Braddock's Trail Park

If you want to watch spring arrive, Braddock's Trail Park is a fabulous place to do it! We visited yesterday and will definitely be back.

You will find this park in North Huntingdon, near Irwin. The entrance to the park is at the very end of Robin Station Road. I could find zero trail maps online or at the park itself, but it's a small park and you can see all of it in a few hours. 

From the parking lot, there is an open area and a trail marker of some sort can be seen there. This is the beginning of the Eagle Trail. We did not take this trail, but I understand that if you stay left at the fork you will pass some old stone foundations and the trail will wind over to the park's gorgeous waterfall. 

Instead, from the parking area we headed down the road, past the gate which closes it to traffic. We took the first trail on the left, which heads uphill. At the top of the hill is a panoramic view of the Youghiogheny River which is not to be missed. We kept walking on that trail and quickly encountered "Private Property" signs which made us turn around. 

We reached the paved road again and continued downhill. We soon found a trail heading off to the right where the waterfall is located. You can only view the falls from above, as the water has carved a very steep ravine. This time of year is perfect for viewing waterfalls, and if you just came to see the waterfall alone it's a very short walk from your car.

Braddock's Trail Park is famous for its wildflowers. This is very early in the year for wildflowers, but harbinger of spring was in full bloom. This flower grows in tiny clusters that aren't easily noticed. But if you look closely at them, they really are beautiful. And there were LOTS of spring beauties, cutleaf toothwort and Dutchman's breeches budding all over the place, so it's obvious that soon the forest will be covered with blooms. I even found some scarlet elf cup, a bright red fungi that "blooms" in the very early spring. Even without wildflowers, the waterfall and the scenic view make this park a terrific destination any time of year.

The view of the Youghiogheny River.

Spring beauty.

Dutchman's breeches.

Cutleaf toothwort.

Harbinger of spring.

Scarlet elf cup.

Dutchman's breeches.

Dutchman's breeches.