Park Info | Booking Events at Riverview Park
Riverview Park was donated to the City of Allegheny by the Watson family in 1894 and encompasses 251 acres. The Park's name
comes from a number of overlooks to the Ohio River. Though
now overgrown, these vistas were part of the original attributes
of the Park.
 Today,
Riverview Park is noted for its superb unmanaged original growth
woodlands. These areas are home to at least 39 species of
animals and birds. The Riverview Park woodlands have more
miles of hiking trails than the other three Pittsburgh regional
parks. Its most well known trail, the Cross Country Trail,
is used consistently by several of the city's high school track
and cross country teams for practice. In addition, Riverview
Park has the only bridle trails in the City of Pittsburgh.
The Allegheny Observatory is Riverview Park's most unique and well known feature. This working observatory is part of the
University of Pittsburgh Department of Astronomy. Tours of the Observatory are held several times a week, April through October. Admission is free of charge, but tickets must be ordered in advance.
There are four major picnic facilities in the Park. The Activities Building and Chapel Grove (soon to undergo restoration) are indoor pavilions with equipped kitchens and restroom facilities. Valley Refuge features a wood burning fireplace and stove, and also has restroom facilities. Locust Grove is a newly renovated open air shelter. In addition to these major picnic facilities, there
are a number of smaller picnic sites scattered throughout the Park.
As befits a City Regional Park, Riverview has a large swimming pool, tennis courts, a ball field, and several playgrounds.
The only log cabin on the North Side is in Riverview Park. It was home to the Watson family and is still known as Watson's Cabin. Presently, only the core structure of this cabin remains.
Neighborhood advocates of Riverview Park on the North Side are working diligently to commence restoration of Watson's Cabin. Within the near future we hope to utilize the Cabin as the
centerpiece for the only youth overnight camping site in the City of Pittsburgh.
Some of the original structures that have vanished over the years are the Wissahickon Trailside Nature Museum (Wissahickon is an
Indian word for 'catfish'), a merry-go-round, and a small zoo.
The North Side community is proud to have Riverview Park in its midst. Join the Friends of Riverview Park and other community
groups as we bring back the luster, appeal, and grandeur originally inherent in Riverview Park.
Booking Events at Riverview Park
To book an event at a City of Pittsburgh park, please call the permit office at 412-255-2370, weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. For information on Riverview Park’s amenities, please call the Department of Public Works, First Division, at 412-323-7209.
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