Roaring Run Natural Area

A beautiful place for hiking and exploring is the Roaring Run Natural Area within Forbes State Forest in the Laurel Highlands. Roaring Run is a 3,600-acre wild and rugged expanse of forest on the western slope of Laurel Ridge in southern Westmoreland County.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy protected this land in 1970 and transferred it to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’s Bureau of Forestry for Forbes State Forest. Management of the land at Roaring Run is largely limited to maintaining trails and countering invasive species; nature largely takes its course there.

Roaring Run begins as numerous springs near the summit of the mountain and cascades for five miles, dropping 1,220 feet before joining Indian Creek. The pristine water quality is classified by the state as Exceptional Value. Due to the wilderness setting, Roaring Run is designated as a Wilderness Trout Stream, which affords special protection.

Most of the timber was last cut on this portion of Laurel Ridge in the early 1900s, with some later harvesting in one small area in the 1960s. The forest has been maturing ever since. Northern hardwoods are seen at high elevations and on cool, moist slopes. A mixture of red, white and chestnut oaks, along with black birch and black cherry, are found on the warmer, more southern exposures. The area hosts rare plants, and rich springs provide habitats for unique insects.

The Roaring Run Natural Area includes nearly 18 miles of hiking trails, some of which include vistas atop rock outcrops. The 70-mile Laurel Highlands Trail links to these trails along the eastern edge of the natural area. As with all state-owned natural areas, camping is not permitted.

A Roaring Run Natural Area map and guide can be found by doing a quick search on DCNR’s website. For more information about the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, visit WaterLandLife.org.