Laurel Ridge boasts 30k of groomed trails. Excellent for skate skiing and classic skiing. Most trails have a wide skating lane and classic set track on the side. Variety of trails from beginner to advance/backcountry.
There are 2 warming huts. The main hut is where you buy your very reasonable trail pass.Full and 1/2 passes available. You can also rent skis and snowshoes.
Dogs are allowed on the Orange trail.
Visit the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Facebook page
Looking for something to do outdoors but having a hard time motivating the kids? Want to venture off the beaten path but don’t know where to go? Geocaching is a fun way to explore the area. It’s perfect for kids–and grown ups alike.
What is geocaching? In short, it’s a real life treasure hunt. You need an app and a sense of adventure. Caches range from easy to difficult to get to and find, from big to tiny. Go to www.geocaching.com and check it out.
Download the app to your phone. The free app is OK, but for $5.99 a month (you can sign up for 1 month) or $29.99 for a year you can see all of the best caches. Just pick a couple of caches and follow the coordinates and clues (if you want).
Grab some small toys or trinkets from under your car seat or run to the Dollar General and grab some. (We like to leave extras in a cache that hasn’t been restocked recently). *our kids say that dollar bills, matchbox cars and pocket knifes are highly recommended.
When/if you find a cache, you can take a trinket and leave one. Don’t forget to sign the log book and cover it back up like you found it.
Don’t get frustrated if you feel like you are turning in circles when you are close. You can always check the hints. Be patient and you’ll find it.
One of my favorite things about geocaching is that you’ll discover all kinds of unknown spots in the area…like bare rock overlooks and old cemeteries full of interesting history.
Here’s a helpful article about geocaching.
The Confluence zip code is 15424.
Here are some of our favorite caches:
GC1DCNZ, GCXF2K, GCNGGQ
There aren’t too many things more refreshing than a jump in a cool creek on a hot summer day. Meadow Run in Ohiopyle features a natural water slide just before it joins the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle.
The Yough Lake is 2 minutes from our house. Turn left at the end of our road and make your next left. It’s a nice view crossing the top of the earthen dam that you won’t want to miss. The lake has a sandy beach for swimming (no lifeguards) and there is a dock for launching boats. Please obey Coast Guard rules. The fishing is great and there are folks waterskiing and jetskiing. The water is warm and clean. Picnic tables and grills are available. The marina is located on the other access point where route 40 crosses the lake. Yough Lake Marina rents boats.
More info:
In the heart of the Laurel Highlands and spanning the Mason-Dixon Line between Pennsylvania and Maryland lays Youghiogheny River Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites you to experience the clean waters, mountains and steep-sided valleys which encompass the project and provide an unsurpassed setting for outdoor recreation opportunities.
A popular location for recreation, Youghiogheny River Lake attracts numerous visitors each year. Boating, hunting, camping and many other outdoor activities are enjoyed by visitors with outstanding facilities provided for the public’s convenience.
Boaters consider Youghiogheny River Lake, with all of its 16-mile length and channels up to one-half mile wide, the best power boating and water-skiing lake in southwestern Pennsylvania.
For the angler, there are numerous coves and backwater areas along the lake which provide excellent fishing. The lake is inhabited by a large variety of game and panfish and is especially known as a hotspot for walleye and smallmouth bass. A license has been granted to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for fish management purposes in the Pennsylvania portion of the lake. The Fish and Boat Commission has also developed and maintains the Jockey Hollow Boat Launching Area. The tail waters of the dam are very popular for trout fishing. Youghiogheny River Lake’s outflow area is one of the few areas in Pennsylvania open for trout fishing year round (except for the two weeks immediately preceding Opening Day) and is stocked by the Fish and Boat Commission on a regular basis throughout the spring and summer.
For those who prefer to propel their boats with a paddle, the Youghiogheny River has plenty to offer. From the outflow area of the dam and extending for approximately 20 miles downstream is one of the most popular rafting and canoeing rivers in the eastern United States. The boulder strewn stretch of river below Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, is renowned for its whitewater and is often the scene of national kayaking competitions.
If you’ve floated the Middle Yough section and want to check out another mellow part of the Yough, consider a short trip to Hazelbakers in Perryopolis. They also rent canoes on the lake at nearby Laurel Hill State Park.
The Tree and Riverhouse sit just below the Dam on the section of river called the Middle Yough. It’s an 11 mile float trip to Ohiopyle (from the houses) with mild class II rapids at the beginning and end and lots of flatwater in the middle. A great float trip for families or fishing. Riversport (at the end of our road) rents canoes, rafts and provides shuttle.
If the 11 miles seems like too much for your group, consider the Mini float from the houses down to the State Park put in, about 2 miles. It’s just moving flatwater. Riversport can help you arrange this.
You can ride and hike the former rail road bed called the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) bike trail all the way from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC and make Yough Tree or Riverhouse a retreat from all the pedaling.
If the entire 200+ journey isn’t on your agenda, shorter day trips from our homes are a great way to get some exercise and see the area. The trail is shady and follows the river, so even on a hot day it’s pleasant. Turn left at the end of our road (cross Yough River Bridge) and follow the Yough River downstream to Ohiopyle (11 miles) or turn right and follow the Casselman River to the town of Rockwood ( 18 miles). There is a well stocked bike shop in Confluence, Confluence Cyclery as well as shops in Ohiopyle and Rockwood. Looking for a bike tour, check out local company, Wilderness Voyageurs. For more information about the trail visit here.
Yough Vacation Blog 