BSWP 2021 Zoom meetings
View BSWP's May 2022 Zoom meeting.
The Society meets monthly from September through June on every second Monday of the month at 7:15 p.m. For now, our meetings take place via Zoom.
Members who have joined the BSWP e-mail list will be contacted and e-mailed an invitation (link and password) to each monthly meeting.
Directions to in-person meetings, when held
To Ford Mateer Classroom of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History:
The entrance to the parking lot, which is gated, is just past the Museum at the intersection of Forbes and Craig Street. The Ford-Mateer Classroom is reached through the Portal Entry in the rear parking lot area. Once inside the building, the room is located just beyond the Security desk on the left. In addition to the Museum parking lot, which costs $6, there are metered spaces on Forbes Avenue opposite the Museum and along Craig Street that are free after 6 p.m. From there you will cross the street and walk through the right side of the gates to the parking lot. Continue on the sidewalk to the rear of the building where you will see the sign for “Portal Entry” ahead.
If you do not park in the Museum’s lot, from Forbes Avenue, walk along the right side of the parking toll gates to the parking lot. Continue on the sidewalk to the rear of the building where you will see the sign for "Portal Entry" ahead.
Directions to the Carnegie Museum
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/interior.php?pageID=36
Add these BSWP field trips to your Google Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=Ym90c29jd3BhQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ
Saturday, May 17, 2025,
10:00 AM
Duff Park, Murrysville,
Westmoreland County
Leader: Loree Speedy; loreespeedy@gmail.com; 724-518-6022
We will meet at the new Visitor Center along US 22. We will walk the Funk Bikeway and then some narrower hilly hiking trails along Fernwood.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-376 east
(Parkway East) to its end at US 22 East - Murrysville. Travel US 22 for
about 4 miles to the intersection of Trafford Road (McDonald’s on the left).
Continue along US 22 in the right lane about 7/10 of a mile. At The Fireplace
and Airgas businesses, turn right into the new Robert Trail Access, where we
will meet at 10:00
AM.
GPS Coordinates: 40.42699, -79.68400. Google Map Link
Sunday, May 18, 2025, 1:00
PM
Glade Run Trail,
Fayette County
Leader: Ron Zagrocki; cell: 717-580-5736
We will explore the wetlands, signs of beaver, and azaleas along a game lands trail along a stretch of Glade Run. This is an exploratory hike; bring shoes that can get wet, a walking stick if needed and a sense of adventure.
Directions: Chalkhill-Ohiopyle Road in the village of Chalkhill can be reached by traveling US-40 east about 10 miles from Uniontown. Alternately, from the intersection of US-40 and PA-381 south of Ohiopyle, travel west on US-40 for 3.7 miles to the intersection of US-40 and Chalkhill-Ohiopyle Road.
Turn north onto Chalkhill-Ohiopyle Road and travel 1.3 miles. You will cross Deer Lake (which may be drained or open water). Take the first left turn onto Greenbrier Road. Travel about a mile; you will enter State Game Land 51. Continue straight about 2/10 of a mile to the game land parking lot on the right.
Coordinates for the parking lot:
39.86997, -79.58770.
Google Maps
Link to SGL 51 Lot
Tuesday, May 20, 2025,
12:00 PMEnlow Fork Natural Area, Greene County
Leader: Meg Scanlon; 724-612-6192
Come
to experience a late spring lush green Enlow experience. This is a
flat, game lands road/trail. Arrive at 11:30 AM to eat lunch, weather
permitting. No restroom facilities. We will start walking at 12 noon.
Meg will be driving from the North Park area. Give her a call if you
would like to carpool. Directions: There
are many ways to get to EFNA; if you have never been there, use the GPS
coordinates 39.96107, -80.4627 with smartphone maps ahead of time. EFNA
is located at the end of Smokey Row Road in PA State Game Lands 302.
The directions below are not the most direct, but the simplest. Take
I-79 south to Exit 14 Waynesburg. Turn right at end of ramp and travel
PA 21 west for 19 miles through Waynesburg and Graysville. About 2.5
miles from Graysville, make a right onto Nebo Ridge Road (there is a
farmhouse here on the right with stone siding ). Follow
Nebo Ridge Road for 2.8 miles. The road will make a sweeping curve to
the left and you’ll come to a group of houses (old cars and junk lying
around). Turn right onto unmarked Walker Hill Road at a sign for RHL 28.
Continue about 1/4 mile, make a sharp left onto Smoky Row Lane, at a
sign for state game land; follow that down the hill, through an S curve
at the mine conveyor facility, then onto Enlow Fork. Go as far as you
can go, bearing to the right at any Y’s and ignoring side roads to the
left, till you come to a gate and parking lot. Do not stop at the first
lot on the left or you'll have a few hundred yards of walking to do. GPS coordinates: 39.96107, -80.46265 Google Maps Link to EFNA
Saturday, May 24, 2025,
1:00 PM
Laurel Summit State
Park
Westmoreland County
Leader: Mark Bowers; monarda55@gmail.com; 724-454-4012
We will meet at the parking lot for the picnic area and head along one of the hiking trails for Painted Trillium and Clintonia. Wear hiking shoes.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take the PA Turnpike east to Exit 91/Donegal. Turn left onto PA 31 and then, after a short distance, left onto PA 711. Continue on PA 711 north for about 9 miles. Turn right onto Darlington Road (this may be unmarked) and travel about 1 mile to its junction with PA 381. Continue straight onto PA 381 for a short distance, then turn right onto Linn Run Road. Travel through Linn Run State Park to the top of the hill. At the sign for Laurel Summit State Park, bear left and continue to the parking lot.
GPS Coordinates: 40.1182, -79.1761 Google Maps Link to Laurel Summit State Park
Wednesday, May 28, 2025,
12:00 PM NOON
Preston Park, Butler
Township, Butler County
Leader: Loree Speedy and Liz Spence, with Park volunteers! Loree Speedy; 724-518-6022
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. Preston Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is now maintained by Butler Township. For more information, visit here.
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 Road (the first traffic light after the Butler Farm Show on the right). Turn right onto Whitestown Road 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 16001.
GPS coordinates: 40.8529, -79.9517 Google Maps Link to Preston Park
Arrive 11:30 AM with a bag lunch - picnic table and port-a-potty available.