We had a wonderful few days camping at Coopers Rock! The…read moresites are a good size and decently spaced apart so we have a good amount of privacy. The campsite bathroom was clean, well stocked and regularly maintained. All of the employees at the trading post were friendly as well! Park rangers drove around regularly (4-5 time through the campsite a day I'd say). My only wish would be adding closure information onto the website so people know ahead of time. During our visit the main overlook was under construction/maintenance so there was no access to it. Which was a little disappointing since it looks beautiful online! But it was a short 5 minute walk out to the overlook so it was easy to get back to a different trail. (It is clear the individuals who work and manage the park take great pride in it, and take care of the facilities wonderfully!).

Tony and I stopped at Cooper's Rock near Bruceton Mills to enjoy the beautiful weather and to enjoy…read morethe Almost Heaven Swing located there Its free to enjoy with tons of trails for hiking

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

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.

Close to I-70 but without the noise, brings you close to Mother Nature with many walking &…read morebicycling paths

Very nice, clean park. I was here for an event in a pavilion with a park right there which was…read morenice. Pavilion was clean and seems to be nicely upkept.

I wish I had more time to explore the park as a whole, but I had an aggressive agenda where I had…read morepreset times to tour two Frank Lloyd Wright residential masterpieces, Kentuck Knob (review: https://yelp.to/_zBjRXaWxl) and the legendary Fallingwater (review: https://yelp.to/hQ179hIMk_). Motoring in my rented SUV through the gorgeous Laurel Highlands region, I had roughly an hour to drive the seven miles between the two homes right through this park. Right in the heart is a most worthwhile stop, Ohiopyle Falls, a twenty-foot waterfall that spans the wide Youghiogheny River over a couple of dramatic levels. The parking lot was huge and pretty empty, and it was a quick stroll to the broad observation decks that jut out over the river. There was a group of kayakers huddled together as they were preparing to navigate the whitewater torrents. The hamlet of Ohiopyle provides a welcome coffee break. RELATED - Exploring the greater Pittsburgh area? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/JIi0cQGNmO

Update: After a tour of the stunning FallingWaters a 1937…read moreFrank Lloyd Wright designed home and a wonderful lunch in Ohiopyle PA we returned to our 139 campsite to enjoy a quiet afternoon we were approached by two heavily armed policemen who indicated we were camping in a "No Dog Zone"!!! We explained that the State Park Ranger had assigned the site upon checkin and mentioned nothing about a "No Dog Zone". They indicated that since we were checking out the next morning we would have to move. The officers were very nice however them being so heavily armed was a bit unnerving!! In Pennsylvania state parks, dogs are generally not allowed in swimming areas, inside buildings, or in designated non-pet overnight areas like cabins and group tenting areas. They are also prohibited in any area specifically designated as closed to pets. Responsible pet ownership is expected, meaning dogs must be leashed, attended, and their waste must be cleaned up!!! After a seven hour multi state slough we finally arrived at Ohiopyle State Park in PA. Site 139 was an easy back in however due to an afternoon thunderstorm there's no power to the campground upon our arrival but thankfully it came back on a short while ago! We've decided to enjoy a second day exploring the river, local sites etc. Really enjoyed our stay. While the entry roads are a bit tight the facilities were clean plus the staff was amazingly friendly. Highly recommended.

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.

The Coal & Coke Trail is a neat little biking and hiking trail in Westmoreland County connecting…read moreMount Pleasant with Scottdale. A mere 5 miles in length, it's one of the few Rails-to-Trails I hadn't covered yet. Really, I couldn't justify the time or gas money to do a 10 mile round trip bike ride. A 10 mile hike is of course another story! And that's just what I did as part of my employer's wellness program. I planned the whole thing and of course headed up the hardy group of hikers able to complete the entire 10 mile round trip. The trail begins and ends in city parks at both ends. We began at Willows Park in Mount Pleasant. The address I gave you above is the parking lot and it's based on information from www.traillink.com Drinking water and restrooms are available in the park, but the restrooms appear to be closed in winter. We began by working our way southbound. The trail was built on the roadbed of a Pennsylvania RR branch. As ts name implies, the railroad hauled coke ad coal over the line. The railroad was abandoned for many years, however after 8 years of planning, the trail opened in 2007. Upon leaving town, we hiked through some scenic wooded areas to the town of Bridgeport. At one point we noticed the trail paralleling an active rail line. The forest here is old growth and we crossed one of a few small streams. Beyond the town of Bridgeport, we again entered the woodlands while paralleling Jacobs Creek. Curving to the west as we approached Scottdale, we arrived at the scenic high point of the day. The sewage treatment plant. Yep! The trail even goes through plant's parking lot and is routed onto Sewage Treatment Lane! Well no worries--we crossed Old US 119 and then ducked under the new highway before entering our last stretch of woodlands. Part of the trail is incomplete at Scottdale, so we had to walk down Mildred Street , Bessemer Street, and Mt. Pleasant Road (they're actually all the same street) before reaching Kendi Park. The trail resumes briefly here but this was our rest stop and turnaround point. So this is a pleasant and relatively easy trail to hike or bike. Just remember, there aren't any places to obtain food or water along the path, so be sure to bring adequate supplies of each.

Great place to walk. You can choose to challenge yourself or take it easy. Got lots of great pics…read moreas well

Excellent hiking. Hiked on father's day 2025 with my wide…read more The main attraction being the cave and the waterfall, you have to exit the "loop trail" in order to access the cave and waterfall. Once you hike back up, youd imagine when continuing to walk the East trail to finish the loop, you'd exit near the entrance. Thats not the case. The east trail past the cave/waterfall trail does not loop back around. Theres no trespassing signs and the trail dead ends. I recommend after hiking back up from the cave/waterfall to go straight back the way you came instead of waisting your time. Happy hiking!​

Piatt Park contains a stunning gorge with a cave and waterfalls. When you first enter the park, you…read morefind a small campground (10 sites) with amenities - a shelterhouse with picnic tables, both pit toilets and a shower/toilet combo with running water and electric, and a very nice playground in the center. There is a small pull off near the shelterhouse for parking if you don't have a campsite reserved. There are a couple of trailheads that lead down to the trail that heads into the woods and down to the gorge. The scenery itself is beautiful and very interesting, but the hike is complicated by being a little bit confusing. The trails aren't always very clear and the map is a little basic - previous hikers tried to help by adding notes and markers to the maps that are available along the trail. So I'm going to dish the dirt on the trail, because there were some serious surprises we encountered. There are multiple ways down from the campgrounds, and you come to an area by a bench that's at the top of a hill. Once you head down the hill, which is a bit steep, you come to a split that offers East or West Rim Trail. This can be used as a loop trail, since it does connect, or you can do out and back. We started out to the west and came around to a section that overlooked the gorge. It was a lovely view, but be aware that it's a pretty sheer drop and the chain "fencing" was gone in some sections. We then reached a section where we could choose to turn back or head down into the gorge. It was, again, a sheer drop but there were some stairs with railings available to help. This let us access the large cave area and then head further down to view the main waterfall. Because of how dry it was, the main waterfall is the only one we saw and it was a bit of a trickle, but it was still an enjoyable view. At this point, we may have chosen to turn around and head back out the way we came, had we realized what the rest of the loop entailed, but we did not and we forged on. This section is much more difficult and if you have small kids or pets with you, or you yourself have a fear of heights, this is significantly trickier. Unless your pet is a mountain goat, than perhaps it would be helpful as it could show you the best places to step. There's really no railings for the majority of this sheer climb up, and in one section, you actually pull yourself up hill via chains attached to trees. There are a couple of spots with tiny steps to help you get up too. When you reach the top, you'll soon find yourself back at the beginning of the loop and can head back up the first hill. The scenery is beautiful, though it would be nice to have a better idea of what to expect when hiking, thus I share with you my novel on getting in and out of the gorge!