Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

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See the Hiking Trails web page for a trail map.

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Length:  1.1 mile
Time:  45 minutes
Difficulty:  Easy to moderate

The Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield is a 1.1-mile out-and-back trail (2.2 mile round trip). However, it is doubtful anyone would make an out-and-back hike out of it, as the only sensible way to proceed is to combine it with other trails to make a loop. Options are to return on either the Inner Meadow Trail or the Forest Trail. For a longer hike you can even add the Picnic Area Loop.

Before starting out on any of the trails at Fort Necessity during the summer, be aware that gnats are a huge problem. I highly recommend wearing a hat and mosquito net on your head, otherwise you are likely to have the pests buzzing your ears, flying up your nose and into your mouth, and your arm will fall off from waving it in front of your face the entire time trying to shoo them away.

As with all trails at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, you must first walk out to the reconstructed fort on a 300-yard paved path that begins at the back of the Visitor Center. Follow the TRAIL TO FORT sign. Most of the trails are best started just past the benches where park Rangers give lectures on the fort’s history (look for the wayside panel with a trail map). The Outer Meadow Trail, however, is best started at the fort itself, so continue on the paved path to the fort until you reach the small hills that surround it. These are reconstructions of earthworks that once formed protective walls and trenches. Back in 1754, they would have been much higher.  (Unless noted, all distances referenced in this trail review are from the fort).

When you reach the fort, you will see a grass trail that branches off the paved path to the left. This is a connector that leads to the Outer Meadow Trail. Take this and stay straight / left when the trail forks just a stone’s throw ahead. The trail to the right ends at a water spigot about 100 feet away. You will be in a meadow but heading towards the forest.

When I did the hike in August, there were many wildflowers blooming and plenty of butterflies. Western Pennsylvania is on the monarch butterfly migration route. Monarchs reach this area in the summer.

Start of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Believe it or not, a hike along the Outer Meadow Trail can be dangerous. Why? I’m going to call them gopher holes, but regardless of what animal dug them, they are everywhere. The smallest are as big around as a softball and the largest a baby could crawl into. Step in one of these holes and you could break a leg. To make matters worse, you can’t see them because of the grass. There’s not much you can do about it other than stay off the trails.

Gopher hole near the start of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Gopher hole on the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Once in the forest, take a right at the first intersection you come to and you’ll be on the Outer Meadow Trail, though there are no signs identifying it. The turn is not far from the trail to the water spigot, perhaps 100 yards at most, and the trip through the forest is very short.

Wooded section of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

The meadow itself is getting overgrown. It’s not like it was by the fort. If it weren’t for a lawnmower coming through to keep the path clear, the entire area would be overgrown with shrubs and other vegetation. The trip through the meadow is short, and within minutes you’ll be back in the forest.

Typical meadow terrain on the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

In less than a quarter mile from Fort Necessity is the Braddock Road Spur, a trail that branches off to the right. The trail map shows it running for .3 mile to the entrance of a zoo, but that’s no longer the case. It is now completely overgrown to the point that no trace of it exists. I didn’t get fifty feet before I had to turn around, so why nice signs are still at the intersection and even in the woods is beyond me. I’m sure the area was clear when the signs were placed, but it is funny to see a sign that looks like it was planted in the ground by somebody who hacked his way to that spot with a machete. The Braddock Road, by the way, was a road built back in George Washington’s day. In fact, it was actually built by Washington and later widened and extended by British officer General Edward Braddock. There are some original segments that you can actually walk on within Fort Necessity National Battlefield—this just isn’t one of them anymore.

Intersection of the Braddock Road Spur and Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Sign for the Braddock Road Spur at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

The Outer Meadow Trail emerges into the sunshine within a couple minute’s walk past the Braddock Road, but again, it’s still not what most people think of as a meadow. The natural progression of a meadow is to eventually become a forest, so what you are seeing is this transition.

Typical meadow on the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

A half mile into the hike is an intersection on the left with a trail that connects to the Inner Meadow Trail. If you are planning to make a loop with that trail, this is not the time to do it. Keep straight / right to remain on the Outer Meadow Trail. The trail reenters the forest shortly thereafter.

Wooded section of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

This portion of the Outer Meadow Trail forms a large U-shaped protrusion, sort of like a nose on a face. Just a few minutes past the Inner Meadow Trail connector is an intersection that allows you to cut the U in half. Unless you have a reason for taking this shortcut, stay straight / right. Not long afterwards is the intersection where you would have come out at if you took the shortcut. The intersection is actually T shaped, so you’ll need to take a right to continue the hike.

One thing to mention about the terrain on the Outer Meadow Trail is that it is hilly. While there are many rises and dips, overall the trail is heading uphill, and you’ll be about 200 feet higher in elevation than Fort Necessity when you reach the end. Most of climbs and descents go unnoticed, but there are a few very short-but-steep stretches here and there, most lasting no more than 100 feet.

The intersection with the Inner Meadow Trail comes .8 mile into the hike. If you want the shortest loop possible when hiking the Outer Meadow Trail, take the Inner Meadow Trail back to the fort area. The distance is about a half mile. Otherwise, stay straight / right to continue to the end of the Outer Meadow Trail.

Intersection of the Outer and Inner Meadow trails at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Just past the Inner Meadow Trail is a sign pointing to the Peaceful Spot. This is a very short detour that leads to what was once a scenic view. Unfortunately the view is now completely blocked by trees, so don’t bother unless you want a place to sit down for a few minutes. There is a bench.

The Peaceful Spot on the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

The end of the Outer Meadow Trail is less than .2 mile ahead. You’ll be in the forest when at the Peaceful Spot, but just before the trail ends is the prettiest stretch of meadow on the entire hike (other than the meadow at Fort Necessity).

Forested section at the end of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Meadow near the end of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

The Outer Meadow Trail ends at the park road, denoted as TRAFFIC CIRCLE on the map. At this point you have three choices. One, you can head back the way you came, which of course is no fun. Who wants to see the same things twice?

End of the Outer Meadow Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Two, you can make a loop back to the fort area by taking the Forest Trail, which begins on the other side of the traffic circle next to a gated road marked with an AUTHORZIED PERSONNEL ONLY sign. Do not take the road. Prior to the gate are some wooden steps on the left. These lead up to the Forest Trail, which again, is unidentified. There is a NO MOTOR VEHICLES sign at the trailhead as well.

Southern trailhead for the Forest Trail at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Or three, you can add some distance to your hike by taking the Picnic Area Loop. You aren’t actually on the loop when at the traffic circle, so you’ll need to take the Picnic Area Spur, a very steep trail that runs through the forest for about a tenth of a mile before coming to the actual trail. When you get to the traffic circle, turn to your right to find the spur. It is marked with a trail post and a NO MOTOR VEHICLES sign. The trail crosses the park road about halfway—the steep part comes after the crossing. In truth, the Picnic Area Loop is not that pleasant of a hike, and I highly recommend skipping it. If you do make the hike, when you return to the traffic circle, take the Forest Trail back to Fort Necessity.

Picnic Area Spur at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Intersection of the Picnic Area Spur and Picnic Area Loop at Fort Necessity National Battlefield

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