Land Conservation
WPC Preserves
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy owns and manages nearly 14,000 acres of land that are open to the public, free of charge, for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. Our nature preserves have special conservation significance and are rich with features such as rare plants and animals, wetlands, streams, meadows, wild areas and forests.
The preserves listed below are either owned by us or are subject to conservation easements that allow public access. All of these areas support various forms of recreation—such as fishing, hiking or hunting—in accordance with WPC's Visitor Guidelines or preserve-specific guidelines. We hope you will explore these special places and share your experiences with us.
Allegheny County
- Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve (operated by Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania): 131 acres - Visitor Information
- Devil's Hollow (owned by Allegheny Land Trust): 77 acres*
- Nine-mile Island (owned by Golden Triangle Water Ski Club): 5 acres*
- Toms Run Nature Reserve: 369 acres
Armstrong County
- Nicholson Island: 46 acres
Bedford/Fulton Counties
- Lutzville Cliffs Natural Area: 8 acres
- Sideling Hill Creek Conservation Area: 375 acres
Butler County
- Alameda Park (operated by Butler County as part of the larger park) : 14 acres
- Miller Esker Natural Area: 32 acres - Visitor Information
- Wolf Creek Narrows Natural Area: 243 acres - Visitor Information
Crawford County
- Cambridge Springs Natural Area: 91 acres
- Conneaut Marsh Natural Area: 168 acres
- Cranmer Canoe Launch (on French Creek; owned by the Cranmer family)*
- Cussewago Bottom Conservation Area: 120 acres
- Helen B. Katz Natural Area: 552 acres - Visitor Information
- Mystic Valley Conservation Area: 66 acres
- Shaws Landing Floodplain: 7 acres
- Tryon-Weber Woods: 108 acres - View maps of this property
- Venango Riffle Natural Area: 8.5 acres
Elk County
- Clarion River Inholding: 532 acres
- Dr. Colson E. Blakeslee Memorial Recreation Area: 24 acres - Visitor Information
Elk/Clearfield counties
- Bennett Branch Forest: 1,471 acres
Erie County
- French Creek Flats: 17 acres
- Lake Pleasant Conservation Area: 582 acres - Visitor Information
- Lower Elk Creek Natural Area: 91 acres - Visitor Information
- South Branch French Creek Conservation Area: 193 acres
- Wattsburg Fen Natural Area: 292 acres
- West Branch French Creek Conservation Area: 992 acres - Visitor Information
- Wheelertown Flats: 33 acres
Fayette County
- Beaver Creek Natural Area: 211 acres
Fayette/Somerset Counties
- Bear Run Nature Reserve: 5,115 acres - Visitor Information
Fayette/Westmoreland Counties
- Indian Creek Hike and Bike Trail (owned by Mountain Watershed Association) : 31-acre portion*
Forest County
- Blue Ridge Forest: 455 acres
- Hoch Island: 6 acres
- Trunkeyville Access: 1 acre
Huntingdon County
- Indian Caverns: 13 acres
Jefferson County
- Clemens Run: 61 acres
- Dutch Hill Forest: 490 acres - Visitor Information
Lawrence County
- Fringed Gentian Fen Natural Area: 1 acre
- Bingler Natural Area: 8 acres
- Plain Grove Fens Natural Area: 394 acres
Somerset County
- Casselman River Conservation Area: 644 acres
- Joshua C. Whetzel, Jr. Memorial Recreation Area: 43 acres
- Whites Creek Valley Natural Area: 85 acres
Venango County
- Crawford Reserve (owned by Chagrin Land LP) : 11,256 acres*
- Fisherman’s Cove (owned by Fisherman’s Cove Preservation Foundation, Inc.) : 213 acres*
- Tippery Meadows Natural Area: 56 acres
- Utica Access: 1 acre - Visitor Information
- Waterfall Hollow (owned by The Foundation for Sustainable Forests, Inc.) : 399 acres*
Warren County
- Brokenstraw Flats: 98 acres
Westmoreland County
- Camp Run Woods: 20 acres
- Loyalhanna View (owned by Loyalhanna Watershed Association) : 0.5 acres*
- Marshall Preserve: 77 acres
- Randall Reserve (access to Four Mile Run; owned by Randall Reserve Foundation, Inc.)*
- West Ligonier Corridor (owned by Loyalhanna Watershed Association) : 29 acres*
*These properties are not owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, but are subject to a conservation easement with us. They are privately owned and allow public access.
For More Information:
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
800 Waterfront Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
866-564-6972
info@paconserve.org
