| Ohiopyle State Park | |
|---|---|
 Jonathan Run Falls | |
  Ohiopyle State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Fayette County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°50′30″N79°26′03″W / 39.84167°N 79.43417°W /39.84167; -79.43417 |
| Area | 19,052 acres (77.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,259 ft (689 m)[1] |
| Established | 1965 |
| Named for | ahi opihəle 'it turns very white' |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Ohiopyle State Park |
Ohiopyle State Park is aPennsylvania state park situated on 20,500 acres (8,300 ha) betweenChestnut Ridge andLaurel Hill inDunbar,Henry Clay, andStewart Townships,Fayette County,Pennsylvania, in the United States. The focal point of the park is the more than 14 miles (23 km) of theYoughiogheny River gorge that passes through the park. The river provideswhitewater boating,recreational fishing, andkayaking. Ohiopyle State Park is bisected byPennsylvania Route 381 south of thePennsylvania Turnpike. The park opened to the public in 1965 but was not officially dedicated until 1971.
Ohiopyle State Park was chosen by thePennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Bureau of Parks as one of "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks".[2]
The park lies in theAppalachian mixed mesophytic forestsecoregion.[3]
Ohiopyle State Park features several waterfalls.
Ferncliff Peninsula is a 100-acre (40 ha)peninsula in the Youghiogheny River inside the park. Due to the warmermicroclimate inside the gorge, seeds carried by the river from the south survive. It was declared aNational Natural Landmark in November 1973 and was named a State Park Natural Area in 1992.[4][5]
The first known group of people to inhabit the Ohiopyle area were theMonongahela, a clan of themound builders. TheseNative Americans disappeared from the scene just as European colonists began to arrive in North America. As the east coast was being settled, Native Americans who had lived closer to theAtlantic Ocean were exterminated or forced to flee to the west.
Various tribes, including theShawnee,Lenni Lenape, andSeneca people, inhabited the Ohiopyle area during the 18th century but were ultimately removed after theFrench and Indian War. One of the few remnants of American Indian culture in the area is the name. "Ohiopyle" is derived from theLenape phraseahi opihəle, which means 'it turns very white',[6][7] referring to the frothy waterfalls.[8][9]
The earliest European settlers to the Ohiopyle area were farmers, trappers, and hunters. The population of the area expanded after the building of theNational Road in 1811 that passed near Ohiopyle. This road made the area more accessible and connected it to the eastern markets.Lumbering became the dominant industry. Smaller industries in the area includedcooperages,tanneries,salt mining, andcoal mining.[9]
The construction of theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad and theWestern Maryland Railroad greatly accelerated the progress of the lumbering operations inOhiopyle. Both railroads had stations in theborough. Severalnarrow-gauge railroads were built up into the surrounding mountains. These smaller railways were able to efficiently transport the lumber to thesawmills and rail stations of Ohiopyle.[9]
The railroads also brought tourists to Ohiopyle. The round trip ride from Pittsburgh to Ohiopyle was one dollar. Tourists flocked to the area to see the waterfalls and stay at the resorts that quickly sprouted up along the Youghiogheny River. The resorts had boardwalks, dancing pavilions, bowling alleys, fountains, tennis courts, and hiking trails. The rise of the automobile caused the end of the resorts at Ohiopyle. The buildings were torn down, and the forests were allowed to regrow. TheWestern Pennsylvania Conservancy purchased the land and then sold it to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It was the first and largest park acquired under theProject 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act, with the governor approving the acquisition on August 8, 1964. Ohiopyle State Park was opened to the public in 1965 and was formally dedicated on May 28, 1971.[9][10]
Ohiopyle State Park is a popular destination for rafting, kayaking, and canoeing, but it also has over 100 miles (160 km) of trails that are open tohiking,horseback riding,cross-country skiing,mountain bikes, andsnowmobiles. The trails pass by several of the park's waterfalls and ascend the mountains to scenic overlooks.
TheYoughiogheny River is the busiest section ofwhitewater east of theMississippi River. The Lower Yough, a 7-mile (11 km) run, begins at Ohiopyle Falls and ends at the Bruner Run take-out. The Middle Yough begins at the Ramcat put-in nearConfluence and ends just above the falls inOhiopyle. One weekend per year or so, there is a race and festival devoted to the falls, and the state park permits paddlers to run the falls. Only rubber rafts, closed-topcanoes, andkayaks are permitted in the river. All visitors must wearlife jackets certified by theUnited States Coast Guard. The Lower Yough River is rated Class III to Class IV on theInternational Scale of River Difficulty, depending on water conditions; the easier Middle Yough is rated II, and Ohiopyle Falls is rated IV. Boating must be in accordance with the Safety Code of American Whitewater. Inexperienced visitors are encouraged to hire one of the several private outfitters that offer guided trips down the rapids.[4]
Ohiopyle State Park is connected end-to-end by theYoughiogheny River Trail South section of theGreat Allegheny Passage, part of a 318-mile (512 km) system of off-roadlong-distance trails for hiking and biking betweenPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, andWashington, D.C.
Thisrail-trail parallels the rapids from Ramcat to theBruner Run take-out on either end of the park and crosses over the "Loop" near the falls at Ohiopyle on a high trestle.[11] The trail system connects to a wide network of rustichiking andequestrian trails, including theAppalachian Trail in Maryland. A network of hiking trails exists within the park itself. TheLaurel Highlands Hiking Trail, part of the largerPotomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, has its southern terminus at Ohiopyle State Park.[4]
Hunting is permitted on 18,000 acres (7,300 ha) of Ohiopyle State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of thePennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species areruffed grouse,eastern gray squirrel,wild turkey,American black bear,white-tailed deer, andeastern cottontail rabbits. Hunting ofgroundhogs is prohibited. Loaded firearms are not permitted within 50 feet (15 m) of the river. ThePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission assures that anglers will have plenty of chances to catch fish bystockingtrout in the waters of the Youghiogheny River. All fishermen are required to follow the rules and regulations of the fish commission.[4]
Visitors can stay overnight at Ohiopyle State Park's Kentuck Campground or rent a cottage. The campground has 226 campsites, with 27 of them being walk-in, tent-only sites. All campsites have a picnic table and fire ring, modern restrooms with hot showers and flush toilets, and four playgrounds. The rustic cottages have electricity but lack running water. Each cottage can sleep five people in single or double bunks.[4]
There are two picnic areas at Ohiopyle State Park. Both have tables, grills, restrooms, and pavilions. Cucumber Run Picnic Area is nearCucumber Run. Tharp Knob Picnic Area is near the Tharp Knob Overlook. It has a large ballfield, volleyball court, playground, and two pavilions.[4]
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Ohiopyle State Park:[12][13][14]
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Geographic data related toOhiopyle State Park atOpenStreetMap| International | |
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