Pennsylvania American Water recently made a generous donation of approximately 18 acres at the confluence of Slippery Rock Creek and the Connoquenessing. This new property has been designated as "The Confluence" and is available for water access. Road access is over a private road in a residential zone, so vehicular access is limited to those with written permission only. Please use the contact us feature to obtain permission. Please respect the private property rights of our new neighbors.
This parcel was the formal site of the Ellwood City water plant, which has now been demolished. The historic bridge abutment from the Pittsburgh and Western Railway is visible at the confluence. This bridge was demolished in 1955. Just downstream there is an active bald eagle nest. A small dam has been removed and a boat launch area is just upstream on Slippery Rock Creek where Portersville Road crosses the creek, so this lower stretch of the Creek is now passable for a canoe or kayak. Future plans for the property are to restore the site for wildlife by planting the creek bottom area with native trees and shrubs.
Wild Waterways Conservancy has announced the acquisition of an additional parcel of land along the Connoquenessing Creek just upstream from Ellwood City off Country Club Drive. This 1.2 acre area was acquired through the generosity of the Connoquenessing Country Club. The property will be open to the public for fishing and other stream activity. Future plans include a canoe and kayak launch.
Recently, the organization also acquired and opened an out and back walking trail from Park Gate to the Koppel Bridge, along the former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie rail grade, a distance of about 2.5 miles round trip. This trail is maintained by local Ellwood City residents and provides walk in access to the south side of the WWC Rock Point property. This corridor property adds about ten acres to WWC's other holdings around Rock Point, making a total area of about approximately 235 acres open to the public. Although no other formal trails are maintained, the area below the old rail grade is a rich and biologically diverse creek bottom, well worth a visit for the spring wildflowers. On the Lawrence County side of Rock Point, the public is invited to explore the old amusement park site, now a mature hardwood forest, and enjoy warm season vehicular access to the mouth Connoquenessing Creek. Please note that the Rock Point Boat Club launch is available to the general public for canoes and kayaks, but other use of the launch is limited to Boat Club members.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Deer hunting is permitted with permission on all WWC properties except Glacier wetlands off Swope Road near Slippery Rock. No motorized vehicles are permitted on WWC trails. All users are requested to carry out their own trash and are asked to assist in keeping the properties clean.
WWC is an all volunteer, charitable land conservancy, devoted to preserving the Connoquenessing watershed, and increasing the public's appreciation of this valuable resource. Currently the organization owns just over 500 acres in the watershed, and together with Allegheny Aquatic Alliance, provides numerous creek access points beginning north of the City of Butler to the mouth of the Creek at Rock Point. Connoquenessing Creek Natural Area, just north of Zelienople, also contains a network of hiking trails.