One of the best ways to see and enjoy Cook Forest (and to get a little cardiovascular exercise!) is to hike some of its 30 miles of trails. You'll find no less than sixteen marked to help you get closer to nature. The longest hiking trail is about 3 miles; there are also several trails about 0.6 miles in length. As you can imagine, the trail scenery is quite astounding during the fall season when the leaves turn fiery red, orange, and amber.

Passing through the park is the Baker Trail, a 140 mile foot path from Pittsburgh to the Allegheny National Forest. The Baker Trail was developed in honor of the late Horace Forbes Baker by the Pittsburgh Council of the American Youth Hostels.

Part of the Baker Trail -- about 34 miles of terrain that can be challenging at times -- is now known as the Rachel Carson Trail, named for the environmentalist and author of Silent Spring. The online edition of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette has an excellent article on the Rachel Carson trail.

For safety purposes, hikers should obtain a complete description of trails from the park office before setting out on a hiking excursion.

Also See: Hiking in Clear Creek State Park