Ohiopyle State Park

The Youghiogheny drops through a gorge here and the Lower Yough below the falls is among the most heavily used whitewater runs in the eastern United States - class III and IV, run commercially and by private boaters under a permit system that caps daily launches. Ohiopyle Falls at the village is about six metres across the full width of the river. The Natural Waterslides on Meadow Run are smooth sandstone chutes people slide down, which is permitted and is also where most injuries in the park happen. The Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail runs through, carrying cyclists between Pittsburgh and Cumberland. Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's house over a waterfall, is about ten kilometres north.

What you actually see

• The Lower Yough - class III and IV whitewater under a permit cap.
• Ohiopyle Falls - about six metres across the whole river.
• Natural sandstone waterslides - on Meadow Run, and slippery.
• The Great Allegheny Passage - the rail-trail through the gorge.

When to go

April to October; spring has the highest water. A full day.

Honest expectations

Rafting requires booking and the permit system limits private boaters. The waterslides cause most of the park's injuries. Parking in the village fills by mid-morning in summer. Water levels dictate what runs.

Nearby

Fallingwater is north; Kentuck Knob is also close.