Beechview Steps

If you walk through the landscape of Pittsburgh, steps quickly become delightful friends and mortal enemies. In the same sharp, shallow breath after the 100th step, the view to which you’ve climbed makes you let loose another gasp of air for its beauty as you curse your tired legs. Pittsburgh’s near vertical landscape is not for the faint of heart, as it requires you to travel by vehicle and by foot to reach the best views. But don’t worry, the sights make the trip worth it.

Pittsburgh hilly terrain lends itself well to the adventures, but make public city steps a requirement. Several streets completely replace sidewalks with steps and railings. Step hunting can make a surprisingly fun date, even for those who might not be able to walk up them. Just finding all of them around the city can be a joy in itself. Although you can’t throw a rock in Pittsburgh without having it fall down some steps, the ones on Canton Avenue and Ray Avenue in the neighborhood of Beechview are particularly impressive. The two sites are not very close to each other, so a car is needed to see both if you do not plan to stay in one area and focus on the steps there.

The City of Pittsburgh maintains 712 sets of steps, with many having falling into disrepair. The steps actively maintained are found HERE, but THIS website includes listings for the less cared for sets of steps. For those looking for a more tangible guide, check out the book The Steps of Pittsburgh—Portrait of a City by Bob Regan. Regan’s book even offers specific walking tours of the various steps.

Ray Avenue (pictured above) is the place to go if you’re looking for a nice long walk. At 378 steps, it is just a little longer than Rising Main Steps, located in Fineview. Canton Ave, as shown below is among the steepest steps in the country, with a 37% grade. If you drive from the Canton Steps to the Ray Avenue, you’ll also cross Fallowfield Avenue, which has its own impressive stairway. On a nice, crisp fall day, grab a warm drink, lace up your hiking boots and be prepared to explore the city where sidewalks are replaced by stairs!

Nearby Canton Avenue are the Hampshire steps, which are 112 stairs. It starts at the top at the corner of Hampshire and Canton Ave and finishes at the bottom on Coast Ave.