Things to do / Travel Guide
Southwestern Pennsylvania, with Pittsburgh at its center, bubbles with outdoors activity like the famed Youghiogheny River. That's whitewater rafting and kayaking country, folks! It's a region of famously recreation-oriented rivers welding together at Pittsburgh, and the bumpy and bouncy Allegheny Plateau. Water activities in the region are taken to the extreme, and the biking - well, Steel City isn't known as San Francisco of the East for nothing!
Water Activities in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Let's start with the rivers: You've got the Youghiogheny River, which runs into the Monongahela River, and the Monongahela and the Allegheny, which converge at the heart of Pittsburgh to create the Ohio River. The three latter rivers provide some of the best city kayaking in the country. On either side, proud tall new skyscrapers peak, and 446 bridges - yes, you read right - cross overhead.
You'll have plenty of cruising room at almost any point along the rivers. Kayakers, both novice and professional, praise to no end the stretch of the Yough (as they call it) from Connellsville to Pittsburgh. The current is swift, but nothing an extra dose of adrenalin can't handle.
How about that whitewater, now? The Youghiogheny is probably one of the most well-known U.S. spots for extreme aquatic sports. It's got awesome, endless Class IV rapids, both within Ohiopyle State Park and without. Further south it gets wilder still, first at Exquisite Swallow Falls State Park, then finally at the Upper Yough Sand Run. Leave all doubt (and fear) behind: It doesn't get any hairier, and one weak paddle can send you swimming free in Class V rapids.
The southwestern Pennsylvania waters are not only brimming with adventure, but also with fish. They've recently risen to prominence for their abundance of smallmouth and largemouth bass, as well as trout. Some of the best city fishing is from Point State Park, at the very confluence of the three rivers. Farther south on the Yough, you'll find plenty of shallow-enough places for fly-fishing, and there are more than enough coves and backwaters to keep you busy with the panfish, walleye, and smallmouth bass.
Land-based Activities in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Now ditch your raft, make your way to one of the city's numerous bike rental outlets, and head for the hills! Pittsburgh boasts a city-full of paved, steep inclines that dare adventurous and fit cyclists to rise to the challenge. There are numerous city trails racing through suburbia, while downtown street paths may be your best bet to get a feel for the city. If you're looking for a city park in which to break in your mountain bike, look no further than Frick Park.
Extra-city biking usually takes you along the Youghiogheny. The Youghiogheny River Trail is flat and mostly runs along an old train bed. If you crave the rugged, Ohiopyle State Park delivers! A plethora of mountain trails wind their way up creek and down ravine; it's the perfect way to get your ya-yas out. The beautiful waterfalls are an added bonus.
Southwestern Pennsylvania offers one of the nation's best trails for hiking in nature. It's called the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, and, spanning five counties, it boasts a generous share of overnight shelters in which to camp out. The terrain is varied, but you're never far away from sandstone and limestone outcroppings, forest vistas (think fall foliage) and mountain laurels, and wildlife. It's the new Alleghenies!
Planning a winter stay in the region? How about taking a few days for some skiing at Wisp, the region's major ski resort. Need a break from the heavy touring schedule? Take a morning off and hit the greens at Nemacolin Woodlands - Mystic Rock Course, the region's best golf course.
Southwestern Pennsylvania from Above
Tired of the traditional ways of exploring a new region? How about a trip up to the skies in a hot-air balloon to witness the fractured terrain of the Alleghany Plateau, or a trip down harnessed to a parachute - George Bush Sr.-style! Don't wait till your 80; take the 120-mph-ride now, and experience the region's beauty and splendor from above!
Ahh, life is good if you're enjoying the great outdoors in southwest Pennsylvania. With the best whitewater this side of the Mississippi, and fantastic city and mountain biking, it's like a lesson for life: for every downhill there's another up, and the higher you go, the more exhilarating the descent.
Outdoor Recreation in Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania
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