2025 Members’ Day and Annual Meeting
Bear Run Nature Reserve
Saturday, May 3, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
We’re so grateful to our members for supporting our work throughout the year. You help WPC plant trees, gardens and other green spaces that beautify and improve our communities. You help protect our landscapes, waterways, and plants and wildlife, and preserve and share the iconic beauty of Fallingwater.
Join us for Members’ Day! Bring your friends and family for a day of fun at Bear Run, celebrating you and all that you do for our region.
Start with a free continental breakfast and choose activities such as morning and afternoon guided hikes, information sessions and free tours of Fallingwater. Go birdwatching, learn about (and purchase!) native plants or tour the Fallingwater landscape. Learn from our scientists and specialists how your membership supports a wide range of work that benefits our region.
It’s a day to get inspired and enjoy the beauty of Bear Run and Fallingwater.
Schedule your Fallingwater house tour in advance.
Call Visitor Services at 724-329-8501.
Activity Schedule
Interactive Exhibits
- Enjoy a continental breakfast available from 8:30 to 10:30 in the Barn and shop a curated selection of items from the Fallingwater Museum Store.
- Learn about and purchase PA friendly plants at the Native Plant Sale
- Ask a Naturalist! Bring your photos and questions about plants and wildlife to our Ask A Naturalist table in the Barn. Show off your own discoveries from your hikes on Bear Run!
- Discover volunteer opportunities at the Conservancy to engage your interests and skills, from Fallingwater to gardens.
Morning Hikes and Activities
8:30 a.m.
Registration Opens
8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
8:45 to 10:15 a.m.
Birding Hike
Bring your binoculars and tread softly on this 1.5-mile birdwatching hike along Tissue Lane and the Peninsula Trail in Bear Run Nature Reserve. (Easy – Moderate)
9:00 to 10:30 a.m. OR 9:20 to 10:50 a.m.
Fallingwater Landscape Hike (2 hikes in the morning and 2 in the afternoon)
Explore the beautiful landscape that inspired the Kaufmann family and Frank Lloyd Wright. This 1.6-mile looping hike departs from in front of the Barn and traverses along a wooded path to Fallingwater. You have the option to take a shuttle back to the Barn from the Visitor Center, or hike back with your guides. (Moderate)
9:00 a.m.
Bear Run Eco-Exploration
Hike groups depart at 9:00, 9:15, 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. Hikes return by 10:50 a.m.
This hike is an easy 0.8-mile loop along the White Trail.
Information Sessions
(Fireplace Room, lower level of the Barn)
9:15 to 9:35 a.m.
9:45 to 10:05 a.m.
Fallingwater Preservation Update – TBD
Pennsylvania’s Rare and Undocumented Fungi
10:15 to 10:35 a.m.
Pennsylvania’s Old Growth Forest
11:00 to 11:45 a.m.
Children’s Art and Nature Activity (Upstairs in the Barn)
Members’ Meeting
(Fireplace Room, lower level of the Barn)
11:00 to 11:50 a.m.
Members’ Meeting
- Annual Budget Report and Election of Board of Directors
- Overview of Recent Conservancy projects by President and CEO Tom Saunders
- Page Street Garden
- Milko Land Protection Project
- 100,000+ Riparian Trees
- Preview of New Fallingwater Book: Fallingwater: Living With and In Art
12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Lunch Buffet
Enjoy a selection of grilled, vegetarian and vegan options. $23 for adults, free for children 10 and younger.
Please make lunch reservations by Friday, April 25.
Menu coming soon!
Afternoon Hikes and Activities
1:15 to 3:00 p.m.
Backpack Electrofishing in Bear Run
Bear Run is a Class A exceptional native Brook trout fishery, the highest rating classified by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) for the significant number of native trout that a stream can have.
Join watershed scientists on a hike to a section of Bear Run for an electrofishing demonstration. Help net native fish, including the Eastern Brook trout. Learn about native species, the importance of water quality, and climate change implications of aquatic organism passage projects. (Moderate – Rugged)
1:15 to 4:00 p.m.
Wildflower Walk at Ohiopyle State Park
Enjoy the beauty of Ohiopyle State Park through the perspective of our botanists on a slower-paced hike along the Great Gorge Trail, which is a mostly level grade. Learn about native plants and identification tips (drive or carpool to the park from the Barn). (Moderate)
1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Hike the Lower Bear Run Valley
Join WPC’s land stewards and ecologists on a faster-paced hike along the more rugged trails of Bear Run. Along the way, see how the forest changes with the terrain, elevation and land-use history. (Moderate – rugged)
1:30 to 3:00 p.m. OR
2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Fallingwater Landscape Hike (2 hike times)
Explore the beautiful landscape that inspired the Kaufmann family and Frank Lloyd Wright. This 1.6-mile looping hike departs from in front of the Barn and traverses along a wooded path to Fallingwater. You have the option to take a shuttle back from the Visitor Center to the Barn, or hike back with your guides. (Moderate)
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Hickman Chapel Open House – Self-Guided Tour
Explore the beautiful landscape that inspired the Kaufmann family and Frank Lloyd Wright. This 1.6-mile looping hike departs from in front of the Barn and traverses along a wooded path to Fallingwater. You have the option to take a shuttle back from the Visitor Center to the Barn, or hike back with your guides. (Moderate)
Please note:
- Remember 20/20: If you have scheduled a Fallingwater house tour, please arrive at the Visitor Center 20 minutes before your tour time, and allow 20 minutes to travel by shuttle from the Barn.
- Outdoor activities are subject to change based on weather and trail conditions.
- Hike return times in the afternoon may vary depending on the pace of your group.
- Please wear appropriate footwear, and be prepared for uneven terrain and the possibility of encountering loose rocks, roots, branches, and muddy sections. A walking stick or trekking pole may come in handy. To minimize adverse impacts to the landscape, hikers should stay on the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We encourage you to bring guests and appreciate your help in introducing new friends to WPC. We simply ask that you RSVP by May 2 (reserve lunch by April 25).
Yes! The day’s activities are free for members (except for the buffet lunch), so enjoy as much of the event as your schedule allows.
You can attend any of activities held in the Fireplace Room at The Barn, sign up for a morning or afternoon guided hike, and attend the 11:00 AM Annual Meeting.
Fallingwater tours are free but please make reservations in advance of Members’ Day. This will help you to plan other activities ahead of time.
Call Visitor Services 724-329-8501 to reserve your tour time.
You can drive across the road to Fallingwater, or take a shuttle that runs every 15-20 minutes between The Barn and the Visitor Center. Please plan to arrive at the Fallingwater Visitor Center 20 minutes before your tour is scheduled.
Please note that children age 6 and older can tour Fallingwater.
Members’ Day is a wonderful outing for families and we love seeing kids enjoying nature! We’ve designed hands-on activities and offer nature walks geared to families with young children.
Yes. We have both handicapped-accessible parking and facilities. If you have additional questions about accommodations, please contact Warren Mitchell, Fallingwater Membership Coordinator, at 724-329-7824 or wmitchell@paconserve.org.
A free continental breakfast is available from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM.
If you’d like to join us for a plentiful lunch buffet, the cost is $23 per adult and free for children 10 and under. Lunch reservations are required by April 25th. You’re also welcome to bring your own lunch.
Lunch description will be announced soon!
Lunch reservations are required by April 25th. If you’re not sure you want to pack your own lunch, please pre-register for the lunch buffet.
We will have guided walks and hikes suited for all fitness levels, from meandering nature walks for the casual stroller to more rugged trails for the experienced hiker. A description of each hike is available on the Members’ Day Schedule.
This is a great way to learn a little more about the valuable work that your membership supports! Members participate in electing the officers of the board. WPC’s President and CEO Tom Saunders presents a brief overview of highlights from the previous year and staff share the financial report and two-minute presentations featuring projects from WPC’s programs. The meeting starts at 11:00 AM in the Fireplace Room of the Barn and ends in time for lunch.
Please visit our Fallingwater website for travel information: https://fallingwater.org/visit/
This is a casual, fun day! Comfortable clothing and walking shoes are best. Dress in layers for the weather.
Members’ Day is held rain or shine. If you plan to take a walk or hike, please wear appropriate shoes and bring rain gear. There are indoor presentations, exhibits and Fallingwater tours to enjoy if you would rather not hike in the rain.
Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted to Members’ Day.
There is no need to bring anything extra. If you’ve pre-registered, you’re all set! We look forward to seeing you!
If you have additional questions, please contact Kathy Patrignani, Development Operations Administrator, at kpatrignani@paconserve.org or 412-586-2340.