Panther Hollow Lake

As weird as this sounds, this lake holds a piece of my heart! We used to live in Oakland but after two years we decided not to renew our lease. It was a small apt and the price just kept going up. We were on the hunt for a new apartment from April until July when we found our new place. In those 3 months, we spent ALOT of time at Schenley Park and esp the lake to just relax, unwind and free our minds (apartment hunting is stressful!) It’s nothing special, but i always enjoy it and its very quiet down there. Now that I have a dog, I cant wait to take her to Schenley Park and this lake in the summer!

What a little known gem in the city! If you’re looking to escape the hustle of Pittsburgh, make your way to the Panther Hollow Lake. Not many people know it’s here because of it’s location, but that’s what makes it much more special. It’s a hidden treasure.
To get down, there are several trails as well as crazy steps that start near Armstrong Park. Be careful because some of the steps are loose and broken. The city needs to better maintain. Once you get down to the bottom there is some grassy areas and the lake. The lake is sort of scuzzy and again the city could do some more maintaining around the area, but it’s still a great place to spend 30 minutes and just enjoy serenity. It’s peaceful, quiet and gives you time to just think. Best part is it’s right here in the city! You don’t have to travel far to experience nature!

My husband Rick and I biked past Panther Hollow Lake on our first ride of the season this past weekend. Panther Hollow Lake is a good example of what deferred maintenance and environmental degradation can do to an ecosystem.
At one time it was quite the urban retreat for native Pittsburghers. Early in the 20^th Century it was used for fishing, boating, ice skating, and picnicking along its shores. But thanks to erosion, pollution, severe erosion, crumbling infrastructure and declining populations of native plants and wildlife, the site is almost unknown to many people. The fishermen are gone. The boathouse is no more. The lake has silted down to about a third of its former level. The steps leading down here are treacherous and the trails are confusing. There’s no real reason to go down here anymore.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has been working with the City of Pittsburgh in a restoration project in order to repair the damage done by erosion. They’ve been planting native species and removing invasive plants. Schenley Park itself is a gem and hopefully they can restore Panther Hollow Lake to its former glory, making it a recreation destination.