Trails / Pennsylvania / Laurel Highlands

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

Laurel Ridge State Park and Ohiopyle State Park (Ohiopyle to Seward)

The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail runs about 70 miles along Laurel Ridge in southwestern Pennsylvania, from the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown. It marked its 50th anniversary in September 2026, CNHI News reported, and is maintained largely by hand by volunteers.

Every night here is booked in advance: camping is allowed only at eight shelter areas, and reservations are mandatory.

The hike

The trail is blazed yellow, with a mileage monument at every mile, according to DCNR. Most hikers take five to six days, Backpacker said in 2008.

From Ohiopyle, the National Park Service’s trail guide describes a climb from about 1,200 feet to nearly 2,800 feet over the first nine miles, including a steep pull of about 1,100 feet that starts near milepost 7. Backpacker mentions stone staircases on the climb and an early knob with a view of the Youghiogheny. Past Ohiopyle and Route 653 Shelters, the NPS lists Laurel Run Overlook and house-sized boulders, then ski slopes at Seven Springs, where the trail reaches its highest point, 2,994 feet. Backpacker puts the high point at mile 26.2 and a hawk-watching overlook at mile 21.3.

North of Route 31, the trail crosses the Pennsylvania Turnpike on a large iron bridge and passes Beam Rocks, which Backpacker describes as 90-foot pinnacles. Beyond US 30, the NPS notes the bog and spring at Card Machine Run and gentler terrain with winter views to the northwest. The last section passes a lookout tower near Decker Avenue, with views of the Conemaugh Gorge, before a descent of about five miles to Seward.

Jeff Mitchell, who hiked it end to end in late June 2025, recommends starting at Seward because the climb out of it is gentler than the one out of Ohiopyle. He found the trail easy to follow, with mile markers and many wooden footbridges, but describes “hidden” elevation gain, brushy and muddy stretches, and road noise at some shelter areas. If you’re doing only part of it, he recommends the southern 32 miles, from Route 31 to Ohiopyle, for scenery.

Backpacker suggests mid-June for mountain laurel and October for foliage, though October is the busiest month. It singles out road crossings, especially US 30 and PA 271, as the biggest hazard.

For another long Pennsylvania trail, see the Standing Stone Trail.

Tips

Reserve early. Reservations open up to 11 months ahead through the state park system or at 724-455-3744, and you’ll need dates, shelter areas, entry point, vehicle, and party size.
Book all your nights at once. Mitchell suggests one reservation for all dates to save on fees.
Use the trailheads for parking. Six trailheads (Ohiopyle, Route 653, Route 31, US 30, Route 271, Seward) have overnight lots for about 30 cars each.
Filter pump water, and skip Blue Hole Creek.
Arrange a shuttle. DCNR lists Wilderness Voyageurs in Ohiopyle and Coal Tubin’ in Johnstown.

Camping

Camping is allowed only in the eight shelter areas, for one night per area, and reservations are mandatory, according to DCNR. A responsible adult (18 or older) is required for every 10 campers. Fires are allowed only in camp stoves, the shelter fireplaces, or designated spots, and dishwater goes in the latrines.

Each area has five Adirondack-style shelters with fireplaces, two vault toilets, and room for tents, set back from the trail and reachable only on foot. DCNR’s Laurel Ridge page lists the shelter areas at miles 6.3 (Ohiopyle), 18.5 (Route 653), 24 (Grindle Ridge), 32.5 (Route 31), 38.2 (Turnpike), 46.5 (US 30), 56.9 (Route 271), and 64.9 (Route 56/Decker Avenue). The NPS lists water and privies at all eight.

Inside Intel: Jeff Mitchell picks the Ohiopyle shelter area as possibly the trail’s most scenic and isolated. Its 6.3-mile position also makes it a short first day from Ohiopyle, a plan the NPS suggests for a two-day trip to Route 653.

Trail facts

Distance: About 70 miles (DCNR); 70.1 (KTA)
Route type: Point to point (shuttle)
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous; steepest climbs near Ohiopyle
Campsites: Eight shelter areas, each with five shelters and tent space
Water: Pumps at shelter areas (filter it); northern 20 miles can be dry (Mitchell)
Permits: Mandatory shelter reservations with a per-person fee
Fires: Only in fireplaces, camp stoves, or designated spots
Dogs: Allowed (DCNR); confirm any leash or shelter rules when reserving
Trailheads: Ohiopyle (mile 0) to Seward/PA 56 (mile 70)
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Adirondack-style shelters on Laurel Ridge:

Every night on the Laurel Highlands is at a shelter area with five Adirondack-style shelters and room for tents. Side sleepers, these tips can make a shelter floor easier on hips.

See the tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.