Laurel Highlands

A mountain recreation area in southwestern Pennsylvania centered on the town of Ohiopyle, known for Fallingwater, whitewater rafting in the gorge and the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail.

The Laurel Highlands are located in southwestern Pennsylvania. They are formed by the Laurel Ridge and Chestnut Ridge, two Appalachian ridges and the valleys between them, and span Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, about 1 to 1.5 hours’ drive from Pittsburgh. The town of Ohiopyle is the tourism hub. The Youghiogheny River forms the wide Ohiopyle Falls at the edge of town and cuts a deep gorge downstream. The main activities center on Ohiopyle State Park: whitewater rafting on the lower Youghiogheny, biking the Great Allegheny Passage, seeing Cucumber Falls, sliding down the natural waterslide at Meadow Run, and walking the Ferncliff Peninsula and the Bowman’s Rock overlook. Nearby are Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, where guided tours require advance reservations. To the west are Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Laurel Caverns and the Nemacolin resort. To the north are Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Laurel Mountain and Linn Run State Parks, Polymath Park (a complex of Wright-designed buildings), and the town of Ligonier, Fort Ligonier and Idlewild Park. To the southeast, you can climb Mount Davis, Pennsylvania’s highest point.

The best time to visit is May–October. Summer is for rafting, biking and swimming, and mid-October brings the finest fall colors in the mountains. In winter, Seven Springs and Hidden Valley offer skiing, though some attractions close. A car is essential. From Pittsburgh it takes about 1.5 hours via the Pennsylvania Turnpike or Route 43, and Washington, D.C. is about 3.5 hours away. Rental cars and boats are available in the town of Ohiopyle. Plan to stay 2–3 days.

On summer weekends, book rafting trips, Fallingwater tickets and lodging well in advance. Cell service in the mountains is spotty. Watch for black bear warnings, and be careful of slippery rocks along the river.

Top sights

• Youghiogheny River Gorge (Lower Yough Rafting) – The Lower Yough below Ohiopyle Falls is one of the most popular whitewater rafting runs in the eastern United States, with continuous Class…
• Great Allegheny Passage (Ohiopyle) – A long-distance trail built on a former railway, whose Ohiopyle section follows the Youghiogheny gorge and crosses high railway bridges on…
• Fort Necessity National Battlefield – In 1754 a young George Washington fought the first battle of the French and Indian War here and surrendered, his only surrender. A reconstr…
• Cucumber Falls – The most photogenic waterfall in Ohiopyle State Park. A roughly 9-metre curtain of water pours over a rock ledge, and you can walk to its b…
• Meadow Run Natural Waterslides – Meadow Run has carved two natural slides into smooth sandstone. In summer, you can sit and slide down into the pool below, Ohiopyle's most…
• Ferncliff Peninsula Natural Area – A peninsula enclosed by a bend of the Youghiogheny. A loop trail overlooks Ohiopyle Falls and the rafts, and rare southern plants grow here.
• Baughman Rock Overlook – A canyon overlook inside Ohiopyle State Park, looking down on a great bend of the Youghiogheny among the mountains. It is reachable by car.
• Laurel Caverns – Pennsylvania's largest cave, a maze of limestone passages beneath a sandstone ridge, offering guided tours, caving and rock climbing.
• Seven Springs Mountain Resort – Pennsylvania's largest ski resort, with 30-plus runs in winter and mountain biking, zip lines, golf, and autumn festivals in summer.
• Mount Davis – Pennsylvania's highest point (979 m), with an observation tower on the summit overlooking the rolling ridges of the Laurel Highlands.
• Laurel Hill State Park – A state park in the Laurel Ridge hills, with lakeside beaches for swimming and boating, an old-growth hemlock trail, and buildings from the…
• Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail – A long-distance trail of about 113 km along Laurel Ridge. Its southern trailhead is in Oil City, and the first stretch climbs to views over…
• Nemacolin – A luxury resort in the Laurel Highlands with championship golf, a wildlife academy, an art collection, and a private airstrip.
• Idlewild & SoakZone – America's third-oldest operating amusement park, opened in 1878, with family rides and a water park in the woods, plus a little train theme…
• Fort Ligonier – A full-scale reconstruction of a British fort from the French and Indian War, with a museum of Washington artifacts and the charming town o…
• Polymath Park – Four houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his apprentices stand together in the forest. Visitors can take tours or stay overnight in a…
• Linn Run State Park – A forested state park on the western slope of Laurel Ridge, where Adams Falls drops over moss-covered rocks on a short, easy trail.

Where to eat

• Falls City Pub – A pub favored by rafting guides in Ohiopyle, and one of the few restaurants in town open into the evening, with a wide…
• Historic Stone House Restaurant – A stone stagecoach stop built in 1822 along the National Road (U.S. 40), now a restaurant and country inn specializing…
• Paddlers Pizza & Ohiopyle Bakery – Hand-stretched pizza in a former schoolhouse, where the town's beloved bakery now operates under the same roof, serving…
• Falls Market Restaurant – A long-standing spot on Ohiopyle's Main Street that's half restaurant, half general store, open year-round for breakfas…