Walking distance from all our homes and just across the river from the Tree and Riverhouse, The Outflow has been rebuilt and now offers more menu options than ever.
Offerings include: soft serve ice cream, hand dipped ice cream, frozen desserts, and quality food at a fair price.
PumpkinFest is held beginning the first Friday in October in Confluence, Pennsylvania.
This festival gives arts & crafts and food vendors the opportunity to show and sell their goods in the town park. It also features many interesting and exciting events. Among those are the Pumpkinfest Queen Pageant, a 5K run/walk, an antique and classic auto show, a parade and a largest pumpkin contest. Other events include a garden tractor pull, photo contest, tough man fire truck pull, tractor square dancing exhibition, live music and more.
We hope that you and your family will be able to visit PumpkinFest this year. We are sure that you will enjoy yourself!
The 3 day event books early at our homes. Come check it out and get your fill of those old timey, small town feels that only a small town parade can provide.
For more info please check out this site.
There are several fun playgrounds in the area.
The Outflow Campground playground, Confluence was fully replaced and rebuilt a few years ago. This is across the river from the Treehouse and Riverhouse. Walk or bike across the Yough River bridge (281) and head towards the end of the campground. There is a great spot for fishing there as well, at the outflow of the dam.
The Turkeyfoot school playground, Harnedsville. Unknown, this is great spot when school is out.
Stewart On The Green Community Park, Ohiopyle. Newer and cool playground with kayaks built into the structures.
The Confluence community playground, Confluence. Not great but cool if your kiddos like to watch the train go by. Next to the Community center (near Foodmart).
Joshua C Whetzel Jr Memorial Recreation Area, Part of the Casselman River Conservation Area
New starting in May 2019 Confluence gets is first official hiking trail! And it’s next to the Riverhouse. The trailhead starts in the bike trail parking lot between Riversport and the Riverhouse. The trail traverse the hillside behind the Riverhouse and across from the Treehouse.
We originally purchased the land the trail is on (50 acres) when we acquired the Riverhouse. We had no plans to develop the land–we actually wanted it to remain wild. Through a series of fortunate events and hope and dreams, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy purchased the land from to do just that–conserve it. It’s fantastic for us, of course, but also for the town of Confluence and the area. My family and I had been hiking there (locally known as Klondike Ridge) forever and it’s a really special place to us. It’s so amazing to be able to share it!
The trail is a bit steep but their are steps in the beginning and it does mellow out. It’s an out and back, well marked trail. Good hiking shoes recommended- especially when it’s wet.
It’s short but takes you to a nice overlook of the confluence of the 3 rivers, or the “turkeyfoot”.
Go check it out and let me know what you think! ~Kara
Strewn throughout Big Bear Lake Camplands, Big Bear Lake Trail Center is quickly becoming known as the hot spot for classic east coast single track mountain biking. Years of trail development, by experienced mountain bikers, have created a trail system that will have you grinning ear to ear. The terrain has everything to offer; gradual climbs, large embedded rocks, tight slaloms, challenging rock gardens, and off the saddle downhills. Almost 50 miles of trail wind through knee deep ferns, soft needle pine plantations, and groves of mountain laurel. Riders of all ages and abilities will find trails to fit their individual riding skills and need for adrenaline.
Trail maps are provided at the main entrance. Trail fee is $10/day or $30 for a season pass. Season passes can be purchased at the main entrance or online HERE.
All trails may be used for hiking, trail running and x-c skiing. Trails are closed from November 1 to December 31.
Since 1981 Riversport School of Paddling has been teaching quality canoe and kayak instruction to thousands of beginner to advanced paddlers. They are the only outfitter who’s sole focus is teaching kayaking in the area. Their week long kids summer camps are wildly popular. They also do a parent/child week along with their standard group or private lessons by the day, weekend or week.
Confluence is arguably one of the very best spots in the world to learn to kayak. It’s like visiting Aspen, Colorado in the winter and not skiing. We’ve got clean, warm, consistent water year round along with the perfectly progressive whitewater for a beginning paddler up to class V. Learn to roll on the warm Yough Lake, then learn to steer your kayak on the slow moving current of the Yough below the dam. Just downstream at Ramcat Rapid, you’ll learn to catch eddies, peel outs and ferries. Next it’s on to another local class II river like the Casselman, Laurel Hill or Cheat Narrows. From there you’ll have your choice of a variety of class III runs in the area like the Loop, Lower Yough, Upper Casselman, Cheat Canyon and other rain fed creeks and streams. For the experienced boater, you’ll most likely spend time on the Lower Yough working on technique to get you ready for the harder class IV-V runs in the area like the Upper Yough.
Riversport is on the bike trail, next to Lucky Dog Cafe (near the Tree and Riverhouse and a short walk from the Stonehouse). They also rent rafts, SUP boards, canoes and recreation kayaks for the Middle Yough float trip. They also have bike rentals and a whitewater retail shop.
If you are interested in a float trip but don’t want to spend the entire day on the river, ask about the Mini float. It’s perfect for families with small children or if you don’t have a lot of time.
Laurel Caverns is a large natural calcareous sandstone cave located 20 miles west of Confluence. Most of the passage ceilings in its three mile labyrinth are between ten and twenty feet high (many as high as 50 feet) with an average width of over twelve feet. This makes it the largest cave in Pennsylvania. The cave itself is situated beneath a 435 acre privately owned geological preserve. Because this property is at the top of Chestnut Ridge, all of the water that enters the cave is pristine.
Because of its size, Laurel Caverns is also the largest natural bat hibernaculum in Pennsylvania. In commitment to its preservation mission, the cave is closed during the primary months of the bat hibernation season, November through April. The cave is essentially empty of bats from May through October.
Lucky Dog Café is nestled in the beautiful river valley of Confluence, PA. This scenic region is home to the Youghiogheny River, which provides some of the best white water paddling in the country. Along the riverside is another wonderful treat called the Great Allegheny Bike Trail that runs from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC. We are fortunate to be located right next to both of these gems. Founded in 2004, our quaint little café is located on the bike trail and provides a comfortable setting for any appetite with a diverse menu that will appeal to everyone’s taste. Friendly wait staff, great beer selection, wifi, deck seating, live music (summer weekends) and dog friendly.
Lucky Dog is just down the street from the Tree and Riverhouse and a short walk from the Stonehouse. It’s a favorite of all of our guests!
Located in Maryland’s Garrett County and well known to skiers and riders in the Mid-Atlantic, Wisp Ski Resort is one of the longest running operations in the region. Located along Deep Creek Lake, Wisp boasts 100 inches of natural snow annually with 90% snowmaking on its skier and rider accessible terrain. 34 trails spread across 172 acres entertain skiers and riders on Wisp’s 700-foot vertical drop. Freestylers will find terrain parks for beginner through advanced to practice progressions on.
Deep Creek, Maryland and the Wisp Resort are about 45 minutes from our homes.
Visit the Wisp Resort website
Yough Vacation Blog 