Pennsylvania trails · Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
A 62.0-mile network in Pennsylvania, with 1,699 ft of climbing. Reaches Irwin Hill and other lake/summit/viewpoint destinations. Managed by Pennsylvania DCNR.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the final third: 46% of the ascent falls between mile 70.4 and mile 105.7. It gives back about 9,540 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Irwin Hill (summit)
- Big Spring Reservoir (lake)
- Beam Rocks (viewpoint)
Heads up
Getting there
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail access — parking nearby. 39.87121, -79.48998 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:16 a.m., the sun rises at 6:44 a.m. and sets at 7:51 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:19 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 07 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 62.0-mile route works out to roughly 23 h 49 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.
Loop options
- Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail + Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — 2.3 mi loop, 587 ft gain
- Spruce Run Trail + Summit Trail + Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail — 8.8 mi loop, 591 ft gain