This summer (and beyond), UpstreamPgh invites you to explore! Take a self-guided walking tour through the Nine Mile Run watershed. Use the maps and guided instructions on this page to discover rain gardens in the upper watershed, and/or follow the path of Fern Hollow Creek to the Monongahela!

Throughout the month of July, check our Instagram feed for maps, fun facts, and more as you tour this watershed we call home!

Fern Hollow to the Monongahela Tour

Round Trip Distance: 6 miles

Google Map Guide: Start Here!

Trace the elusive Fern Hollow stream to the mighty Monongahela River, with UpstreamPgh as your virtual guide! Click on the green points on this Google Map to learn more at each stop. The full route is about 3 miles one-way. You may want to consider breaking it up, taking the bus back, or packing water and snacks to fuel you both ways!

Google Maps descriptions not loading? Use our PDF guide, here!

Trail Alert! As of July 2026, through at least early August 2026, you will not be able to walk the full route due to the Commercial Street/Forward Avenue and Nine Mile Run Trail closure. If you’d like to explore (almost) the full route, you can do so in two out-and-back segments, with one starting at the Homewood Cemetery, and the second starting at Duck Hollow!

Nine Mile Run Green Infrastructure Tour

Route Distances:

Rosedale Runoff Reduction Tour: approximately 1 mile (19 minute walk)
Lots of Nature: approximately 1 mile (20 minute walk)
Swissvale Hill to Nine Mile Run: approximately 2 miles (37 minute walk)

Google Map Guide: Start Here!

Welcome to the Nine Mile Run Watershed! A watershed is an area of land that drains to a specific body of water, so when it rains in this area, the water flows over the land or through storm drains into the Nine Mile Run stream. The watershed is only 6.5 square miles, but it includes 4 municipalities: the City of Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Swissvale, and Wilkinsburg. You’ll notice differences and unique qualities in these neighborhoods, but they’re all united by the watershed.

On this tour you’ll find places of green stormwater infrastructure like rain gardens and tree pits. These sites are designed to collect and soak up rainwater to prevent street and basement flooding. Since they also help prevent polluted rain water from going into storm drains that release water into Nine Mile Run, they can lessen flash floods and improve the health of the stream.

There are three routes on this tour. Pick one to follow, make your own, or choose just one stop to check out. When you arrive at a stop, click on its marker on our Google Map to read more about it.

Google Maps descriptions not loading? Use our PDF guide, here!