Saturday, June 11 – Cedar Creek County Park

Leader:  Mark Bowers, monarda55@gmail.com , 724-454-4012 at 8:30 A.M.

Directions:  Whether driving north or south on SR 51 in Rostraver Township, turn onto Concord Lane.  If driving north from the intersection of I-70 and SR 51, you will turn right onto Concord Lane at a red light by the Burger King, and then turn right onto Municipal Drive (roads here have been recently modified).  If driving south on SR 51, turn left onto Concord Lane at a red light by Harper Drive and turn left onto Municipal Drive.  Follow Municipal Drive 0.7 mile and turn left onto Timms Lane.  This left turn is before the main entrance to Cedar Creek Park.  Follow Timms Lane 0.6 mile to a parking lot at the Mon Valley Radio Controlled Airfield (40.17463, -79.77743).

Description: We will hike approximate 1.5 mile round trip walk (+/- 2 hours), first along a trail descending to the floodplain, then along Cedar Creek through the gorge (some wet and muddy spots) to the second footbridge. Then we will ascend a short section of uneven and rough trail up to a field with a mowed path which leads back to the MVRC Airfield parking lot.

In the forested trail we could see/hear Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, Blue-gray gnatcatcher, Rose-breasted grosbeak, Louisiana waterthrush, Yellow-throated warbler, Warbling vireo, American redstart, as well as interesting floodplain flora. In the field we could see/hear Field sparrow and other sparrows, Eastern meadowlark, E. bluebirds, Red-winged black birds.