Laurel Highlands Trails Assessment

The Laurel Ridge Trails Assessment was completed in early 2009 as part of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative (CLI). 

Laurel Ridge is a unique landscape in Pennsylvania that includes seven state parks, large portions of Forbes State Forest, two sections of State Game Lands and significant conservation holdings such as Bear Run Nature Reserve owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.  One of the parks, Laurel Ridge State Park, is a 70-mile hiking-only trail also called the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail from Ohiopyle to Seward (near Johnstown).

The analysis notes that a significant cluster of mountain-bike trail exists in Forbes State Forest and that several trails in Ohiopyle State Park recently had been or were about to be designated for multi-use.

The recommendations of the assessments included:

• Maintain and improve the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail as a significant resource.
• Develop a multi-use trail network from the existing Forbes cluster south to Ohiopyle and north to Johnstown to create the conceptual Ridgeback Trail parallel to the hiking trail.
• Connect existing and proposed trails to several communities and resorts, including Johnstown, Ligonier, Donegal, Seven Springs and Hidden Valley.

The report also mapped existing trails - both legal and illegal - and concluded that many illegal ATV trails are diminishing the value of the wilderness experience on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail and causing significant, on-going environmental damage.  The illegal ATV use is especially troublesome on the Johnstown end.  The report recommends that the state Department of Conservation & Natural Resources remove and remediate the illegal and unsustainable trails.

PEC received funding from DCNR's Community Conservation Partnership Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund to coordinate the assessment.  FisherWorks Consulting did the mapping and wrote the report.

The full report is available by clicking here.