Laurel Hill State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Laurel Hill State Park is a beautiful park located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
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Summary
It covers over 4,000 acres and offers numerous recreational activities for visitors to enjoy. Some of the main attractions include hiking trails, fishing, swimming, and boating. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including black bears, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys.
One of the most popular attractions at Laurel Hill State Park is the Laurel Hill Lake. This 63-acre lake is ideal for swimming, boating, and fishing. Visitors can rent paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes to explore the lake or fish for bass, trout, and panfish.
The park also features over 10 miles of hiking trails that wind through the forested hills and offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Some of the trails are suitable for mountain biking as well.
In addition to outdoor activities, there are also several historic sites to explore within the park. Visitors can visit the restored Laurel Hill Grist Mill, which was built in the early 1800s and still grinds cornmeal and buckwheat flour.
The best time to visit Laurel Hill State Park is during the spring and summer months when the weather is warm and the park is in full bloom. However, the fall foliage is also a popular attraction, and the park offers several events and festivals throughout the year, including the annual Maple Sugar Festival in March.
Overall, Laurel Hill State Park is a great destination for nature enthusiasts and history buffs alike. With its stunning scenery, outdoor activities, and rich history, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Kooser State Park
Natural Area Roaring Run
Forbes State Forest
Laurel Ridge State Park
Laurel Summit State Park