Ohiopyle State Park

Ohiopyle State Park, in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, is one of the state’s premier outdoor-adventure destinations — more than 20,000 acres of rugged forest, waterfalls and the wild Youghiogheny River, whose famous whitewater draws rafters and kayakers from across the region. The ‘Yough’ cuts a dramatic gorge through the park, tumbling over rapids and the broad Ohiopyle Falls.

Beyond the whitewater, the park offers waterfalls (Ohiopyle and Cucumber Falls), the natural waterslides of Meadow Run, miles of hiking and the popular Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail for biking, plus rock climbing, fishing and camping. Nearby stand Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. A hub of forest, river and adventure, Ohiopyle is a treasured natural icon of Pennsylvania.

Ohiopyle is famous for whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Youghiogheny River (the Lower Yough is one of the most popular whitewater runs in the East, with outfitters and guides), along with biking the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail, hiking to Ohiopyle and Cucumber Falls, sliding the natural waterslides at Meadow Run, rock climbing, fishing, and camping. Running the Yough’s whitewater, biking the rail-trail and visiting the waterfalls are the signature draws. The combination of world-class whitewater, waterfalls and trails makes Ohiopyle a premier adventure destination.

Summer is the peak season for whitewater rafting, the waterslides and biking, with warm weather and full outfitter services (and the biggest crowds), while spring brings high water and big whitewater, and fall brings spectacular Laurel Highlands foliage along the river and trails. Winter is quiet and snowy. The whitewater runs spring through fall (often dam-supported); foliage peaks in October. Summer for the full adventure menu, and fall for the color, are the highlights — book rafting ahead in summer, and come midweek to beat crowds.

The Youghiogheny gorge was known to Native peoples and crossed by George Washington in his early surveys. The area was logged and saw small industry before becoming a state park in the 1960s, protecting the river gorge and forest. The Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail (linking Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., with the C&O Canal) runs through the park on a former rail line. Nearby, Frank Lloyd Wright built Fallingwater over a waterfall. Ohiopyle State Park preserves this river gorge, its whitewater and forest, a treasured icon of Pennsylvania.

Ohiopyle’s landscape was carved by the Youghiogheny River cutting a deep gorge through the layered sandstone and shale of the Laurel Highlands — part of the Allegheny Plateau — creating the rapids, ledges and waterfalls (Ohiopyle and Cucumber Falls) where the river and its tributaries drop over resistant rock. The natural waterslides at Meadow Run are smooth chutes worn into the bedrock. The layered rock, the down-cutting river and the resistant ledges created the gorge, its whitewater and its waterfalls.

The forests and river of Ohiopyle host white-tailed deer, black bears, river otters, beavers, and a rich birdlife including the warblers and woodpeckers of the forest, raptors, and birds along the river, while the Youghiogheny and its tributaries hold trout and other fish. The rugged forested gorge supports abundant wildlife. While Ohiopyle is visited mainly for its whitewater and trails, the surrounding Laurel Highlands forest offers wildlife watching and birding in a scenic river-gorge setting.

Ohiopyle protects a large forested river-gorge ecosystem in the Laurel Highlands — mixed hardwood and hemlock forest cloaking the steep slopes, the free-flowing Youghiogheny River and its tributaries with their waterfalls, and rich biodiversity including notable wildflower displays (the park is known for its spring ephemerals) and rare plants in the gorge. The river, the forest and the gorge habitats are ecologically rich and sensitive. Protecting the river’s water quality, the forest and the wildlife sustains both the ecology and the adventure-rich beauty of Ohiopyle.

Ohiopyle State Park holds a treasured place among the icons of Pennsylvania — the adventure heart of the Laurel Highlands, famed for the whitewater of the Youghiogheny River, its waterfalls and waterslides, and its trails, near Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece Fallingwater. Its wild river, forest and recreation embody the rugged beauty of southwestern Pennsylvania. Ohiopyle is a cherished natural icon of Pennsylvania.

Ohiopyle State Park is in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, surrounding the town of Ohiopyle on the Youghiogheny River, off Route 381, about 90 minutes southeast of Pittsburgh. There is no entrance fee. The park has the falls and overlooks, the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail, whitewater access and outfitters (rafting requires guides/permits or experience), the Meadow Run waterslides, campgrounds, and trails. Whitewater and the town are busy in summer. Check PA DCNR and the rafting outfitters for river conditions, rafting reservations and park info before visiting.

Pennsylvania DCNR protects Ohiopyle’s river gorge and forest. Visitors help by protecting the Youghiogheny’s water quality, staying on trails (the gorge has rare plants and steep terrain), not climbing on dangerous falls, respecting wildlife, packing out everything, paddling and using the waterslides safely, and following all rules. The river, the gorge’s rare plants and the forest are sensitive. Protecting the river, the forest and the wildlife sustains both the ecology and the adventure-rich beauty of Ohiopyle.

The Youghiogheny’s whitewater is powerful and dangerous — raft or kayak only with proper skills, gear and (for most) a licensed outfitter, always wearing a life jacket, and never swim or wade in the rapids or above the falls. Ohiopyle Falls and the riverbanks are deadly; stay behind barriers. The natural waterslides at Meadow Run have rules — follow them and enter feet-first. Trails can be steep and slippery near water. Respect the powerful river, the deadly falls, the waterslide rules and the steep terrain.

There is no entrance fee, but commercial rafting requires outfitters and private boating may require launch permits/registration — check river rules. Wear a life jacket on the river. Stay behind barriers at Ohiopyle Falls (no entering the river there). Follow the rules at the Meadow Run waterslides. Camp only in designated areas. Bikes belong on the rail-trail. Pets must be leashed. Drones are restricted. Pack out all trash. Check PA DCNR and outfitters for river conditions, permits and rules before visiting.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob nearby, the Laurel Highlands resorts (Seven Springs, Nemacolin), the town of Ohiopyle, the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail toward Pittsburgh and Cumberland, and the surrounding Laurel Highlands forests lie near the park. The Laurel Highlands define the region. Ohiopyle anchors the Laurel Highlands, a centerpiece of a southwestern Pennsylvania adventure, easily combined with Fallingwater, the Great Allegheny Passage and the Laurel Highlands resorts.

Book a whitewater rafting trip on the Youghiogheny with a licensed outfitter (the Lower Yough is a classic; the Middle and Upper suit different levels) — or bike the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail through the gorge, hike to Ohiopyle and Cucumber Falls, and cool off at the Meadow Run natural waterslides (follow the rules, feet-first). Come in summer for the full adventure or fall for foliage, wear a life jacket on the river, stay behind the barriers at the falls, and pair your visit with nearby Fallingwater.