Indian Hill

Overview

Everyone that grew up in Monroeville, Plum or Penn Hills has gone sled riding on Indian Hill in Boyce Park. The county recently installed a new sign along the park road at the bottom of the hill. But most are more familiar with it when the bails of hay line the parking area during the winter. Indian Hill may be the highest point within Boyce Park and at 1,360 ft is one of the highest points in Allegheny County. There is a US Geological Marker at the summit, with no elevation marked. Adjacent to the marker is a rather large pile of stones. I'm not sure whether there is any relationship between this feature and the name.

There are trails that go up and around Indian Hill and they can be enjoyed year round.

William D. Boyce Park is an Allegheny County Park approximately 15 miles east of Pittsburgh, PA. The tops of downtown Pittsburgh's tallest buildings (US Steel Tower and One Mellon) are visible in the distance from Indian Hill.

Although Boyce Park is known for it's down hill Ski area and Wave Pool, its wooded hills hold much more valuable treasures. Boyce Park has many miles of well maintained hiking and cross country ski trails. For the more adventurous there are even more miles of single track for mountain bikers.

Even when I can't get out to the Laurel Highlands, I can always make time for the 10 minutes it takes to get to Boyce Park from my house. You can lose yourself along these beautiful wooded trails for an hour or a whole day.

Getting There

If you are coming from Downtown Pittsburgh. Take the Parkway East (376) to the Plum exit and follow the Orange belt right to the main park entrance. When you enter the park, turn right at the T and Indian Hill will be on your right as your start down the hill towards the ski lodge.

From the PA Turnpike Pittsburgh Exit (Monroeville) follow the signs to 22 West and at the first light turn right onto the Orange Belt and pick up the directions above.

Boyce Park

Boyce was the first of the regional parks to be dedicated, in 1963. William D. Boyce Park was named after the founder of the Boy Scouts who was born in the area. All the picnic groves and shelters have names with Boy Scout associations: Tenderfoot, Eagle, Den, and even Baden Powell (the founder of the British Boy Scouts).

Boyce serves the populous eastern region beyond Monroeville, and has been outfitted with major recreational features. It is the only location for downhill skiing in the county, with ski lifts, a lodge, and all the amenities. There is a large ski lodge called "Four Seasons," a large recreational complex, and a wave pool. Allegheny County Community College occupies part of the original park property, which was exchanged for adjacent land farther removed from major highways, upon which the wave pool was built.

As much as half of the park is still undeveloped, but long-range plans call for the restoration of the Carpenter homestead - a log house, spring house and barn - and an interpretive center on the life of the pioneers.

In 1976 anthropologists associated with Carnegie Museum of Natural History excavated the site upon which the recreational complex was to be built. The findings included artifacts and some 26 burial sites, and suggested that a village of the Monongahela people occupied the site in the 14th century AD.

Facilities & Features:
Snowboarding: 2 Quarter Pipes, 3 Table Top Jumps, and one of the longest Half Pipes in PA!
Downhill Skiing
Snow Tubing
Wave Pool
Tennis Courts
Basketball Courts
5 Ballfields and 3 Soccer Fields
Groves and Shelters
Nature Center
Four Seasons Activity Center
3 B's Action Park (Boards/Bikes/Blades)
Picnic Hut
1st Lt. Neil Anthony Santoriello Memorial Archery Range
Model Airplane Field - permit, license & insurance required
Carpenter Log House

Images

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