We've hit the dog days of summer! There is no better way to escape the heat than to hit the RIVER! Rafting season is in full swing!
Head to Ohiopyle State Park to check some Class III-IV rafting on the Lower Yough. We offer Guide Escorted (guides aren't in your raft but will escort you down the river), Fully Guided (a guide will be in your raft) and Premium Guided Tours (the ULTIMATE Yough experience)! All you need is swim wear and sunscreen and we will provide the rest, including lunch!
Check out our Calendar for last minute savings on select tours on the Lower Yough. Don't miss out on this summer's best outdoor adventure. Book now ONLINE or give us a call 800-472-3846.
Summer is HERE! There are only about five weeks left before the kids are back to school. Now is the time your family should be looking for some fun outdoor activities. Why not bring the whole family rafting? We are offering some great deals right now.
Raft on the Middle Yough guided tour on any Wednesday and one child (under 12) can raft FREE with two paying adults. Come to Ohiopyle during the to experience the State Park at its quieter moments! The river will also be a lot less crowded, which is always a good thing! Mention code KFW to one of our outdoor specialists to receive your discount.
There are a few weeks remaining in May and we have some great specials left this month.
Raft on the Upper Yough Friday, May 21 or Friday, May 28 for just $105 plus tax! Wow - what a discount! Saturday, May 29 Upper trip is already sold out so call in sick from work and hit the river for a great deal!
Check out the official Falls Race website to read about the new information that has been posted. www.fallsrace.com They have released an image of the 2009 t-shirt design and details about the Town Party, being hosted right here on the Laurel Highlands Outdoor Center Porch at 7 pm on Saturday!
Also, don't forget to check out our Big Fall Sale that will officially begin on Saturday, August 22nd. including store-wide specials and our HUGE Gazebo Sale with items up to 50% OFF!!! Our 2009 Demo kayaks will also be for sale on that day. Don't miss out on the great deals on clothing, gear, boats, and more!
Check out some of these fun activities planned with the State Park this weekend! Top off a fun day on the river with the Owl Prowl tonight, or try the Arts in the Park event on Saturday. Contact the Ohiopyle State Park office for more details.
Don't miss out on the goings-on in Ohiopyle! Become a FAN of Laurel Highlands River Tours on Facebook to stay in the know! We have been uploading lots of photos of our guide staff and some cool pictures of our past. And, there are many more photos to come!! Check back to view some pics of our 2009 Training Class and some funny rafting mishap pictures.
So, we're in what meteorologists call a "minor weather event" here in Ohiopyle. We've had so many rainy days that the creeks are flooding, the river is high, and the trees and flowers are exploding with blossoms! It's really pretty during the few moments when the sun breaks through. All of this rain means that the lakes are filling and the future looks excellent for consistently perfect water levels for the majority of the river season! Which is very good news for boaters! But not the best news for bikers and hikers...
The fifteen day forecast looks even better! There are 80 degrees days coming! Our spaces for the coming weekends are filling rapidly, so if you're ready for some fun in the sun, give us a call so we can help you plan your outdoor adventure!
Picture this... The very first trip of the year: A warm Spring day, the rains have stopped and the sun is shining. You're in Albright, West Virginia, at the put in for the Cheat River. It's April! The river is at 5 feet! It's 70 degrees! To us, this sounds like a dream. It should be snowing! The wind should be blowing and the ice should be forming on our life jackets! It builds character after all...
But no! It's true! The river is running a perfect 5 feet! The sun really is shining! Those really are birds singing! The thermometer actually hits 70 degrees. Unbelieveable.
Last Sunday, April 5th, 2009, we ran our first trip of the year. We were on the Cheat at 5 feet in 70 degree sunshine with our friends from the Allegheny College Outing Club. And I truely hope they all had a firm understanding of how lucky they are. Here's a few pictures of their beautiful day. Give us a call to lock in your reservation for your own Cheat River adventure this year before time runs out!
This is your one-stop source of information on what to do when you visit Ohiopyle this 4th of July!
For the absolute best in fireworks displays, I suggest Nemacolin Wooodlands on Route 40, just minutes from Ohiopyle. Featuring Zambelli fireworks set to music, the event kicks off at 9:30pm. Also on their agenda for the holiday weekend is the following:
4:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Family Barbeque at the Caddyshack. $35 adults, $17.50 ages 4-12 (children under 3 complimentary). Full bar, barbeque buffet, pony rides and tons of family activities.
6:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. Spiderman Movie Marathon.
Friday, July 4
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Family Gym Time at the Hardy Girls' Gym. $20 per family.
4:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Family Barbeque at the Caddyshack. $35 adults, $17.50 ages 4-12 (children under 3 complimentary). Full bar, barbeque buffet, pony rides and tons of family activities.
5 p.m. Holiday Parade
8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Lions, Tigers and Bears - Oh My! Nemacolin is proud to present an educational and interactive live animal show. $15 adults and $12 children.
9:30 p.m. Fireworks Display.
Saturday, July 5
10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Family Carnival. $20 per child. Join us for a day of carnival games, popcorn, cotton candy, bounce house, tie dyed t-shirts, face painting, a petting zoo and much more.
12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Family Activities. Three Legged Relay Race
12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Family Activities. Potato Sack Race
1:00 p.m. Savannah's (our Wildlife Academy Zebra) birthday party!
1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Family Activities. Pie Eating Contest
1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Family Activities. Water Balloon Toss
4:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Family Barbeque at the Caddyshack. $35 adults, $17.50 ages 4-12 (children under 3 complimentary). Full bar, barbeque buffet, pony rides and tons of family activities.
8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Lions, Tigers and Bears - Oh My! Nemacolin is proud to present an educational and interactive live animal show. $15 adults and $12 children.
If you are interested in any of the above activities, contact us in our office at 1-800-472-3846 and we can direct you to Nemacolin Woodlands.
Not too far from Ohiopyle, further down the banks of the Yough River, is Connellsville. Here is what they have planned for Thursday evening:
Connellsville Fireworks
Fireworks in the City of Connellsville.
Location: Yough River Park
Thursday the 3rd of July 2008
09:00pm to 10:30pm
Location
Yough River Park
Connellsville, PA 15425
For additional information on Connellsville's fireworks, give us a call at 1-800-472-3846 and we will direct you.
And finally, if you're interested in a big-city experience, check out what Pittsburgh has to offer:
Street Jam at The Waterfront
Celebrate you Independance at the Street Jam at The Waterfront brought to you by Miller Brewing Company and Bowser Pontiac.
July 3rd - 6pm - 11pm. In Town Center next to Bar Louie and Red Hot & Blue
6:30 pm Live Music from Bon Journey and Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers.
Zambelli Fireworks at 9:45pm
Out-door Food and Beverage Booths available from Waterfront Restaurants.
Thursday the 3rd of July 2008
06:00pm to 11:00pm
Location
The Waterfront
Waterfront Dr.
Homestead, PA 15120
Now you've got all the details about where to go and when. So, I hope you have a great holiday, and we hope to see you on the river!
Granddaughter of owners, Mark and Linda, MacKenzie grew up on the Yough River in Ohiopyle. Her mom and dad, Jamie and Joseph, instilled a love of water in MacKenzie at a very early age. She started kayaking when she was only seven. And like a fish in water, she was right at home.
After spending many summers at Riversport kayaking camps, MacKenzie decided it was time to experience BIG water. Naturally she thought of the Ottawa River in Ontario. She contacted Wilderness Tours and spoke with owner Joe Kowalski. Joe, coincidently, started his whitewater career here at Laurel Highlands back in the early seventies. He talked to MacKenzie about WT's Keener program and she was sold.
In order to pay for her two weeks in Canada, MacKenzie will be working on the river here in Ohiopyle this summer. She has been dying to be a river guide, but given that she isn't 18 yet there is a little kink in the works. In order to get her on the guide roster, our general manager, Terry Palmo, and Ohiopyle State Park's manager, John Hallas, worked together to create the Junior Guide position. So MacKenzie is now a fourth generation river guide on the Yough River. You will probably see her on the river when you visit, in her kayak, working or playing!
And as if she wasn't busy enough....MacKenzie decided to start competing in Wildwater kayak racing and Rodeo kayaking. And what a competitor she is! Her second race ever in a Wildwater kayak she won the Sprint portion of the race. And her first Rodeo competition she place first. Paddling so well earned her the oppertunity to compete in the USACK Junior Olympics. So she is off to Wausau, Wisconsin in early July to kick some kayak butt.
MacKenzie surfing the Bus Eater on the Ottawa. She found her BIG water!
Well, it was another successful Cheat Fest weekend in Albright, WV! The Cheat River Race on Friday evening was a HUGE success, breaking more records! The water levels held between 3.5' and 4' all weekend. The weather was beautiful, except for that little rain cloud that dumped on us at around 3pm for about an hour, just enough rain to really mud things up!
For any of you who may have missed the festive weekend, don't fret. The Cheat is still running at great levels. Being one of the most unique rivers on the East Coast, it's definately an experience you should not miss!
If you've never experienced Cheat Fest in Albright, WV, there are few things I can say to describe it to you, kind of like the Cheat River itself. It's a one-of-a-kind experience that will leave you marking your calender on the first Saturday of next May for Cheat Fest 2009!
You will come for the fantastic local art and music, stay for the mouth-watering food, and you'll never forget your day in this rare and unique Appalachain Mountain region. The thrills and spills and the beauty and splendor of the Cheat River Canyon will not disappoint.
Here's what we recommend for you and your group to jam the most fun possible into one weekend: meet us in Ohiopyle, PA, on Friday for a trip down the Upper Yough, in Friendsville, MD. Experience some of the steepest and most intense whitewater on the East coast, then camp out in the area and rest up for a thrilling day on the mighty Cheat Canyon in Albright, WV on Saturday. Following your trip, plan to visit the world-famous Cheat Fest right across the road from our check-in booth. With art and jewelry vendors, great deals on boats and river gear, amazing food (look for the folks with the homemade chili!), and bands playing all kinds of fantastic music late into the night, Cheat Fest has something for everyone. If after all that, you still haven't had enough, try duckies on the Lower Yough back in Ohiopyle on Sunday to cap off your adventure!
From rustic campgrounds to sweet B&B's, whatever your speed, we can recommend some lodging for you, just give us call.
The weather is still looking pretty good for this weekend, check it out here: This website
Also, for more information about the Festival, and for general info about the folks orgainzing it and the river itself, visit www.cheat.org.
Our Outfitter Store in Ohiopyle is open seven days a week now, and the gals in the office are taking phone calls from eight in the morning to ten in the evening, so come visit us, or give us a call. We can answer any question (or find someone who can!) and we are eager to set your group up with your next big adventure!
Raft on the Middle Yough guided tour on any Wednesday and one child (under 12) can raft FREE with two paying adults. Come to Ohiopyle during the to experience the State Park at its quieter moments! The river will also be a lot less crowded, which is always a good thing! Mention code KFW to one of our outdoor specialists to receive your discount. 
Don't miss out on the goings-on in Ohiopyle! Become a FAN of Laurel Highlands River Tours on Facebook to stay in the know! We have been uploading lots of photos of our guide staff and some cool pictures of our past. And, there are many more photos to come!! Check back to view some pics of our 2009 Training Class and some funny rafting mishap pictures. 
