Trying to find a great outdoor adventure in Butler County? Check out this list of great things to do outside and where to grab a treat afterwards.
Disclaimer - This is a blog post sponsored by Experience Butler County. As always, my opinions are unbiased and my own. I want to thank Butler County for their generosity! For more information on planning your trip, visit ExperienceButler.com
From hiking and biking trails to exploring the lake to just relaxing at the campground, Butler County’s got an outdoor adventure for you. Conveniently located about an hour from Pittsburgh or just over two hours from Cleveland, the outdoor recreation opportunities make you feel like you’ve traveled much further… without having to pay exorbitant gas prices to get there.
I spent 48 hours in Butler County in June, which was the perfect time for all different kinds of adventures. We hiked, kayaked, birdwatched, and played cornhole, while staying at a campground conveniently located for all of our adventures.
Read on for the best outdoor adventures in Butler County and where to get a treat afterwards!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Jennings Environment Education Center & Hillview Coffee
- Todd Nature Reserve & The Coffee Cup
- Glade Run Lake & Derailleur Cafe
- Exploring Lake Arthur & The Snowman
- Hiking at Moraine & Shubrew
Jennings Environment Education Center & Hillview Coffee
Explore Pennsylvania’s Only Prairie at Jennings Environmental Education Center
This state park often gets overshadowed by its larger and more popular neighbors, Moraine and McConnells Mill. However, Jennings offers a unique environment to explore – the only protected prairie in the Commonwealth. Named for botanist Otto Jennings, who discovered the prairie in 1905, the site is the home of rare wildflowers and the endangered Massagua rattlesnake.
Jennings has multiple options for hiking and you can connect different short trails to create a hike of up to five miles. I highly recommend the Blazing Star Trail to the Prairie Loop Trail on the west side of the park to experience the rare prairie environment. On the east side of the park, head by the park office and then connect the Woodwhisper Trail to the North Country Trail (NCT) to the Black Cherry Trail to the Old Elm Trail to visit a wetland treatment system and hike along a beautiful stream. If the office is open, don’t forget to get your state park passport stamp!
For a map of the park, visit the DCNR site page on Jennings.
For more information about Jennings Environment Education Center and 83 other amazing places to visit in Pennsylvania, check out my book, Scenic Natural Wonders of Pennsylvania.
Hillview Coffee
Hillview Coffee in Portersville offers coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and sweet treats that satisfy after any outdoor adventure. This coffee shop is conveniently located within 15-20 minutes of the three state parks north of Pittsburgh – Jennings, Moraine, and McConnells Mill.
The best thing about this coffee shop is how dog friendly they are. While dogs aren’t allowed in the store, there’s a walk-up window to order coffee for you and a treat for your pup. The patio outside overlooks a hillside and is a great way to keep your outdoor adventure going. I also grabbed a chicken salad sandwich on a croissant to eat lunch later while I was working and it was delicious.
Todd Nature Reserve & The Coffee Cup
Hike and Birdwatch at Todd Run Nature Reserve
Todd Run Nature Reserve is owned by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and is designated as an Important Bird Area. The reserve was the first privately operated reserve in the Commonwealth. The reserve offers five miles of trails on its over 220 acres.
One of the coolest parts of this reserve was the ruins, located just a short walk from the parking lot. The remnants of a stone cabin at the top of wooden stairs just after you cross a stream via bridge is great for photography. Loop via the ruins on the Loop Trail to make your way to a pond on the property that has a great bench for birdwatching.
Note that no dogs are allowed on the property, except service dogs. There are also no restrooms in the park so please plan accordingly.
The Coffee Cup
What looks like almost a nondescript building is hiding an adorable coffee shop. The Coffee Cup offers an overwhelming amount of choices (in a good way) for drinks and snacks. I got an ice latte with cold foam and an amazing piece of coffee cake that was warmed to the perfect temperature and smelled so good I had to hold myself back from scarfing it down before I could get a picture.
The homey vibes, including armchairs, board games, and comfortable tables, invite guests to stay a minute in the shop. I had planned to be in and out, but was glad I sat and relaxed for thirty minutes. While the space is on the smaller side, the constant stream of customers didn’t interrupt the peaceful corner I was working from. It was clear to me that it’s a spot for regulars who come back every week, a sure sign of a great business.
Glade Run Lake & Derailleur Cafe
Fish or Hike at Glade Run Lake
In eastern Butler County, Glade Run Lake offers hiking, fishing, and boating opportunities. This lake had to be drained in 2011 due to a major crack in the dam. The community formed the Glade Run Lake Conservency to relentlessly fundraise and push lawmakers to refill the lake and it was finally restored in 2017.
While this is more of an area to fish, there’s one hiking trail that is under two miles long. Enjoy the narrow boardwalk and informative interpretive signage installed by the Glade Run Lake Conservancy. If you’re here to fish, know that all Fish & Boat Commission rules apply to the lake, including fishing license requirements.
For more on Glade Run’s history, check out my video breakdown of the story of the creation of Glade Run Lake Conservancy.
Grab a Bite at Derailleur Bike Shop Cafe
A place to eat, charge your electric bike, and get a tune-up? Count me in! This cute cafe sells baked goods, drinks, and lunch items as well as items from local artists. Around back, you can see the bike shop and electric bike chargers (installed with a grant from Experience Butler County!).
I got a jalapeño grilled cheese, which was ready very quickly, and a Leah Jane. This beautifully colored lemonade and butterfly pea flower drink was created in memory of the owner’s cousin Leah, who passed away in 2023. A portion of the proceeds goes to a scholarship fund in Leah’s honor.
For more information and hours of operation, check out the Derailleur Bike Shop Cafe website.
I’ve paired this with a hike at Glade Run Lake, but if you’re a biker, make this bike shop a stop on your ride on the 21-mile Butler-Freeport trail. For more information about the trail from someone who’s done it check out Discover the Burgh’s guide to the Butler-Freeport Trail.
Exploring Lake Arthur & The Snowman
Explore on Lake Arthur
Lake Arthur is the jewel of Moraine State Park and one of the best ways to explore is via watercraft. Try stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking to get up close and personal to the lake’s flora and fauna.
SurfSUP, a guided stand-up paddleboard company, offers all types of tours on the lake. I got to attend a fall foliage paddle where we suited up in wetsuits to look at the peak foliage around the lake.
For more paddling spots, check out my guide to the best places to stand up paddleboard near Pittsburgh!
If you’re more interested in exploring on your own, rent a kayak. The state park offers rentals but Bear Run Campground also has everything you need to go kayaking, and they don’t require you to be a guest to use the rentals. I swung by before check-in to grab my paddle and life vest, then drove three minutes down the road to Porter’s Cove boat launch where my kayak was waiting for me.
Note: If you’re solo, you may need to enlist a stranger to help you put the kayak back on the rack but I was able to get it down and into the water by myself.
Looking for more awesome campgrounds in Pennsylvania? Check out my roundup guide to the Best Campgrounds in Pennsylvania!
Cool off at The Snowman
I had driven by this kooky looking building dozens of times before I eventually stopped by. This 13-foot-tall snowman also serves up shaved ice and milkshakes – the perfect tasty treats for a hot day! I highly recommend the Yeti, a shaved ice x ice cream mix that stopped me from having a meltdown from being overheated after kayaking. Even if you have no interest in shaved ice, stop by the roadside attraction for a photo op. The Snowman is seasonal, open from April to Labor Day.
Hiking at Moraine & Shubrew
Hike at Moraine State Park
While people usually think of Lake Arthur first when visiting Moraine State Park, the park offers nearly 30 miles of hiking trails for hikers of all experience levels.
Here are some of my favorites:
- North Country Trail – Explore a small section of this 4000+ mile long National Scenic Trail, which runs through the park. Following blue blazes makes me feel connected to something much larger than just this small section of the park.
- Sunken Garden Trail – This “choose your own adventure” trail offers three different loop lengths that wend along the lakeside and into wooded areas.
- Butterfly Trail – This under-1-mile trail is great for learning about the wildlife of the area, as it offers educational signage and a gazebo full of paintings of different types of butterflies. I even saw a beaver eating breakfast when visiting in the early morning!
For more information about hiking trails in Moraine, check out my guide to Moraine State Park hiking!
Enjoy a Beverage at ShuBrew
ShuBrew is a brewpub located in downtown Zelionople. This space offers a menu with funky twists on pub food as well as Chinese-inspired items like fried rice and “General Shu’s” chicken bowls. Many breweries don’t have a ton of options for non-alcoholic beverages. However, ShuBrew had two different kinds of Athletic Brewing, including the delicious Lime and Salt, one I’d never encountered.
I loved my fried rice bowl with General Shu’s chicken added. The kimchi and yum yum sauce made it much more interesting than traditional pub food and it was so big I got to eat the second half of it for lunch the next day. The pulled pork nachos are also amazing and are an entire meal to themselves. For more information about ShuBrew and to take a look at the menu, check out their website here.
Where to Stay in Butler County
If you want to have enough time to do all of these adventures, I’d highly recommend staying in Butler County.
Bear Run Campground
If you’re looking for an outdoorsy experience in your overnight stay, make sure to check out Bear Run Campground. This family-run campground has been around for over 50 years, creating a nostalgic community feeling to the campground culture. You know it’s a great place to stay when many of the people my age at the campground grew up coming to the campground every summer and now bring their kids back to stay.
We stayed in one of the cabins, which had air conditioning and heat, a fridge and microwave, a full kitchen, a cute porch, and a fire pit. The campground also has a ton of amenities including a pool, a camp store, a communal fire pit, an arcade, and kayak rentals (also available for non-guests). It’s also dog-friendly!
Note: If you want to work remotely here and you have video calls, you may have to pay for upgraded wifi (I ended up using my hotspot and was fine). But the basic wifi was fine for non-call work.
Looking for more places to stay in Butler County? Check out Experience Butler County’s hand picked recommendations or take a look at the map below!
What are you adding to your Butler County bucket list? Let me know in the comments below!
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