Soak in the beauty of Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands

Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands span some 3,000 square miles in the Allegheny Mountains about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Drenched with waterfalls, it’s Pennsylvania’s steepest location, and the elevation places it among the state’s coolest and wettest spots.

That’s great news come summertime, when the region’s many waterfalls and other attractions provide a tranquil respite and pleasant diversion from the heat. Here’s how we explored during a recent family vacation.

One of America’s iconic waterfalls is found on a woodsy, domestic retreat. Frank Lloyd Wright positioned Fallingwater over Bear Run, a cascading tributary of the Youghiogheny River that’s nestled in the town of Mill Run.

Wright designed the architectural masterpiece in 1935 as a weekend getaway for Edgar J. Kaufmann, who owned a department store bearing his family’s name. Fallingwater gained National Historic Landmark designation in 1976.

The home’s sequence of overhanging stucco-covered concrete terraces is secured to the slope’s natural rock formations. The exterior’s native sandstone slabs establish a visual harmony with its surroundings.

The public can tour the home and grounds. Visitors can best experience the sights and sounds of rushing water in the spring, when Bear Run is at its highest level and when the mountain laurel is abloom. Adult guided tour rates start at $25.

Of the nearly 1,000 structures Wright designed, a few are in the Laurel Highlands. From Fallingwater, it’s 6.5 miles southwest to Kentuck Knob and about 23 miles to Polymath Park’s Mäntylä House and Duncan House.

Even closer to Fallingwater, Ohiopyle State Park’s 20,000-acre swath of wilderness is home to a handful of beautiful waterfalls flowing through the Youghiogheny River Gorge. They make for great hikes and picnic spots, and even recreation.

The Youghiogheny River, or “Yough” (pronounced Yawk), provides unmatched scenery and some of the best whitewater rafting and kayaking in the eastern United States. Experience both at Ohiopyle Falls, a wide section of the river with a 23-foot vertical drop that some call the “Niagara Falls of Western Pennsylvania.”

View the falls and hear its roar from the 3-level observation deck, where you’ll likely see onlookers cheering kayakers descending the falls.

No matter the season, Cucumber Falls puts on a show. This 30-foot cascade may be western Pennsylvania’s most photogenic waterfall.

It’s also the perfect roadside attraction. Veer off Ohiopyle Road into a gravel parking lot and descend the stairway into a stone amphitheater with the stunning waterfall at its heart. Someone is usually taking a selfie as they gaze upon the misty, natural stage.

From behind the falls, my teenage son, Max, and I stared through the water into the cavernous space beyond, our view far surpassing what any big-screen TV or video game could project.

Nature carved a waterpark into sandstone at Meadow Run, just south of Ohiopyle along SR 381. Here, adventure seekers take on the natural slides, whisked downstream by a swift current and a slick channel that twists, turns, and spills into a pool of water. They slide at their own risk, cautioned by a sign to “play wisely” when the water rises.

Others take to the natural playground with their cameras, snapping photos of the moss-covered rock formations, flowering rhododendrons, and Eastern hemlocks. Still others fish the Youghiogheny tributary for native brook trout in an area rife with trout streams.

Resting at a sharp turn of the snaky Youghiogheny River, the tiny town of Ohiopyle offers challenging whitewater rafting and access to the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage bike path that connects Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland.

Ohiopyle’s location along the Lower Yough makes it easy to take advantage of nearby Class III rapids. Rent a raft or kayak from one of 4 local outfitting companies: Wilderness Voyageurs Rafting & Bike Tours offers several guided trips down the intermediate rapids.

Board a raft to see the water if you can. We enjoyed a picnic lunch alongside the always-in-motion Yough, just a few steps from the town.

More than 26 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage, or the GAP, run through Ohiopyle State Park, where the bike trail was initially laid. Part of the trail goes directly through town. With a non-taxing .25% grade and smooth surface, it’s a fine way for families to view some of the park’s waterfalls, creeks, and meadows, as well as the Yough’s rapids.

Scenic hiking trails are just a stone’s throw away, with Cucumber Falls being one of the main attractions. For an adventuresome trek during good weather, the Great Gorge Trail is a 1.3-mile connector between the GAP and Cucumber Falls and its picnic area. From there, you can walk along the Cucumber Run Trail to the natural waterslides.

Several casual eateries and shops spring to life in Ohiopyle during tourist season. Pick up a sandwich or wrap, or shop for your own picnic lunch at The Falls Market. The well-loved Paddlers Pizza also sells goods from its sister store, the Ohiopyle Bakery.

The town’s charming array of eclectic shops include the Ohiopyle Coffee Company and Oddly Enough, where visitors can peruse a delightful selection of clothing and gifts.

About 11 miles south of Fallingwater through Ohiopyle State Park, the grand resort Nemacolin is the dream of the late Joseph Hardy, who turned 84 Lumber into one of the country’s largest building-materials businesses. The property augments its numerous lodging options with a mix of activities such as a shooting range, an art academy, and an animal safari with lions and tigers.

Falling Rock, a AAA Five Diamond boutique hotel at Nemacolin, tips its hat to Frank Lloyd Wright’s use of organic architecture in its combination of stone, concrete, glass, steel, and wood.

Guests can enjoy butler service, fine dining, and easy access to Nemacolin’s 2 rugged-yet-beautiful golf courses. The pro shop at the flagship Mystic Rock is steps away from Falling Rock’s guest elevators. Rates start at $839, plus a $39 daily resort fee.

Nemacolin has 14 eateries and bars, including new offerings as part of the renovated Chateau hotel, which is reopening in the summer of 2024. In Falling Rock, the elegant Aqueous seafood restaurant is adorned with barrel-shaped chairs reminiscent of Wright’s iconic designs in an open, airy space with lots of stone, steel, and glass.

Nemacolin also has paintball, a high-ropes course, several swimming pools, Jeep off-roading, and a casino. Many of Hardy’s vintage cars are on display, as are some of the founder’s art and collectibles recently valued at more than $45 million.

We enjoyed some of the resort’s more common activities—throwing axes and “cosmic bowling” in a neon-glittered space inside The Peak, the resort’s family activities center. We also loved tooling around the property on electric bicycles.

Lodging opportunities abound in the Laurel Highlands, from rustic campgrounds to elevated treehouses to vacation homes. Take a cue from the Kaufmann family and cozy up to nature in a creek-side cabin near Ohiopyle State Park.

Creek Haven, offered by Vacation Ohiopyle Mountain Getaways, was cute as a bug outside. Inside, there’s a snug kitchen, a homey living room stocked with board games, and 3 bedrooms of varying sizes à la Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.

I unwound in what could have been Baby Bear’s bedroom. It felt just right lying in the small bed and peering through a square window into the surrounding forest. Rates start at $389, plus a $75 cleaning fee.

Wendy Pramik is a freelance writer and photographer from Columbus, Ohio, and vice president of the Midwest Travel Journalists Association.