Beaver Falls: Pennsylvania Day Trip
By Beth Price-Williams | Posted on June 26, 2024
Exploring the outdoors is probably my favorite way to spend a beautiful day, and living outside of Pittsburgh, an ideal launching pad for day trips, means I’m never too far from some incredible natural destinations. On a recent sunny day, my daughter and I filled up our water bottles, stopped at Sheetz for some snacks, and hit the road, heading to Beaver Falls on a fun Pennsylvania day trip that took us to Buttermilk Falls and Sahli. Natural Park.
Western Pennsylvania is home to a few Buttermilk Falls, one in New Florence that we decided to head to on this sunny summer afternoon. Buttermilk Falls Natural Area in Beaver Falls is located along a busy road, and if you’re not paying attention, you can easily pass by the entrance, despite the large sign.
Once you enter the natural area, you will see a small parking lot that can fit about four or five cars and a narrow road that leads uphill. We took that road to see if there was more parking but we came to the train tracks. A dead end. There is a building with parking, but neither I nor the driver behind me were sure parking was allowed, so we headed back to the base of the hill.
A short, mostly uphill hike leads to Buttermilk Falls. The sound of small waterfalls in the creek below the trail serenaded us as we headed toward the 40-foot waterfall, which also serves as a swimming hole in the summer.
Please note that there is a lot of graffiti on the rocks and trees and when we were there there was a thick smoke screen from some visitors hanging on the rocks.
It was a warm day, so the waterfall pool was filled with families with children splashing and kicking rocks. We took a few minutes to admire the waterfall, which you can walk behind, and take photos before heading back to the car for our next destination, just 10 minutes from Buttermilk Falls.
Since the nature area was quite busy and noisy, we were relieved to discover that Sahli Nature Park was located on a quiet tree-lined street, and that the park itself was just as quiet. The parking lot fits many cars, but there was only one besides ours.
A notice board in the parking lot offered information about the park and maps. Unfortunately, the map space was empty, so we decided to start exploring this natural park filled with fairy-tale scenery, including a pedestrian bridge and towering trees. There are also picnic tables and swings.
We walked through the park, passed a pond and fields of flowers, wandered through the forest and enjoyed the stillness. The park has several trails, which are identified with wooden markers, which will allow you to spend some very pleasant hours.
Learn more about Buttermilk Falls Natural Area and Sahli Natural Park.
Have you been to Buttermilk Falls or Sahli Nature Park, a fun day trip near Pennsylvania? Which was your favorite? Share your experience in the comments! After you’ve explored these two natural wonders in Beaver Falls, enjoy a delicious bite to eat at Jerry’s Curb Service, an old-school drive-in in Pennsylvania. Don’t forget your camera.
Pennsylvania’s first Drive-Thru restaurant still has cars lining up around the corner
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Featured addresses
Buttermilk Falls Natural Area, Route 18, First Avenue and Homewood Borough, Beaver Falls, PA 15010, USA.
IS and Gertrude Sahli Nature Park, 194 McKinley Rd, Beaver Falls, PA 15010, USA
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