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 :)

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.

This is a very nice Nature Reserve, located right next to St. Vincent College. Winnie Palmer was…read morethe wife of Golf Legend Arnold Palmer, and she had the foresight and resources to create this little refuge that is free and open to the public. The highlight for me was visiting "The Barn," which is a staffed building in a restored barn that is like a little nature museum. They have lots of displays and also a few living creatures that you can observe. There are also lots of trails, gardens, and a pond on the property, that you can explore. They also have a restored historical log cabin, called the "Blockhouse" which you can see. The only disappointment we had when visiting yesterday, was that the boardwalk over the wetlands was closed for repairs. Otherwise, I would recommend checking out this place if you like nature and are in the area . . . Cheers!

We took our family of six for an overnight trip. It was three of the kids first time sleeping in a…read moretent. Was a great time! Bathhouse was great and not too far from our site. Only a few minutes walk. We went the next day to the beach area and playground. Was just wonderful. We look forward to going back soon! We brought a camp stove to cook on and some firewood. Did s'mores over the fire. Hammock was nice to have and some chairs for the fire. Great spot for families it seemed to us!

This is a nice park to hang by the lake and take a short stroll (2 miles around the lake), cook…read moreout, swim, kayak, fish, or camp out. Free parking and easy access for almost anyone. A nice release from the days and worries with easy access to nature. Bottom line: A good place for a little day trip or overnight.

Whether you like to wander nature trails or learn more about the history of our region, Bushy Run…read morewill have something for you! The site commorates a battle that isn't famous, but they have a lot of interesting information about that battle and the war and time period in general. Aside from the museum, there are sprawling grounds that offer historical markers and placards that explain the history of the area. There are also some great trails to enjoy (and are also great for pictures!). They often have reenactment events but also host farmers markets, craft shows and other events on the site. Worth a visit, but especially so if you love history or nature.

A little known battle that took place between the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War…read more Tour guide was knowledgeable and we learned more about the history of Pittsburgh. Reenactment of this battle takes place during the first weekend of August.

Beautiful area just a short walk to the falls. Easy access and walk. Additional trail, short,…read moreacross the parking lot. Take a rain coat!! Enjoy

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.

This is a post 9/11 U.S. Armed Forces Memorial. My first…read morevisit. I just happened to see it whole in route to the Flight 93 Memorial. This park lies within the boundary of the Flight 93 Memorial. There are currently 7050 flags in the field on display. This represents one for each post 9/11 service man or woman who died protecting our freedom. A worthwhile visit. Admission is free.

For as many years and times that I have visited the Flight 93 Memorial I never made time to go…read moreacross the street and visit this memorial. I did make it a point to finally stop when I was on a recent road trip vacation. I wish I would have stopped years prior to see how this memorial transformed, but that was not in the cards. This, much like the neighbor, was a humbly started memorial. In a field and right off of US Route 30. Patriot Park is a memorial for the Armed Forces that have lost their lives in the post 9-11 War on Terrorism. The main exhibit area is the Field of Heroes Flag Display. Each flag that you see in this field is to represent the life of one person that gave their life for the country. Be mindful and do not walk in this area, there are pathways that will take you around it to take pictures or a seat to view the field. There are placards around with information on the memorial. There is one that states the master plan of the area and how they would like to transform this land. If funding is raised, they will have a nice addition and a decent place to visit. There is a little pavilion that covers a table that has binders that list all the names that are represented by the flags. There are seating areas to show your respect. Entrance is easy. Restrooms available. Take a moment to check it out.

Soccer! Soccer! Soccer! Woo! This is an unadorned but very nice place to play soccer…read moredestination. They have two different soccer fields, a pavilion, a kayak docking area, playground, trail, basketball court and many benches at this park. There's one main soccer field which all the children who were born from 2008-2011 play at currently (so as of right now 8years to 11year olds) and there is a separate field full of mini and medium sized soccer nets for younger children. A playground, basketball court and pavilion sit in between the two soccer fields. There is a trail that wraps around and through the park. It also leads down to a kayak docking area that is labeled 22 which is part of the Loyalhanna Creek water trail. This is all part of the many parks and fields Latrobe has to offer and there's many more within walking distance. Latrobe overall is like an old soul where people look out for each other and are very respectful of one another. This is a nice place for the younger(born when I was graduating high school eeek and after) generations to play! Can't have too many soccer fields or trails....nope never. Also need to note that there are no pets allowed. I saw a dog and a cat get asked to leave.