Pennsylvania Hiking Trails

The PA Laurel Highlands and Ohiopyle Region are home to 120,000 acres of state parks that offer some of the best hiking trails in Pennsylvania.

Visit the PA Laurel Highlands for a hiking vacation and you're sure to have a unique experience everywhere you go. Our eight Pennsylvania state parks are different in the amenities they provide — like cabins, tent and RV sites, and the increasingly popular yurts — and the landscape you'll discover — like rolling hills, steep mountains, raging waters and even a sandy beach. Check out our PA state parks at-a-glance for a rundown of all the state forests and state parks in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.

A favorite among outdoor enthusiasts, Ohiopyle State Park provides picturesque hiking in PA year-round. From Ohiopyle State Park you can follow the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail and end up in Laurel Ridge State Park. Open year-round and visited by over one million people, this is one of the most celebrated hiking trails in Pennsylvania. With almost 20,500 acres of rugged natural beauty, you'll find it as peaceful as it is beautiful.

Two state forests and six other state parks in PA Laurel Highlands make sure you'll never run out of wilderness to explore and enjoy. In addition to some of Pennsylvania's best hiking trails, these preserves offer great opportunities for biking, swimming, fishing, hunting and bird-watching.

Over 140 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) pass through the Laurel Highlands. As one of the best bike trails, the GAP stretches from Cumberland, Maryland to Homestead, Pennsylvania just outside of Pittsburgh. Enjoy the trail towns along the way and spectacular scenery. 

So bring the family and plan to stay overnight so you'll have enough time to take in the scenic beauty of the Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands during a vacation you'll always remember.

State Parks and Forests throughout Laurel Highlands Pennsylvania

• Nearly 120,000 acres of hiking, biking and outdoor recreation across 10 state parks and forests
• Laurel-covered mountains and deep, water-carved valleys
• Countless hiking trails, many with convenient overnight areas and camping facilities
• Elevations can reach 3,000 ft. above sea level
• Cucumber Falls in Ohiopyle State Park is unforgettable

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Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in Ohiopyle State Park

• 70-mile backpacking and hiking trail
• Meets the 1,000-foot Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown
• Overnight areas every 8-10 miles
• Connector trails lead to and from parking and shelter areas
• Ohiopyle State Park is open year-round

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The Great Allegheney Passage: Over 150 Miles of Prestine Rail Trail Biking in Pennsylvania

• Consists of over 150 miles of unpaved converted rail lines
• Totals over 320 miles from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, D.C.
• Gentle hiking; never more than a 2% incline
• Six Rail Trail Towns along the way
• Open to hikers, bikers and cross country skiiers

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