As if there wasn't enough parks in the Laurel Highlands, there is Laurel Hill State Park a 3,935…read moreacre natural area of beautiful forest, overlooks, ponds and streams. My recent visit was promising at first, but the rain just kept coming all day long and it "dampened" my spirits completely. I stopped by the main office and got directions to the Jones Mill Dam. Since it was raining so much I gave it some time to clear up, but to no avail. This park is certainly worth checking out and it will be super beautiful later on in the Spring. The wood frogs, spring peepers and other animals will be active. On the same road that this park lies on is two other parks: Kooser State Park and Laurel Ridge State Park, so it is possible to hit those up while in the area. I will certainly make the trip out here later on towards May.

I was staying at Hidden Valley recently and I was looking for a cool place to hike in the area that…read moreI hadn't been to before and I happen to discover this gem. What a great spot for a hike, but an even better place for a swim, relaxing, a picnic on the grass or some sun on the sand by the water. So after we arrived we hit the trail that ran along the water while taking in the small but beautiful lake. We then proceeded to head into the woods. It was a great little hike and the trails were very easy. After we were done hiking we got the huge blanket and the cooler with snacks and drinks in it out of the car and headed over to a shaded spot under the trees. We sat in the grass area in the left corner of the parking lot and listened to music, ate, drank and enjoyed each other's company for a good while. Then after that we packed up our stuff in the car and headed down to the water and enjoyed the lake which is very clean and refreshing and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. I love that they have sand and everyone looked so happy. They also have an area where you can purchase food and beverages but they also have many other great amenities which I am sure can be discovered on here or on their website. I am so glad I discovered this place. I will most definitely be stopping by again when I am in the area. Enjoy :)

Another slice of Roadside Americana pie in Bedford, Pennsylvania. Bedford is a historic community…read moredating back to the 18th century. George Washington's Whiskey Rebellion was headquartered here. "The Big Coffee Pot" as it's known was created by David Koontz in 1927. It was actually once a lunch stand and after that it became a bar. It now sits on the Lincoln Highway and has become an historical landmark much like the town and the highway it sits on. The pot is a museum and it also has a little gift shop. A must-see if roadtripping through the area.

This is a nice, quick stop on a visit to Bedford. When I moved from California back to the east…read morecoast, I stopped in Bedford and snapped a few photos before making the final stretch to my new home. I have fond memories of the place, and it reminded me of so many roadside Americana spots I would see in Southern California where businesses turned to these types of structures as advertising opportunities for products and services (think big barrels, gigantic donuts and yes a big coffee pot). It's well worth a stop just for the fun of it all.

I recently photographed a wedding at the Scenic View. The grounds are really beautiful and the…read morelookout trumps all. There's a tower up a long, winding road, but you don't even need to go up into the tower to see the gorgeous mountain view. The landscape is breathtaking, I'm sure, during any time of the day. But we went up at sunset after a storm and it was nothing short of spectacular. I cannot wait to get back to Penn's Scenic View for the view alone!

Penn's Scenic View is such a beautiful place. My large family would go up every year and rent out…read morethe Stable Lodge there. Of course, I loved being with my family. However, I loved going for walks in the area. It's such an amazing experience. Peace, quiet, utter bliss... what more could you ask for? If you walk up this dirt road, you'll encounter a wooden tower on a hill. If you walk up the tower, you can take in the breathtaking view. A full 360° of trees. It's all picture-worthy. You truly won't be disappointed. You can continue to walk around to discover new things. There's a lake next to the Lakeside Lodge. I would always see weddings take place at the lake from the Stable Lodge. It was really nice to see something like that. Unfortunately, this place is private property. You can't just walk in willy-nilly. We rented out a cabin, that's the only reason we were granted access. The place is being sold. It's up for around $1.3 million dollars. Therefore, we can't rent out the Stable Lodge anymore. The whole place is gated off. I wish I could go back up there, just one last time. It's truly amazing. That place means a lot to me. My family has been going up there since I was a baby, and I'm 17. A lot of memories are kept there. It's also the place where I found myself. I would do whatever I could to go up there just one last time. I want to share the experience with my girlfriend. I would pay that $1.3 million to go back up there. If you're lucky enough to visit the 18 acres of pure scenery, you won't be disappointed for even a second.

Extremely nice and newer facility. You will find swimming areas, boating, fishing, golf, casino and…read morehiking trails all over. So much to do!

What a fantastic place for camping! Our kids had a blast and there was so much to experience. Great…read morewalking trails and beautiful beach/playground area. Will be back for sure!

We went in the midst of a 90 degree plus heat wave, the falls were more of a trickle…read more Reaching the falls requires a nice little walk through the woods on a paved path.

What a great place to visit!! A little over an hour from…read morePittsburgh and well worth the drive. I was surprised to learn there were several Buttermilk Falls in the area. Parking lot was spacious and there were restrooms too. There is a pathway down to the falls and also a long walkway around (Mister Rogers Pathway). We chose the long way around which was nice. I can only imagine how beautiful it would be during the fall months. When you arrive to the falls there is an overlook view which is really amazing. You then cross a little bridge and walk down a set of stairs to the waterfall. The stairs were fairly new and manageable- going down and back up. There is an area that you walk and stand under and behind the falls.. I loved that!!! It was so neat. We look forward to returning.

Great, public park with four swings, two slides, rock-climbing wall, and pretty landscaping. The…read morechurch next door is pretty, too.

This is a really nice park in the uptown area of Somerset. It has a nice playground for the kids,…read morepicnic table area and there is a pavilion if you want to stay out of the sun. Also a nice grassy area for the kids to play and run around. Plenty of parking and it is off the main traffic by one street so it's quiet for the most part. It is a really nice place to stop if you are on the road traveling through and want to slow down for an hour and enjoy the beauty of the country park within the town.

I have been to the lake many times and never had a problem with anyone it has some of the best…read morefishing spots and when you get into them it's always a good time camping is really nice especially if you tent camp you can get electric and water so you can have everything you want or need

One of my favorite places to visit. Fishing, hiking, boating, camping, swimming the list is endless…read morewith all the amazing things you can do at Raystown. The lake and surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. In the summer time it can be very busy there but the lake and having so many different things to do you don't feel like it's packed everyone's doing there thing. They have a beach area and slides to enjoy with family. If you're not from around here the first thing you should do is stop at the visitor center to get a little idea of the area. They have maps, souvenirs, you can also go on a guided tour (hiking or boating). The history of Raystown is very interesting and thought I was born and raised it still fascinates me.

Still a great campsite and State Park experience at Deep Creek. We were here this time in June, but…read moreit's been a long mild spring this year, so it's been cool and wet. There were clouds sitting on the lake for the few days we were here, very misty and Will-O-the-Wisp magical. We ended up traveling to some breweries, Swallow Falls (massive rapids with all the rain), did some local shopping and caught a movie. The camp sites weren't crowded at all and we had no problem making last minute reservations for a Sunday and Monday night.

This state park came up, as a recommendation for places close to hike from Wisp Resort. Driving…read morethrough the rental vacation homes was a scenic experience. The park itself was clean, had places to launch your boat, small beach and well marked trails. There is an entrance fee for state residents, and non state residents, which was unusual to see that type of sign posted. Worth checking out for the serene, tranquil, beauty within the park itself.

Valley Falls State Park. Fairmont, WV. My husband and I visited this scenic West Virginia State…read morePark in Sept, 2025. Its highlight is a series of four cascading WATERFALLS on the Tygart Valley River that are easily accessible by a short path from the parking lot. There are large flat rocks right next to the falls, allowing for scenic photographs but no swimming. (Fishing with license and whitewater kayaking are allowed). Fun Fact: this is one of the sites for West Virginia's "Almost Heaven" swings, installed by the state's Department of Tourism across the state for photo opps. This particular swing has the falls in the background. (As of late 2025, there are 51 swings in the state). We had a unique experience at the park in that we were approached by a park volunteer in an ATV offering us a ride down to the falls, and then continuing along some park paths with his commentary about the history of the site as a 19th-century mill town, and pointing out some gristmills. Both park admission and the ATV ride were free although we did give the volunteer a tip. There are 18 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, ranging from easy to difficult. We didn't do any hiking on this visit, but did eat our picnic lunch at one of the conveniently located picnic table. There is a gift shop on-site, as well as clean restrooms. It's also a site on WV's Waterfalls Trail, wherein you can earn prizes for checking it at specific WV waterfalls. Note that this is a day-use park, so no camping is allowed. Wi-Fi connectivity is low to non-existent. We approached the park from the south, near Pruntytown, WV, and while the distance was short (about 12 miles), it took us about 25 minutes to reach because of curvy roads. On our return, we went to Tygart Lake State Park, via Grafton, where we camped for the night.

Tony and I went for a nice hike today at Valley Falls State Park in Fairmont WV…read more The Park is lovely and the Park is free to enjoy with plenty of picnic tables, restrooms, grills, playground, and the gorgeous waterfalls

Maryland's New Germany State Park (aka the "Maryland Alps") is such a gem. Beautiful! Well…read moremaintained. Friendly and knowledgeable staff in the Lake House (where they also rent cross-country skis). Lots of fun events in winter. We came here to cross-country ski. The snow was very good on January 14, 2024, but it was very cold. Despite the cold, thanks to the sunshine, we thoroughly enjoyed it. Very nice trails where you ski along a stream. The sound of flowing water was really soothing. They have one dog friendly trail; gonna have to try it next time.

I loved going here as a kid, but now instead of swimming I like to walk the trails. It's great to…read morebring my dog so he can sniff to his heart's content. The park is really beautiful and quiet most of the time. It's really just a great place to relax in nature and take a moment.