The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Lawrence County

McConnells Mill State Park, located on 2,546 acres, features the striking Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, a National Natural Landmark formed by glacial lake drainage. The gorge is known for its steep sides, boulderous valley, and scenic overlooks and waterfalls. The park also offers tours of a historic gristmill and a covered bridge from the 1800s. Open year-round from sunrise to sunset, the park's day-use areas close at dusk.

The McConnell's Mill Covered Bridge, built in 1874, stretches across Slippery Rock Creek. This wooden bridge, constructed using the Howe truss design, rests on a stone foundation and is reinforced by steel. It is one of only four remaining Howe truss bridges in Pennsylvania. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Daniel Kennedy opened a gristmill on Slippery Rock Creek in 1852. The mill was rebuilt after a fire in 1868. McConnell acquired the mill in 1875, replacing the waterwheel with turbines and grindstones with rolling mills, making it one of the first of its kind in the country. The mill ground various grains until it closed in 1928. The ownership passed to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1957, leading to the formal dedication of McConnells Mill State Park. Today is the mill. Today, interpretive tours of the historic mill are available at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the summer. For interpretive tours for groups, call the Moraine Park office at 724-368-8811.

Rapp's Seat, located on a steep hillside in Harmony, is a stone-carved chair created by George Rapp, founder of the Harmony Society. Rapp would climb the hill to meditate and look over the town. The site is accessible via wooden steps constructed in 1999 as an Eagle Scout project. The trail leads to a rock outcrop where the seat provides a view of the town and surrounding landscape. Although trees now obstruct some of the view, visitors can still climb to the top often.

The Mennonite Meeting House and Cemetery, preserved by the Harmony Museum, is a beautiful 1825 building that was used as a church, school, and social center for the Mennonite community led by Abraham Ziegler. The building's acoustics make it ideal for small concerts and weddings. Visitors can view it from the street or visit its historic charm during museum hours, from Tuesday to Friday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, call (724) 452-7341.

From here get a great view of Lake Arthur, spanning 3,225 acres with 42 miles of shoreline, attracting over one million visitors every year. The lake is a warm-water fishery, home to fish species like northern pike, largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, and bluegill. Visitors can swim at two beaches: Lakeview Beach on the North Shore, a 656-foot sand beach, and Pleasant Valley Beach on the South Shore, a 400-foot turf and sand beach with amenities like sand volleyball, playgrounds, showers, changing facilities, and snack bars. The beaches are open daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day, 8:00 a.m. to sunset, with swimming at your own risk as there is no lifeguard.

Here, hikers can explore a section of the North Country National Scenic Trail, which in Pennsylvania features nearly 250 miles of this long trail. It is a part of a 3,200-mile National Scenic Trail extending from Crown Point, NY, to Lake Sakakawea, ND, and will become the longest continuous footpath in the U.S. once finished. Here there are opportunities to spot deer and black bears. The trail crosses notable areas like McConnells Mill, Moraine, and Cook Forest State Parks, maintained by volunteers from local chapters.

Here, the North County Trail passes under the US 422 highway, making for a little extra noise and a satisfying view of the concrete underbelly of the highway.