Westmoreland Heritage Trail – Saunders Station Trailhead

Meet at the Saunders Station Parking Area at 8:30 a.m.

Leader:  Dale Matuza, dmmatuza@comcast.net, 724-327-0826 at the Saunders Station Trailhead

Directions: Saunders Station Rd., Monroeville, PA.  GPS: 40°24’33.1″N 79°43’42.0″W.  Follow US 22 until you reach the “T” intersection of US 22 and Northern Pike. Turn onto Northern Pike and then turn left after 500 feet onto Abers Creek Rd.  Travel 1.5 miles and turn left onto Saunders Station Rd.  After 600 feet, the Trail Access will be on your right.  There is a paved parking area on the west side of Saunders Station Rd. with non-paved overflow parking on the east side.

Description: We’ll make the decision in real-time whether we want to go upstream or down. Regardless, we’ll probably be looking at an approximate 4-mile round trip walk on flat ground. In the spring/summer of 2020, there were several pairs of nesting Baltimore Orioles.  Wood duck, Scarlet Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, Pileated Woodpecker, etc. were in good numbers. Also, a Barred Owl pair successfully raised, and fledged young. Red-shouldered hawk working the day shift. Last year we had nesting Coopers. The potential for the Turtle Creek Valley is always quite good.