At any visitor center in the Laurel Highlands, you’ll probably hear, “Wait—how do you pronounce those words?” Confusing as the names may be, Ohiopyle is an adventure town that’s worth the trip.
This charming community of only 38 residents sits at a bend in the Youghiogheny River. The entire borough is made up of a handful of streets carved into the middle of Ohiopyle State Park, and they all point toward the impressive, 20-foot waterfall below the state park visitor center. The river flows swiftly here, twisting through the steep, green hills. Locals call it “the Yough.”
Photographed by Colleen O’Neil
I grew up just a few miles from Ohiopyle. It was the place my friends and I would go to hang out on the rocks by the river’s edge after soccer practice, and where I learned to love long bike rides on the trail with my dad. But I didn’t discover everything Ohiopyle had to offer until college, when I started working at one of the rafting outfitters, Wilderness Voyageurs. After my first summer, I was hooked on trail running and mountain biking, and most of my friends were raft guides. I quickly became an enthusiastic ambassador for all outdoor activities in my hometown.
The town’s four outfitters—Wilderness Voyageurs, Ohiopyle Trading Post, Laurel Highlands River Tours, and White Water Adventurers—have offered rafting trips for decades. For a mellow paddle, choose the rippling Middle Yough stretch from Confluence to Ohiopyle (class II). If you’re up for a splashier day, the Lower Yough below Ohiopyle Falls is a fun and scenic adventure with plenty of rapids, plus a few calm swimming pools (class III).
Boaters who want a quick paddle without shuttling can run The Loop. This 1.5-mile stretch starts at the Lower Yough put-in, winds through a few rapids around the Ferncliff Peninsula, and ends at the Loop Takeout, where you can haul your boat out and hike back to the put-in.
As for fly fishing, the Yough and its tributaries are world-class. The tailwater fishery is enhanced by cold-water bottom discharge from the Youghiogheny Reservoir upstream in Confluence. Brown and rainbow trout are stocked throughout the state park. Anglers will also find a healthy population of smallmouth bass in the warmer months.
Nearby, Meadow Run—a pretty creek popular for its natural waterslides—provides trout fishing for anglers who prefer a smaller stream. Explore on your own, or contact Wilderness Voyageurs, Laurel Highlands Guide Services, or Silver Hen Fly Co. for guided wading and float fishing trips.
In the past several years, cycling has burst onto the scene. The town sits at mile 72 on the Great Allegheny Passage, the 150-mile rail-trail that runs from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, then links riders to Washington, D.C., via the C&O Canal Trail. Bicycle tourists riding through can stay at a tent site in Ohiopyle State Park Campground or at The Ohiopyle Suites, or book a room on AirBnB. Flat tires, broken chains, and more can be fixed at the Wilderness Voyageurs Bike Shop. The shop also has a fleet of regular and electric bikes to rent for day trips. I learned to ride on the easy, 11-mile stretch between Ohiopyle and Confluence. Conveniently, there is an ice cream shop at either end of this segment. For a true tour de ice cream, ride to the Outflow Soft Freeze in Confluence, then turn around and hit the Kickstand in Ohiopyle on a hot summer day.
Mountain biking in Ohiopyle is booming, largely thanks to the Ohiopyle Biking Club, which has led the effort to build several new trails, including Clay Mines Mountain Bike Area, a beginner-friendly, stacked-loop system built on a reclaimed strip mine. Now the park has almost 30 miles of singletrack that range from rugged, natural trails to flowy, machine-built tracks. A 37.5-mile mountain bike trail expansion is coming soon.
Hikers and trail runners are spoiled for choice here, too. Ohiopyle has 79 miles of hiking trails that showcase scenic overlooks, waterfalls, rare wildflowers, and more. After a big snowfall, bundle up and head to the higher-elevation trails on Sugarloaf Knob for cross-country skiing and sledding.
Photographed by Colleen O’Neil
The town is the southern terminus of the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, which is my favorite trail. The LHHT offers a backcountry hiking experience with the convenience of overnight shelters every 6 to 12 miles. If you forgot any gear, visit Wilderness Voyageurs Outfitter Store for a selection of hiking, camping, paddling, and cycling items. You’ll find keepsakes and locally made artwork at Oddly Enough and Ohiopyle Roots, both located in the Ohiopyle Community Center.
The community also has art energy. Touchstone Center for Crafts has opened a new gallery in Ohiopyle, and visitors can shop locally crafted goods at Touchstone by the Falls every weekend. Just a few miles north of Ohiopyle is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, one of the famed architect’s most iconic buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To the south is another Wright house, Kentuck Knob, an angular wooden building perched on a hill. Both are open for tours daily.
For a caffeine fix, Ohiopyle Coffee Company has craft espresso drinks, breakfast bites, sandwiches, and baked goods to power you through the day. After a run or bike ride, I’m a huge fan of an iced latte at any establishment, especially fresh beans at Ohiopyle Coffee Roasters!
Photographed by Colleen O’Neil
Falls City Pub, located at the entrance of the Laurel Highlands Trail, serves barbecue, craft beer, and burgers. On the river’s other side, you’ll find great wings and huge sandwiches on the deck of the Twisted Spoke Cafe. For a quick bite on the go, visit Falls Market or Paddler’s Pizza.
When I was growing up, I probably didn’t appreciate my hometown as much as I should have. I spent my 20s traveling around the country and the world, but I kept coming back to Ohiopyle. Now I’m a full-time fixture in the area. When you visit, you’ll understand why.
