drive east on US 422 roughly 5.8 miles to the Prospect Exit, and turn left (north) onto PA 528. Continue on PA 528 for about 7 miles.

The Prairie is hot and shadeless. Wear a hat, sunscreen and appropriate hiking shoes. Bring binoculars and field guides. Bring a lunch and beverage, water and a snack for the trail.

Outings are free and open to the public.

For more information, call Judy Stark, Outings Coordinator (412)363-0462