5 Trails to Visit in Somerset County

Limiting this article to just five trails to visit in Somerset County was difficult. There are multiple trail systems and state parks in Somerset County. Each of these has several trails, so I handled this blog a little differently.

5 Trails to Visit in Somerset County

1. State Parks.

Somerset County is a large county containing several state parks. Each state park has multiple trails that during certain seasons can be used for hiking and biking. During the winter they are great for cross county skiing. Here is a list of state parks to visit:

• Laurel Ridge State Park: Laurel Ridge is a 13,625-acre state park. It can be found in several counties including Cambria, Fayett, Somerset and Westmoreland. Hikers can find a portion of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail here. There are several other trails as well. To find out more information check out their Alltrails site here.
• Laurel Hill State Park: This park is 3,935 acres with a 63 acre man-made lake with a dam. The lake and dam were constructed during the Great Depression. Laurel Hill has several beautiful trails. Find more information here.
•  Kooser State Park: This state park is only 250 acres. The Civillian Conservation Corps built it in the 1930’s. They also constructed the 4 acre Kooser Lake. The state park is a little small, however it is surrounded by the Forbes State Forest. For more information on the trail visit here.
• Laurel Mountain State Park: This state park is 493 acres and covers Westmoreland and Somerset counties. Laurel Mountain was opened as a private ski area in 1939 becoming one of the first ski areas in PA. The land was given to the state in 1964 and since became a state park. To find out more about the trails visit this page.

2. Great Allegheny Passage

The Great Allegheny Passage is a rails-to-trails system stretching 150 miles. It connects Pittsburgh to Washington DC and a portion of it goes through Somerset County. There are many sights to see along the trail from nature to man-made structures. There is also a lot of history to be discovered. To find more information visit this page.

3. Gallitzin State Forest

The Gallizin State Forest is situated on Cambria, Somerset Bedford and Indiana counties. Named in honor of Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin. It consists of 24,370 acres. Visitors can find a picnic area including a volleyball court and horseshoe pits. Walking along the trails, hikers can find bog-like wetlands, trees, and rock formations. To learn more visit here.

4. Seven Springs Mountain Resort

Seven Springs is a resort where visitors can ski during the winter and in the summer they can hike, bike, zip line, fish and golf. The resort gets its name from the seven springs the original owner discovered on his 2.5 acres in 1932. When the owners discovered how much people wanted to ski around their farm, they accommodated them. The resort began in 1937. 1948 saw Seven Springs Farm grow to 5,500 acres. To learn more about the fascinating history of Seven Springs visit here. To learn more about the trails available to visitors, visit here.

5. Yoder Falls

Yoder Falls is not far from Johnstown, but still in Somerset County. A local businessman donated the land in 1915. From then until the 1936 Johnstown flood, it was a small amusement park. It closed in 1936 and is now a hidden gem. The trail head is a little hard to find. The trek is a little challenging since visitors have to cross a stream a couple times. To learn more about how to get to Yoder Falls you can visit PA Bucket List and Uncovering PA.

Hopefully you can find a beautiful natural space to enjoy as the weather starts to warm up. Getting outside and getting some natural vitamin D is good for our physical and mental health. Visit my blog here if you are interested in Cambria County trails. If trails in Indiana are more your thing, visit my page here. Please help keep nature unsullied. If you carry it in then carry it out. Please, no littering.