The Roaring Run Natural Area is located some 55 miles east of Pittsburgh and it's a part of the…read moreForbes State Forest. Indeed the whole area is made up of a chain of state parks and forests running southwest from Donegal, PA to Ohiopyle and including Laurel Hill State Park, Laurel Ridge State Park, and Ohiopyle State Park. The Roaring Run Natural Area consists of 3500+ acres and is located on the west west slope of Laurel Ridge in Westmoreland County. Roaring Run Natural Area is mostly woodlands with second and third growth forests. In the early 1900s, this area was used for logging. This reapeated logging has caused the forest here to be quite varied in age and composition. In it, you'll find northern hardwoods and many oak species as you hike through it. The area was also used for farming and you can find somewhat recently abandoned fields as well as older farmlands which have completely reverted to forest. Roaring Run Natural Area features a complete mountain stream protected within its watershed. Roaring Run is spring fed near the summit of Laurel Ridge. The stream drops 1,220' in elevation, over a length of 5 miles, before ending at its confluence with Indian Creek in the village of Champion. Roaring Run is designated as a Wilderness Trout Stream and Exceptional Value Stream. The area also has several miles of good hiking trails within its boundaries and me and my girlfriends came out here for just that. Many of the trails were built on the paths of the old logging railroads, so in some ways they're rails-to-trails conversions. The trails vary in difficulty level and are duly marked with blue and yellow blazes. Blue denotes trails maintained for cross-country skiing, while yellow denotes trails maintained for foot traffic only. There are no bicycles permitted on any of the trails. We began our hiking from one of the parking lots off of Painter Rock Road. Painter Rock Road appears to dead end into one of the trails and there is no parking at that point. Most of the trails form loops and we decided to walk in a counter clockwise direction, beginning by hiking up the road a little bit until we came to the McKenna Trail. We turned left on the McKenna until it met up with the North Loop Trail. Don't let the map fool you--the North Loop Trail is 4.5 miles long, but it's on the old logging railroad grades. We hiked the length of that until we reached the Painter Rock Trail. We made a right and followed that around to the Roaring Run Trail, which of course follows the stream by the same name. We made a left on that and did another 2 miles. Again, the trail follows the old logging railroad grade. We had many good views of the stream from here. When we got to the junction of the Roaring Run Trail and the Painter Rock Trail, I had to stop and take a sugar break (I'm a type-1 diabetic). So we followd the Roaring Run Trail down to the Hillside Trail, which is really just a short connector of about a mile over to the Jones Mill Run Trail. This trail follows Jones Mill Run creekbed for its length. We followed that trail for a mile and took another rest break at one of the parking lots. We took a look at the map and noticed that the Cherry Trail follows Jones Mill Run south and out of the Natural Area into Laurel Hill State Park. From there we could have hiked back up the Red Creek Trail, but our answer was "No Way!" We were getting a little tired at this point and as I mentioned, some of these trails are really rugged in here. So we looped back another couple of miles on the McKenna Trail to our starting point. All in all, I'd say we hiked a good 10 miles. And we're going to have to visit some of the other areas I mentioned in this review. The Forbes State Forest, of which the Roaring Run Natural Area is a part of, comprises about 60,000 acres located in Westmoreland, Somerset and Fayette Counties. This is a terrific place to hike and explore. Just remember a few key things. 1) Make sure you wear good, sturdy hiking shoes. Many of these trails are very rugged and have sticks and stones which could cut your feet. Not only that, hiking shoes will give you great traction, support, and balance so your feet won't feel so tired when you're done. 2) Plan ahead--make sure you bring a map. Also make sure you bring food and water. There are no places to obtain any of these in the park. Apples, dried fruits, and nuts will give your body plenty of carbs and energy. A PBJ sandwich is highly recommended. make sure your cel phone is fully charged. 3) Never, ever hike in here alone. This park has some very isolated sections and if something was to happen to you, it's possible no one would ever find you. 4) Stay on the blazed trails. 5) Take only photographs, leave only footprints.

Beautiful area with intermediate-difficulty trails that are, unfortunately, not particularly well…read moremarked. (We weren't the only ones who got lost.) Hiking shoes, good weather, and plenty of time are necessary, especially if you will be traversing the miles of trail in the central portion of the park. The promised "vistas" on Painter Rock Trail never materialized--perhaps because the leaves were still on the trees? However, we were there for the foliage first, and that delivered. May try again in the spring out and back along the 3.3 miles of Roaring Run Trail. Being an hour from Pittsburgh, it doesn't make sense to spend less than 2 hours out on the trails anyway.

Finished our stay-cation with a 5 mile hike through bear run. We followed the red loop - within…read moreabout 1/4 mile you lost the sounds of the road and could only hear the stream that the hike traversed and crossed. The terrain was challenging at times with rocks and fallen logs that required climbing. Areas also very muddy that could not be avoided. The path is clearly marked and getting lost would be something someone did on purpose! Across the street from falling water, the parking lot is behind the barn. Multiple trails of varying difficulty. Would definitely visit again.

What a great place!!! Who knew??? I know we've driven by here dozens of times going to Ohiopyle or…read moreFallingwater and just thought it was a parking lot of some sort. But NO! This place is amazing!! A big thanks to Susan D and her list of hiking places for pointing it out! This is not to be missed if you're looking for some outdoor adventure and some great hiking along miles and miles of trails. We drove out here solely to spend a great fall day in the woods. Armed with trail maps we got online we picked out roughly the miles we wanted to hike and started off. What surprised us was the condition of the trails - amazing! Some were pine covered making for soft comfortable walking. Others were moss or grass covered and a few had some loose rock that you had to be careful with. I know this is Laurel Mountain but I was amazed to be hiking through dense forests of spectacular mountain laurel and rhododendron. What a gorgeous place! We were there after all the leaves were gone but we are sure to come back when the place is in bloom or in full fall color. We didn't run into a single person anywhere during our extensive hike ( we enjoyed it so much we went far beyond our initial hiking plan!). If you enjoy hiking and being outdoors, I highly recommend you give Bear Run a try. It's worth the drive!!

Peaceful 170-acre park in the Morgantown hills not too far off the beaten path. White Park consists…read moremostly of unpaved walking trails and several adult and youth-sized baseball fields. Supposedly the entire park encompasses five miles of trails. Everything I saw was pretty easy walking with gentle inclines. I was able to park (for free) in an enlarged shoulder of the road just off of Mississippi St and access the trails right away, but there aren't clear trailhead markers or maps to let you know where you are. In fact, maintenance seems to be pretty hands off. Watch your step right after the rains as things can get muddy and slippery! I didn't see much by the way of wildlife while walking around, but the Cobun Creek Reservoir is a nice backdrop for the fall foliage. There were wooden benches every now and then for resting and enjoying the scene. Ran into a few other locals walking their dogs, trail running, or just enjoying a mid-day stroll.

We're in the area to visit Ohiopyle and were looking for some places close by to take our golden…read moreretriever swimming and while eating breakfast this morning at Yum Yums one of the owners recommended this place. After hubby and I toured Kentuck Knob we stopped by our hotel to get our golden and headed straight here. I was worried that being Father's Day that the place would be insanely crowded but there weren't many people there and since there are so many areas to park everyone that was there was pretty well spaced out. We stopped at the boat ramp area so our golden could jump off the 2 floating docks and he absolutely loved it. The water is really clean and hubby even saw a huge fish jump out of the water while our dog was retrieving his ball. This area has benches and a walkway around the lake and there are also bathrooms, pavilions and picnic tables and seems to be quite popular with the local fisherman plus it was so clean and pristine, my only regret is that we didn't find this place sooner because we would have been bringing our pup here every morning and evening. Great place for fishing, family get togethers or for a nice walk around the lake, we're actually getting ready to head back up there now.

Neat little brewery. Plenty of table space for groups. Only about 8-10 stools available at the…read more"bar". I'm not sure if the beer menu changes frequently however, the Lancaster DBL chocolate was very good if you are one that's likes dark stouts. Only one staff member was working at the time we were there. It was ok service...we waited for about 5 minutes to check out and I walked in to the bigger room and the only employee was talking with a man and woman...just seeing me alerted the employee that she had a bar open and wasn't able to be chit chatting. Then for the third time couldn't remember our names that she had already put in the register. I'm 100% not blaming this younger lady that was working. I blame the owner/management for not having another person working that day.

his brewery stands out as one of the most captivating spots with a truly remarkable theme. A quick…read morevisit to their website is enough to captivate you, prompting an immediate desire to experience it in person. During our visit along the Laurel Highlands Pour Tour, we were greeted by an atmosphere that was simply extraordinary. As dusk settled outside, we stepped into a cozy space adorned with a small bar area. The menu, displayed both on a board and on paper, showcased their impressive selection of drafts. Opting for a flight, I found myself particularly drawn to their stout--an unexpected but delightful turn of events as I've recently developed a fondness for them. Adding to the ambiance, a small musical act entertained patrons in another area, while the presence of food trucks hinted at the culinary delights on offer. The beer itself was exceptional, complemented by impeccable service. Eager to take home a memento of our visit, I inquired about purchasing a t-shirt. The staff kindly provided access to the upstairs store room where I secured the last 3XL shirt available, along with some stickers for both the pour tour and my laptop. Overall, it was a fantastic stop characterized by friendly service, outstanding beer, and an atmosphere that left a lasting impression. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

Recently used this outfitter for some white water rafting during a bachelor party weekend. Guides…read morewere awesome, friendly and the process was easy. Would definitely recommend.

TL;DR: everyone stayed safe and had fun!…read more Our family did this as an activity on vacation. It was easy to book online, and thankfully the weather was beautiful. What could have been better: communication about what to bring or not to bring (yes to a way to secure your glasses, no to water bottles or a dry bag for water /snacks /sunscreen); where to park (across the bridge near the beer store or at the public park); and that the "snack" after the trip is a full meal (pulled pork, hot dogs, sides). The restroom-changing facilities are fairly primitive on site (women's side includes a single curtained toilet, single shower stall, a chair behind a screen, and an open area with a bench, a chair, and an uncovered window that overlooks the take-out site). What was great: the emphasis on safety, quality materials, communication between the team members, THE RAPIDS. My favorite one was whatever one we had just finished. I never buy the ride photos, but I did this time because we wanted to commemorate a great afternoon, and to reward the team for good work. Two fit 70-year-olds were able to do this with their 30s to early 50s children. Can recommend!

This place is more interesting in the fall/winter. And you all know why. At least the ones that…read morelive around the area. This place definitely draws a crowd around this time for a different reason than other seasons. So much so that when we were driving in, there were hoards of people near here which made for passing by to be a bit more difficult. With all the people parking along the road and on the bridge to walk down to this area. On our way back we decided to stop here and sneak a peak at what all those people were peeping on our way in. I understand why it was busier on a Sunday than midday on a Tuesday. See, this place, when the water is low, show the remnants of a town and the old bridge. It's not something you get to see each year, but when the conditions are right, you get to see it. Basically, when there is drought conditions, the water level drops enough for people to walk right out onto the old remnants and walk the part of the bridge that still remains. Usually, this is under fifty feet of water, but every so often you get a glimpse. When the water is this low you get to see the remnants of Somerfield (or Smythfield before the renaming), or at least the foundations to where buildings once stood. The town stood for over one hundred years before flood control came through and decided to build a dam which cause the demise of the town. Buildings were razed and the town flooded, bridge crossing included. The Great Crossings Bridge can be seen and if you are adventurous enough to attempt to walk on the old structure you may do so. The bridge itself has a storied past, completed the same year as the town was founded, part of the original National Road, and it was christened by the then President, James Monroe and his entire Cabinet. However, take it in while you can. When the Youghiogheny River starts to rise again, it will slip beneath the water until the next time it returns.

Great place for all. Beautifully maintained. Ice cream is exceptional. Fun mini golf on a gorgeous…read morelandscape. Not just flat putts to an open hole. You won't regret going here!

Some days you just need to get outside and play some mini golf, yesterday was one of those days. We…read morewere in the area doing other things, saw this place online and decided to give it a try. It's a pretty good course, 18 holes up and down the side of a hill. They make good use of water, and the natural environment. Most of the holes are pretty straight forward, but there are a few challenging ones. Just be forewarned there are a lot of steps and walking up and down hill. Overall just for the mini golf I would say give this place a try. Where this place looses points in my mind is everything else it has going on. The parking lot is not great, too small and no lines painted so cars park all over. They have a wasp problem, it's to the point they tell you just to get another ball, don't go off the course at all. The person working there was not the most friendly person, I thought I was bothering him by asking to play there. But the weirdest thing is they have a sign that says it a $400 charge if you rip the turf, I play a lot of mini golf and have never seen that posted anywhere before. Overall a good mini golf place that is taken down by the non mini golf factors.