Tours

Local tour guides make 125 years of Big Steel come alive on tours. See how the steel industry played a major role in shaping not only the economy but also the culture and environment of the Monongahela Valley communities. 

Carrie Furnaces Tours

Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is operating tours of the Carrie Furnaces at the former U. S. Steel Homestead Works.  Constructed in 1906, the blast furnaces stood at the heart of U.S. Steel's Homestead Works until 1979.  At one time, the furnaces and the steelworkers who labored in them produced more than 1,000 tons of iron a day. Now, these 92-foot-tall structures stand as sentinels to Pittsburgh's steel heritage.  Tours take visitors through the iron-making processs and includes the famous 45' x 35' "Deer Head" crafted entirely of materials found on the site. 

Reservations are strongly suggested.  Walk-ups will be accepted based on availability; however, Rivers of Steel reserves the right to cancel and reschedule tours due to low enrollment.  If you have a reservation for a cancelled tour, we will notify you of the cancellation at least 24 hours in advance and give you the option of rescheduling or you may request a refund.  We regret the inconvenience.

Guided tours of the Carrie Furnaces are offered on Saturdays (10 AM) April 27 through October, and Fridays (10 AM) June through August.

Self-paced tours of the Carrie Furnaces are scheduled for the following Saturdays:  May 25*, June 15, July 6, August 31, September 21, and October 5, 2013.  Tours begin at 9 AM and run every 1/2 hour, with the the last tour starting at 11:30 AM.  

*Special Events:   Animal Friends will be joining us on May 25, along with some of their adoptable dogs!  This event also features the local Bluegrass/Folk band The Seams! $5 from every ticket sold will benefit Animal Friends.

Click here for directions to the Carrie Furnaces.

Private group tours of the Carrie Furnaces are available Monday through Thursday, by appointment only. Contact Stacy Drane for information or call 412-464-4020 ext. 32.  

Carrie Furnaces tours make great gifts!  Visit our webstore to purchase gift certificates for the 2013 season.

* NEW * Mon Valley Bike Tour

Rivers of Steel is offering a family-friendly bike tour, appropriate for all abilities, covering the industrial heritage of the Mon Valley. Your guide will reveal the history and stories of steel towns along the trail - Homestead, Duquesne, McKeesport, and more. Learn about immigration to these early steel towns, changes through the 1930s-1950s, the decline of the mills, and where we are today. The tour departs from the Pump House at the Waterfront and covers approximately 12 miles. Expect to ride 2 - 2.5 hours from the Pump House to the Riverton Bridge at McKeesport and back.  Tours will resume in 2013.  ($15)

Babushkas and Hard Hats with Carrie Furnaces

Rivers of Steel is partnering with Lenzner Coach Lines to offer the The Babushkas and Hard Hats with Carrie Furnaces one day tour.  This tour traces the experiences of the immigrants that poured into the region, from the heights of Mount Washington into the heart of the Monongahela Valley.  This tour includes The Cookie Table and recipes that represent Pittsburgh's best ethnic food traditions.  2013 tour dates (Saturdays): June 8, July 13, August 10, August 31, and October 19.  Purchase tickets through Lenzner (online price $71.25).  Please contact sdrane@riversofsteel.com or call 412.464.4020 ext. 32 for additional information.    

* NEW for 2013 * Pittsburgh Memories

Rivers of Steel is partnering with Lenzner Coach Lines to offer Pittsburgh Memories.  This day-long guided tour will stir memories of Pittsburgh as the smoky city.  Trace the experiences of the immigrants that poured into the region looking for a better life in America.  Visit the site of the 1892 Battle of Homestead and learn how that event changed American industrial history.  This tour also includes an ethnic tradition - The Cookie Table - and lunch.  Take a walk down memory lane by making homemade root beer at the Carnegie Science Center and return to a Pittsburgh landmark, The Buhl.  The day ends with a stop at Klavon's, an old-fashioned ice cream shop in the Strip District.  This tour is offered on Monday, September 9.  Purchase tickets through Lenzner ($83).  Please contact sdrane@riversofsteel.com or call 412.464.4020 ext. 32 for additional information.