Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail – PA Rt. 56 Trailhead to PA Rt. 271 Trailhead - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail – PA Rt. 56 Trailhead to PA Rt. 271 Trailhead
Country:	United States
State:	Pennsylvania
Nearby Town:	Johnstown
Rating:
Directions:	From Johnstown, Pennsylvania, head west on PA Rt. 56 / Harold Avenue for approximately 5 miles. The entrance to Laurel Ridge State Park will be on the left.
Total Hike Distance:	15.50 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Moderate to Difficult
Permit Required:	Yes
Hike Type:	One-Way, Shuttle Hike
Hike Starts:	PA Rt. 56 Trailhead Parking Area
Hike Ends:	PA Rt. 271 Trailhead Parking Area
Trails Used:	Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams, Snow
Management:	State Park Service
Contact Information:	Laurel Ridge State Park 1117 Jim Mountain Road Rockwood, Pennsylvania 15557-5454 Phone: 724-455-3744 http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/lhht/index.htm
Best Season:	Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers
Road Conditions:	Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) is a 70-mile hiking and backpacking trail stretching along Laurel Mountain from the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The trail features overnight trail shelters that must be reserved in advance. The trail traverses state parks, state forests, state game lands, other public lands, and private lands. The LHHT is open year-round and is blazed approximately every 100 feet with 2-inch and 5-inch yellow blazes. Connector trails lead to and from trailheads and shelter areas and are marked with blue blazes. Mileage monuments are every mile. Yellow bands around trees mark the trail at every major road crossing. Six trailheads provide 30-car parking lots, overnight parking and trash receptacles. There are eight overnight shelter areas, one every 6 to 12 miles along the trail. Each area contains five Adirondack shelters with fireplaces, two vault toilets and space for 30 tents. Reservations for the entire trip are mandatory and can be made up to 11 months in advance. An overnight camping fee is charged per night per individual. Backpacking groups are limited to the use of one shelter at each overnight stop. A typical shelter can accommodate from four to six campers. Areas adjacent to the shelter are available for setting up campsites for additional backpacking party members. Detailed maps and elevation profiles are available on the website. This particular hike started at the PA Rt. 56 Trailhead (mile 70) and traversed south to the PA Rt. 56 Decker Avenue Shelter Area (mile 64.9). This put the first day at approximately 6 miles (the connector trails leading from the main trail to the shelter areas range from 0.5 to 1 miles in distance). Day two stretched from the PA Rt. 56 Decker Avenue Shelter Area to the PA Rt. 271 Shelter Area (mile 56.9). This put the second day at approximately 9 miles. Day three consisted of a short hike from the PA Rt. 271 Shelter Area to the PA Rt. 271 Trailhead (approximately 0.5 miles).