The “Let’s Talk About Parks” series is designed to encourage exploration and discovery of Pittsburgh’s urban parks.

Pittsburgh’s topography gives its city parks some of the most beautifully varied terrain of any major metropolitan park system in the United States. The golden triangle — Pittsburgh’s downtown region that spans from the fountain at Point State Park to the Hill District — sits in a valley that is surrounded by the steep slopes of Mount Washington on one side and North Hills on the other. Glaciers are often the cause of dramatic topography, and while they didn’t directly cause our city’s hilly terrain, they did play a significant role. During the Pleistocene Epoch — perhaps better known as the Ice Age — massive continent-size ice masses moved southward from Canada, reaching as far as Moraine State Park in nearby Butler County. As the glaciers melted, large chunks of ice carried rocks with them as they flowed down rivers, carving new paths and causing flooding and erosion that created the topography of the Pittsburgh we know today.

With city parks in every corner of Pittsburgh, it’s no wonder that our greenspaces have some of the most incredible high points — and the views that come with them — to be found in our part of the country.

Emerald View Park — born out of a grassroots effort to combine historic park spaces Grandview, Olympia and Mount Washington — will dedicate new names for its extensive trail system this week. These include trials that pass by the nearly 370-foot-high crest at the Point of View sculpture found along Grandview Avenue on Mount Washington. Look for the statue — depicting Seneca leader Guyasuta meeting George Washington — and head down the path to the left. You’ll see rough-hewn stone sitting areas and be treated to an incredible view. As you scan from left to right, you’ll see Bruno Island in the distance, the West End Bridge, and the point where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers join to form the Ohio River. Look a bit to the right, and you will see a unique nearly head-on view of the city skyline. If you time your visit for the early morning, you may be lucky enough to see the dawn mist still hanging over the river, adding a calm and magical effect to the view.

Across the river, head north to Riverview Park for more spectacular views. With 259 acres of rolling hills and winding trails, narrowing down the best view at Riverview is difficult. To start, head to the Allegheny Observatory, located at the top of a spiraling road. The three white domes make a striking silhouette against the sky, and if you take a hike around the building itself, you’ll see the park and surrounding neighborhood from a new vantage point. In front, the sloping lawn — dotted with trees planted by Parks Conservancy volunteer programs — ends at the park entrance garden, while to the right you can see roads and trails descending into the park’s valley. To get a sense of the topography of Riverview Park, look at an overhead view map. With the Observatory as the highest point, roads and trails — including the popular two-mile Riverview Loop Trail — spiral out around from around it, circling in to the lower regions of the park.

Your next spot for great views is across the river at the Frick Environmental Center. Pick up a trail map at the welcome desk inside the center, fill your water bottle and head toward the fountain at the edge of the site. Hop on Clayton Loop Trail, and you’ll experience steep vantage points in the interior of a densely wooded area. Fall is an especially good time to experience this, as many leaves have fallen by this time, and you can see farther than the warmer seasons allow. Once you’re at a high point where you can see the treetops of the lower park regions, stand and be silent for a few moments. You’ll likely begin to hear squirrels scurrying about as they gather food to store for the coming winter, or — if you’re really lucky — you may spot the white tail of a deer as it searches for its next meal.

While you’ll find your own favorite park high view, one of the most popular in the city is undoubtedly one found in Schenley Park. Stop at the Schenley Park Visitor Center & Café for a snack, and look at the giant framed map on the wall. Find Overlook Drive, and make your way to the area near the Schenley Park Ice Skating Rink. Near the parking loop and playground you’ll find an enormous, steeply graded lawn. Walk toward the bench near a sprawling tree, and take a look. Past disc golf players, the lower part of Overlook Drive and the eastern edge of Schenley Park you will see the distinctive shapes of the city skyline. To your back are lively playgrounds and outdoor sports enthusiasts, and to your left and right are the hilly acres of wildlife of Schenley Park. The contrast between the vibrant city skyline and the wildness of our urban parks is no more apparent than in this very spot. Both are beautiful and work together to keep our city a prosperous, fun and healthy place to live.

To plan a skyline viewing trip to your city parks, visit www.pittsburghparks.org.

First Published: November 15, 2016, 5:00 a.m.