Explore a Winter Hike on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

One of our region’s great hikes is the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. It runs from the town of Ohiopyle on its southern end 70 miles northward to a vista above the Conemaugh River at its northern terminus. Used by through- and day-hikers and runners, it’s one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful trails. With steep grade changes, it’s not easy, but aside from being a good workout, it rewards hikers with great views from rocky outcrops at its high points and beautiful streamside serenity at its lower terrains.

The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is a wonderful way to get to know the Laurel Highlands, one of Western Pennsylvania’s great resources and destinations. Home to Ohiopyle State Park, Forbes State Forest, and large game lands, it’s a place of beautiful mountain ridges, forests and streams. As the trail crosses through state forests, state parks and game lands, hikers understand the vastness of these protected lands.

In recent years, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has protected more land and views along the trail, providing new places to hike and explore. Near mile marker 35 is a beautiful recently protected land that includes the branches and springs of Shaffer Run, a tributary of Laurel Hill Creek. As hikers pass over the turnpike near mile marker 36, they see a sweeping vista of 400 acres of newly protected forest that’s now part of Forbes State Forest. Near mile marker 54 are 100 newly protected acres of Laurel Ridge State Park, allowing hikers to explore the north branch of Mill Creek.

For more information, contact the Conservancy at 412-288-2777, or the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at 888-727-2757, or search dcnr.pa.gov for details and trail maps.