The rolling hills of Southwestern Pennsylvania are home to the Ohiopyle State Park, an outdoor heaven with more than 20,000 acres of tree-covered landscape.
The contrast of the Laurel Mountain foliage with the dark tones and white crests of the Youghiogheny River form a mesmerizing backdrop for 79 miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, and scenic views of the deepest gorge in Pennsylvania.
If you’re visiting Pittsburgh, this is a wonderful day trip to enjoy the great outdoors. Stay a few days in the Laurel Highlands and throw some art in the mix by seeing great examples of organic architecture when touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses (can’t miss Fallingwater!), a stone’s throw away from the park.
Whitewater rafting, horseback riding, camping, and biking are other activities you can do here. During winter you’ll find trails for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.
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These are some not-to-miss hiking trails and waterfalls you can enjoy on a day trip to Ohiopyle State Park.
Ohiopyle Falls
Our first stop was at the visitor centre where we got an overview of the activities we could do in the park and what we could do in one day.
Within walking distance, we found the perfect start to our trip: the beautiful Ohiopyle Falls. From the observation deck, we had a wonderful view of the raging waters before and after the 20-foot drop that creates the waterfall.
Meadow Run Trail
Nearby is the Meadow Run Trail where you can walk on huge, flat boulders bordering the Youghiogheny River while you see the contrast of the strong current of the river with the mirror-lake ponds near the shore.
Between the visitor centre and the Meadow Run Trail, you can have fun at the Meadow Run Natural Water Slides.
We kept walking alongside the water on the Meadow Run Trail and started going uphill inside the forest on a narrow path leading to Cucumber Falls.
Cucumber Falls
I can’t say that this bridal veil fall is the most majestic I’ve seen; however, the surroundings are stunning.
The 30-foot tall overhang projects forward as a thin cantilevered slab, creating an ethereal scene with a concave gorge that lets you walk behind the falls.
It was quite fun to cross the creek balancing on the rocks and walk along the gorge to delight in the forest, the waterfalls and the gorgeous suspended rock formations from different viewpoints.
Great Gorge Trail, Ohiopyle High Bride and Great Allegheny Passage (GAP)
From Cucumber Falls we followed the Great Gorge Trail under the shade of huge trees to reach the Ohiopyle High Bridge, stepping into the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), a 150 miles trail that can take you to Pittsburgh or to Cumberland (Maryland), and even further, to Washington D.C. if you continue on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath (C&O Canal).
We stood on the bridge to admire the 360-degree view of nothing but tree-covered mountains and the river below us, dotted with kayaks and rafts.
Ferncliff Natural Area
We crossed the Ohiopyle High Bridge and followed the GAP to reach the Ferncliff Natural Area, a peninsula with nearly three miles of trails going through a mature hardwood forest, fern-covered patches and riverside paths. The trails let you explore the forest and be next to the water on a quite easy hike, enjoying views of the bridges over the Youghiogheny River.
Baughman Rock Overlook
If you’re after another scenic view of the river gorge, you can hike the Baughman Trail or you can drive to the lookout, located within a short walk from the road.
I loved the river walks, waterfalls, and hiking trails we did on our day trip to Ohiopyle from Pittsburgh. It was just enough to get a taste of the beauty of the Laurel Highlands region, its hiking trails, and waterfalls, but also felt the desire to come back to get on a kayak or a raft and explore the river and start planning a biking trip along the Great Allegheny Passage.
Have you been to the Laurel Highlands region? What is your favourite attraction?
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This park looks absolutely gorgeous! I’ll make sure to visit it sometime, can’t wait to see the beauty with my own eyes!
It’s gorgeous. The river, the waterfalls, the mountains!
We love to hike when we travel. Will definitely add this to our must dos when in the area. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading! This is only a fraction of all the trails you can enjoy around the Laurel Highlands.
Very nice read! Now I want to start planning my trip to Pittsburg! 😊
Excellent choice! You’ll find many outdoor things to do in and around Pittsburgh.
These places are breathtaking. No one beats the beauty of Nature. Thanks for sharing
You’re 100% right about that. No one beats the beauty of nature!