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.

This lovely conservation area is 450 acres of beautiful forest with lots to see and a very shadowy…read morepast. The ruins of an old pipe factory are very visible and there are informative signs that tell the story. These occurrences took place in the 1800's. There is history of criminals murdered, accidental death(pipe factory), a hanging, an explosion, a drowning, a giant snake sighting, all taking place in the park. For this reason many people think that the sight is haunted by the people who met their fate here. I hate to burst the excitement, but I have never experienced ghosts, or any other paranormal activity while spending time there. In fact, despite it's dark past Dead Man's Hollow is a very tranquil place. If you have been there during May when Spring season really kicks off you will see tons of wildflowers that are spectacular. The pipe factory had a fire and the ground was burned. This happens to be very good for re-growth and as a result we get to experience a lot of beautiful flora. Also, the old pipe factory remains are covered with cool graffiti. The trails are at times narrow, but they are very clean. You are at some point going to climb up and down hills, so it is a very good workout. I would say that the hiking is a bit more challenging. To find it I would suggest searching via a trailhead name and not just the park name. One example would be "cat fish pond trail." There is a nice parking area near that trailhead. There is also another parking area on the other side of the park(more on that later). This other side is closer to the ruins.

We checked out the catfish pond today. It looked promising at first but soon discovered that there…read moreis very little accessibility to fish there. The spots that are open are at an incline sloped towards the pond and are very slippery and hazardous. I do not recommend taking young kids there. My daughter and I fished for an hour or so and only saw bluegill in the 3-4" range and smaller minnows. We used lures and worms and had many bites but the fish were too small to get hooked. We did see many water turtles and even a few babies whose shell was about 2-3" in diameter. We also saw one large snapping turtle appear for a few seconds. There are also a bunch of bullfrog minnows whose bodies were the size of golf balls (early June). It's a cool place to see but we won't be returning to fish.

DO NOT GO FULL SPEED ON THE SLIDES!!!!!!!! They are fun but…read moreREALLY fast and you WILL fly off if you don't drag your feet when sliding down. Especially for the curvier slide on the left. My glasses flew off of my face and I thought I was going to fly off of the edge, but instead landed on the ground with a nice bruise on my shin as a souvenir. The plastic "kids slide" is like going down a thin lobster tail and is bumpy on the way down. Anyway. Would come back. The slides are still fun even when moving at a reasonable speed. The rock scramble stairs and the cargo net to get back up are also fun. Yes, I am an adult.

I loved it here and my kids said they never wanted to leave…read moreAn the wild life is so beautiful And the surroundings there were all so peaceful and proper and wonderful and I wish I could live there

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 :)

Oooo, just visited this divine natural area and it is gorgeous! They have a very nice woodland…read morewith a beautiful stream, rock formations, well marked trails and pretty hemlock trees. It is owned by the Audubon Society and is in Sarver, P.A. We went at the end of February and some of the trails were extremely muddy. We had to back track and go different paths because we didn't want to be steeped in mud. You should for sure bring some good boots with lots of traction. It is definitely worth the visit!

A great place to hike not far off of route 28 that's quiet and scenic with lots to see. There's a…read morereally nice pond not far from the beginning of the trail. Great place to take the kids to see wildlife and explore nature plus it's Free.

very pretty, kinda hard to find if your not from the area but definitely worth to seeing if your…read morewilling to look !

What a beautiful hike! The boys loved the waterfall and furnace. It was like a shaded magical…read morewonderland.

I spent 3.5 days and 3 nights on this trail this past memorial day weekend, my first venture back…read moreinto the backpacking world. This trail begins in Ohiopyle or Johnstown and ends whichever way you choose. If I were to try to pack the entire length I would start at the North end in Johnstown and hike South, to ease up the ankle pain and knee pain :) That comes with packing 20lbs + pack weight and hiking 18-19 miles in one day. Throw in the elevation gain and you will see what I mean. I hiked the South end starting in Ohiopyle and going out to about 26 miles over my time there, then I turned around and came back over two days. Things to note for overnight campers: You can call ranger station at trailhead to make your camping reservation, by credit card it is 4$ a night. Water: there is non drinking water at each campsite, bring a water filter or boil that water as it is not tested. I filtered stream water the whole time and it was fine. Ohiopyle about 6 miles in has the nicest camping ground with access to a large stream, but not all the sites have that. You might want to filter water for night hiking into camp. To save hiking a mile extra back out to get some as I had to do. Firewood, there are fire pits in the shelters if you want to skip the tent but bring something to lock your food up, mice are common in the shelters. I slept in a tent kept my back in the tent with me. There are portapotty type johns at the campsites. Weather: if you check local forecast plan on temps on the trail and at camp at night being around 10 degrees colder because of the elevation change, and storms. Bring rain gear if you're out for more than a day hike! Now for the trail, it is blazed yellow on the trees hard to get lost but a map would have been nice to have. However no maps available in Ohiopyle you have to pay for one at the Laurel State Park office. I did not do that would rather buy a hiking book with the trail in it at a later time. In most places its wide very rocky, lot of tree roots its murder on the soles of your feet, wear boots or stiff soled shoes if hiking for more than one day. Poles could come in handy, I don't use hiking poles but I got caught in little thunderstorm and had to grab a forest walking stick. Some places it looked like they barely blazed a trail at all it was very narrow hard to hike on. Hike with caution. Beautiful river runs stream runs, skyline views, and rock formations. In the first 26 miles views are at mile 6 ish and 24ish, rocks b between 15-20. Lots of birds, and small wildlife I only saw one deer. There is a shooting range at mile 25, just outside the park you will hear lots of gunshots. I would not recommend taking a break or relax day at the Grindle ridge campground out there as I did. Also the campgrounds that have broken water pumps currently are Grindle Ridge and Route 653 shelters campground. This is a lovely hiking trail but steep, be prepared for a challenge in the beginning. Happy Trails!

How can you not LOVE the LHHT? Its a trail I've frequented quite often in the last 15 years, and…read morehope to explore the entire 70 miles. This picture was taken during the Laurel Highlands Ultra race in June 2017. This race can be run as a relay or individually. They also sponsor a 50k race, which is approx. 30 of the 70 miles. There are many trail heads and shelter areas. The trail is great for day hikes, as well as multiple overnight stays. There are also many ambitious people who hike the entire thing. Its always fun to pass fellow hikers on the trail. Trail stories are always fun to hear, and there are people from all over that you'll meet. Running the trail is quite a challenge, as there's drastic elevation changes at some points and many technical areas. I suggest if you've never run the trail, and expect to run the race, you must do at least 1-2 runs on the trail.

Zen City!!!! It's an…read moreeasy little walk down to the falls. I've been here on days it is packed and the water flow is minimal and on days it's completely empty when the water is high. Either way, there are many ways to see the falls in all of its glory whether being above them or below them. I truly enjoy being close to the falls with the nice chill in the air by being under one of the many rock formations. It's a great place to cool off after a long day of hiking and/or biking at Ohiopyle. Check it out the next time you're in the area. Enjoy :D

Cucumber Falls, while it was a bit underwhelming due to low water levels, definitely tickled my…read morepickle and made me smile. The water, which resembled that of my tap water (except cleaner), proved to be a great hand cleanser as my fingers were filthy after searching for a worm to feed my little birdie. Several people visiting the falls were underdressed, but they paid for it by failing to put on sunscreen and ended up torching their torsos. Beautiful scenery.

While working in Beaver County I have passed this sign to Buttermilk Falls countless times, but…read morenever had occasion to stop until yesterday. It was a gorgeous, sunny, unseasonably warm March day & I was the first car in the tiny dirt parking area on the left as soon as you turn in. The Falls is now directly across from the new entrance to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. There is a big stone covered with graffiti on the right. After you park, you just hop out and hit the path and follow the sound of gushing water. it is a short distance to the Falls, but it is uphill and it is steep and rocky and this is not a suitable path for anybody with physical limitations of any sort. It can also be dangerous for young children. It's very beautiful and it is worth the hike up. If you're sturdy footed (muddy & rocky), you can walk right behind the falls and it's quite beautiful. Highly recommended for a sightseeing but I'm sure it gets crowded and warmer weather.

The hiking trail we went on was not to long and had nice scenery. Parking was easy to find. The…read morewaterfall is definitely worth the hike there. You can go under it, go above it, and go behind it! Also lots of smooth rocks to set up towel and sit in the sun.

Very beautiful and peace full would love take more time to walk more trails an relax at the lake …read more Just look out at the warter, it's so beautiful.

No buttermilk. We brought jugs and everything. Just water. Thought there would be at least a…read moretrickle.