Visit Pittsburgh · Day trips

The Laurel Highlands, by drive time.

Pennsylvania's mountain playground starts about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh: whitewater, waterfalls, two Wright houses, ski slopes and two national park sites. Slide the limit and see what fits your day.

Explore by drive time The 70-mile trail

Short answer

The Laurel Highlands cover Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, about 3,000 square miles southeast of Pittsburgh. From downtown, Ligonier is about 75 minutes away and Ohiopyle about 100. The big draws are Ohiopyle State Park, Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, the Flight 93 National Memorial and Fort Necessity (both free), ski resorts, and the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.

Laurel Highlands

The region, by the numbers

3,000Square miles across three counties.

70 miThe Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, Ohiopyle to the Conemaugh Gorge.

150 miThe Great Allegheny Passage, Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland.

$0Entrance to Flight 93 National Memorial and Fort Necessity.

Interactive

What can you reach today?

Choose your starting point and interests, then slide the drive limit.

Laurel Highlands drive-time explorer

From:

Drive limit:

9 places in range

Ohiopyle State ParkFalls, natural waterslides, Yough whitewater
123 min80.6 mi
FallingwaterFrank Lloyd Wright, closed Wednesdays
121 min81.8 mi
Kentuck KnobWright's Usonian house for the Hagans
127 min84.6 mi
Fort Necessity National BattlefieldNational Park Service site, free entrance
112 min73.4 mi
Flight 93 National MemorialNational Park Service, free, grounds open sunrise to sunset
136 min101.6 mi
Seven SpringsSki resort
113 min76.2 mi
Hidden ValleySki resort
104 min74.7 mi
Laurel MountainSki area
129 min79.1 mi
LigonierWestmoreland County town
103 min68.5 mi

Drive times are OSRM road-routing estimates with no traffic, computed October 19, 2026. Mountain roads and winter weather add time.

Where to go

The big four

Ohiopyle State Park

About 20,500 acres around the Youghiogheny gorge, with the 20-foot Ohiopyle Falls, Meadow Run's natural waterslides and Class III to IV whitewater on the Lower Yough.

Live river level and safety

Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob

Two Frank Lloyd Wright houses under four miles apart. Fallingwater is closed Wednesdays and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day planner and comparison

Flight 93 National Memorial

National Park Service memorial at 6424 Lincoln Highway, Stoystown. No entrance fee; grounds open sunrise to sunset, year round.

nps.gov/flni

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

National Park Service site at 1 Washington Parkway, Farmington. No entrance fee.

nps.gov/fone

On foot

The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.

70 miles along Laurel Ridge, from the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown. Eight overnight shelter areas sit 6 to 12 miles apart. Shelters must be reserved in advance (724-455-3744), and there is a nightly fee per person. DCNR manages the trail as part of Laurel Ridge State Park.

Winter

Skiing within two hours

Seven Springs

76.2 miles, about 1h 53m with no traffic from PIT.

7springs.com

Hidden Valley

74.7 miles, about 1h 44m with no traffic from PIT.

hiddenvalleyresort.com

Laurel Mountain

79.1 miles, about 2h 09m with no traffic from PIT.

laurelmountainski.com

Fly in, drive out

Your base is Pittsburgh.

PIT is the big airport for the region. Fly in, spend a day or two in the city, and head for the ridges.

Inside Pittsburgh International Airport's new terminal: a wood-slatted ceiling, long skylights and a hanging mobile over the main hall

PITThe airportRental cars and the new terminal.

Downtown Pittsburgh's skyline across the river on a clear day, with the UPMC sign atop the U.S. Steel Tower at center

Pittsburgh48 hours in the cityBefore or after the mountains.

One of Pittsburgh's yellow Three Sisters bridges crossing the Allegheny River toward downtown on a blue-sky day

Every routeFind your nonstopCities with a direct flight to PIT.

The yellow-and-black Steel Curtain roller coaster rising over the Kennywood Park entrance building and the Racer

Closer to townKennywood10.7 miles, about 22 min with no traffic from downtown.

Questions

Where are the Laurel Highlands?

Southwestern Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. The Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau covers Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, about 3,000 square miles.

How far are the Laurel Highlands from Pittsburgh?

It depends where you go. From downtown Pittsburgh, Ligonier is 51.8 miles, about 1h 17m with no traffic and Ohiopyle is 68.5 miles, about 1h 39m with no traffic. From the airport, add about 25 minutes. Use the drive-time explorer on this page.

How long is the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail?

70 miles, from the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown. It has eight overnight shelter areas, 6 to 12 miles apart, that must be reserved in advance.

Is the Flight 93 National Memorial free?

Yes. The National Park Service charges no entrance fee, and the grounds are open sunrise to sunset all year. It is at 6424 Lincoln Highway, Stoystown, PA.

What is there to do in the Laurel Highlands?

Whitewater and waterfalls at Ohiopyle, two Frank Lloyd Wright houses (Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob), the Fort Necessity and Flight 93 national park sites, skiing at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain, and the Great Allegheny Passage and Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.

Keep planning

Sources