Pennsylvania trails · Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

A 62.0-mile network in Pennsylvania, with 1,626 ft of climbing. Reaches Irwin Hill and other lake/summit/viewpoint destinations. Managed by Pennsylvania DCNR.

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Length

62.0 mi

Elevation gain

1,626 ft

Difficulty

Expert

Max grade

48%

Steepest mile

+1,055 ft

Tread at ≥10% grade

14.8 mi

Shape

network

Managed by

Pennsylvania DCNR

Elevation profile

The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route. It gives back about 9,234 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

Stream ford: expect at least one unbridged crossing.

Sections reported faint or hard to follow — carry a map or download this area offline.

Getting there

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail access — parking nearby. About 30 min drive (19 mi) from Uniontown. 39.87121, -79.48998 · directions

Daylight at the trailhead

On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:59 a.m., the sun rises at 7:27 a.m. and sets at 6:40 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:07 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 13 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 47 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 — 10.3 mi loop, 3,442 ft gain
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail + Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — 10.8 mi loop, 3,348 ft gain
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail + Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — 2.3 mi loop, 587 ft gain

Nearby trails

Ohiopyle State Park Hiking Trails — 1.2 mi