huckepack

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

Length

Stated
112.7 km, the stated length (Pennsylvania DCNR)
Map line
105.4 km, OpenStreetMap along the official track
Used for
The charts on this page, and comparing trails in the search

112.7km

Ascent · descent

This trail
Estimated from the terrain model (≈): no source states them
How
Every main stage's climbs and drops between samples 100 m apart
Keep in mind
In forests the model reads the treetops, so it reads high there

estimated: 3,260m ↑3,240m ↓

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: DemandingNatural ground: 100 %
  • Climate: Moderate in Aug–OctHeat: 26 °C by day (August)
  • Effort: DemandingLongest day: ≈ 6 h 45 (stage 2)

All measures

Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Moderate in Aug–Oct; Effort: Demanding

Days

This trail
9 days, one per main stage
Why
No source suggests a number of days

9days

Per stage

How
The 9 main stages' totals over their number
Source
Pennsylvania DCNR, so the averages come from one source
Ascent
The terrain model's estimate per stage (≈): the stages state no climbs

12.5km· about 360 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Forest: 99%
  • Grassland and shrubs: 1%
  • Water, snow and ice: 0%
  • Farmland and villages: 0%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Forest

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons by Ron Shawley and Nosferattus; each photo's licence in the gallery

Location

Country
United States
Regions
Pennsylvania
Start
Ohiopyle
Finish
PA Route 56 near Johnstown (Seward Trailhead)
Route type
Point to point
Permit
Required
Travel hubs
  • Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)130.2 km by road · 123 min
  • Connellsville station31.3 km by road · 35 min
  • Johnstown station91.1 km by road · 91 min
Protected areas
Ohiopyle State Park; Laurel Ridge State Park
Managed by
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Laurel Ridge State Park)Official website
Waymarking
Yellow blazes, two by five inches, about every 100 feet; blue-blazed connector trails to the trailheads and shelter areas; stone mileage monuments every mile, and yellow bands round the trees at every major road crossing.
GPX
GPX trackOur tracing from OpenStreetMap
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
ascent of the main stages over their length
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Demanding

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T2 (our estimate)
    Basis
    DCNR rates the trail "Most difficult" (for hikers with advanced skills; steep grades, severe elevation gain or loss) and suggests an average pace of 1.5 miles an hour. A footpath along the forested Laurel Ridge, with steep climbs out of the Youghiogheny valley at Ohiopyle and down to the Conemaugh Gorge, rocky and rooty in places, without exposed passages: mountain hiking on a maintained trail (T2).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T2
  • Climbingestimated 29 m per km
  • Steep stretches4 % of the way
  • Natural ground100 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Moderate in Aug–Oct

  • Heat · August26 °C by day
  • Cold · October5 °C at night
  • Wet days · August13 days
  • Snow · October1 day
  • Wind · October17 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Longest day
walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Demanding

  • Longest day · stage 2estimated 6 h 45

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
3–27°C
Nights in season · highest point
−9 to 15°C
Wet days a month
11–17
Daylight
9.3–15.0h
SeasonDay high and night low−20 °C−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point5101520Daylight9.6 h10.6 h11.8 h13.2 h14.4 h15.0 h14.7 h13.7 h12.4 h11.1 h9.9 h9.3 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January2.9 / -5.1-0.8 / -8.715.910.728.29.6
February4.9 / -4.21.1 / -7.813.9925.810.6
March9.8 / 05.9 / -3.714.76.223.511.8
April15.9 / 5.512.2 / 1.9152.911.413.2
May20.6 / 11.217.1 / 7.816.60.31.514.4
June24.8 / 15.921.3 / 12.515.10015
July26.9 / 18.323.4 / 14.914.60014.7
August26.4 / 17.822.9 / 14.4130013.7
September23.2 / 14.419.6 / 11110012.4
October16.9 / 8.513.3 / 5.111.614.211.1
November10.4 / 2.66.8 / -112.44.4189.9
December5.2 / -1.81.5 / -5.514.38.426.69.3

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevation
1Ohiopyle Trailhead Ohiopyle Shelter Area10.1 km460 m ↑340 m ↓380 → 490 m
2Ohiopyle Shelter Area Rt. 653 Shelter Area19.6 km770 m ↑470 m ↓510 → 810 m
3Rt. 653 Shelter Area Grindle Ridge Shelter Area8.9 km170 m ↑160 m ↓840 → 850 m
4Grindle Ridge Shelter Area Rt. 31 Shelter Area13.7 km420 m ↑440 m ↓830 → 810 m
5Rt. 31 Shelter Area Turnpike Shelter Area9.2 km380 m ↑300 m ↓810 → 890 m
6Turnpike Shelter Area Rt. 30 Shelter Area13.4 km250 m ↑290 m ↓870 → 820 m
7Rt. 30 Shelter Area Rt. 271 Shelter Area16.7 km490 m ↑500 m ↓830 → 820 m
8Rt. 271 Shelter Area Rt. 56 Decker Ave. Shelter Area12.9 km240 m ↑300 m ↓820 → 760 m
9Rt. 56 Decker Ave. Shelter Area Rt. 56 Seward Trailhead8.2 km80 m ↑440 m ↓770 → 410 m

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
913m high378m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
24 % (13°), 119 m up over 500 m, stage 2
Steepest descent
−21 % (12°), 105 m down over 500 m, stage 1
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

24% ↑−21% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
3 km up, 1.6 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

4.6km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 100%, 103.7 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 0%, 0.4 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.

100% natural<1% gravel
400 m600 m800 m913 mStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 890 km104 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
Colours
Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 1% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest99%Grassland and shrubs1%Water, snow and ice0%Farmland and villages0%1Stage 23Stage 45Stage 6Stage 7Stage 890 km104 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

Wild camping is prohibited. Camping is only permitted in the eight shelter areas, one night at each, with a reservation; fires only in camp stoves, the shelters' fireplaces or park fire rings.

49.2 km without a bedCamping2Huts0Hostels0Rooms01Stage 23Stage 45Stage 6Stage 7Stage 890 km104 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 2 campsites, 0 huts, 0 hostels, 0 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 35.3–84.5
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
57.6 km without clean water, km 0–57.6, stages 1–6
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 1 taps, fountains and drinking springs
Not counted
The 0 places to sleep: Non-potable water at most trailheads and shelter areas; treat or filter it. They count as any water
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

57.6kmScarce

Any water

This trail
47 km without any water, km 0–47
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 2 springs within 500 m and the places to sleep whose water isn't treated
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

47kmScarce

Shops

This trail
96.7 km without a shop, km 0–96.7
Counted
2 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

96.7km
Water · 47 km withoutPublic drinking water · 57.6 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 55.5 km withoutRefills at places to sleep (treat before drinking) · 104 km withoutShops · 96.7 km withoutStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 890 km104 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official sources: Pennsylvania DCNR; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

Black bear ModerateBlacklegged tick Moderate

Black bear

Moderate danger

Laurel Ridge State Park has excellent habitat for black bears, which roam freely and normally avoid people but can become aggressive when people get between them and food.

If you meet one

  • Keep your campsite clean and clean up after meals
  • When backpacking, store food away from your overnight campsite, suspended between two trees, ten feet in the air and three feet from either tree
  • If you encounter a black bear, back away slowly without making direct eye contact
  • If the bear does not leave the area, make a loud noise like blowing a whistle or banging a pot

Don't

  • Never approach a bear, and be especially wary of mother bears with cubs
  • Do not run

Advice: Pennsylvania DCNR. Level: ours. Silhouette: Abby Weber (Ursus americanus), PhyloPic, public domain.

Blacklegged tick (deer tick)

Moderate danger

DCNR's guide to the trail prints the CDC's blacklegged tick card; the tick carries Lyme disease.

If you meet one

  • Walk in the center of trails
  • Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone
  • Treat boots, clothing and gear with permethrin
  • Check your body, clothing, gear and pets for ticks after being outdoors

Don't

  • Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter

Advice: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.