Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail marks 50 years with new story map

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation intern Eleanor Meckley created an interactive story map to mark the 50th anniversary of the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. The project pairs trail history with maps, photos and milestones to help visitors explore one of Pennsylvania’s best-known long-distance trails.

Why it matters: - The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is one of Pennsylvania’s signature long-distance trails, and the new story map gives hikers, history buffs and public-lands supporters a fresh way to explore its past. - The project highlights how the trail connects recreation, conservation and regional history across western Pennsylvania.

What happened: - Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation intern and Shippensburg University graduate student Eleanor Meckley created a story map to commemorate the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail’s 50th anniversary. - The interactive project combines narrative, maps, photographs, graphics and other visual elements. - The story map is available here.

The details: - The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail runs 70 miles along Laurel Ridge. - The trail connects Ohiopyle State Park with the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown. - The route crosses Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland and Cambria counties. - The trail travels through Ohiopyle State Park, Laurel Ridge State Park, Forbes State Forest, and State Game Lands 111 and 042. - The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is a major segment of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. - The trail’s history dates to the early 1970s. - The first portion of Laurel Ridge State Park and the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail opened May 15, 1974, after the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy acquired more than 11,000 acres along Laurel Ridge. - The full 70-mile trail was completed in 1976. - The finished trail included eight shelter areas spaced every 6 to 12 miles. - The trail has given hikers access to forests, ridges, overlooks and other natural scenery for 50 years.

Between the lines: - Meckley said the challenge was not finding enough material, but organizing the volume of trail history into a cohesive format. - Meckley framed the project as a “love story,” reflecting the trail’s long-running popularity and deep public connection. - PPFF President Marci Mowery said the story map brings the trail to life in a way that honors its past and encourages future exploration. - The project also signals a broader effort to use digital storytelling to make conservation history more accessible.

What's next: - The story map is now available online for public exploration. - The 50th anniversary offers another chance for visitors and supporters to reflect on the trail’s legacy and continued use. - PPFF is positioning emerging conservation leaders like Meckley as part of its public-lands work.

The bottom line: - The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail’s 50th anniversary is being marked not just with reflection, but with a digital archive designed to help more people discover the trail’s history and landscape.