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Can't help you. I'm rarely over that way in a car, let alone a bike. The rando crew may have better input.

I do allot of riding in that area... During the day it is nice riding. At night I would be a little concerned because the roads are dark and winding. 2 ways to get there are below from the East end. Reverse to get home.

1. The most direct route, flattest and perhaps the safest would be to take the 62 St bridge to Etna, Bridge street (it is closed but their is a pedestrian right of way) right on Main in Etna, To the Blarney Stone and then jump on the side walk along RT 8 until you hit Saxonburg Blvd at the Dunkin Donuts. You can then take Saxonburg Blvd to the mansion entrance to the park.

2. More Hills... Highland park bridge right to Freeport, Left onto Fox Chapel , Left onto Squaw Run Road, Right onto Old Mill, Left onto Fairview, Right onto Dorseyville, then almost immediately left onto Harts Run, then half way down the hill the first right into the housing development (the road name escapes me). Take this road until it intersectsends into Saxonburg Blvd. Right onto Saxonburg and then left into the mansion entrance into the park.

I ride in the dark often, I ride in that area often. I am not sure I would be comfortable doing both at the same time, but I am also a woos.

Hmm, I live in FC and feel the best route would be Rt 8 in Glenshaw to Rt on Saxonburg to left on Middle Road. Middle Road actually isn't all that bad because there isn't a ton of traffic. The other routes mentioned are okay as well. Or you could take FC Road to Lt on Squaw Run to Rt. Dorseyville, to Lt on Hart's Run to Rt on Saxonburg.

I still think Middle Road is the better route. Just have good blinkys and you should be okay. I would do it in a NY second.

I've been up that way a few times, though not for a few years now. I found Saxonburg was better northbound (very gentle climbing), but liked Middle better southbound (seemed slightly more deserted late at night). Haven't tried Dorseyville.

You might want to choose based on which side of the park you want. Park roads are hilly, dark, and easy to get lost on (or so I found, though I only had a couple of mediocre $30 headlights at the time).

I've done those roads a few times.

If it was just that it was ngiht? I would probably just make sure I had clean underwear on and go for it.

BUT there will be about a thousand drivers leaving the Blues Festival Firday and Saturday nights.

The general assumption is that anyone driving on any road at that time on a weekend is drunk.

A blues festival isn't going to change that.

I was hoping for soem magic solution, I guess. ("Just follow this path through the woods and you'll get to a bike trail.")

If the weather is nice, I suppose I oculd find an isolated part of the park and just flop down a sleeping bag.

Oh, you wanted the secret magic trail? Why didn't you say so?

The car-free Rachel Carson Trail has a spur to Hartwood Acres, and takes you right down to Freeport Road. Its only slight disadvantage is that it's a hiking trail. So I guess you'd need a mountain bike, right?

More seriously, maybe you could just wait a bit. I'd imagine the show-related traffic would be largely gone 30-60 minutes after the show ends. Normal traffic on Saxonburg on a Friday at 10:30pm was very light for me.

The 2nd route I described keeps you off the main roads as much as possible. The main roads while more direct do not have decent shoulders and are dark.

I am with Mick in assuming a large percentage of the drivers will be impaired. Depending upon the direction you take back you can also assume they will have their convertible's top down and be extra distracted.

Hey mick are you still looking into riding out to the blues festival? I actually might be working at it and have never ridden out there myself.