One
of the first man-made sites you’ll find along this route
is a home built by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright
that literally (yes, literally) hangs over a rushing river.
You can take a tour of the home and actually hear the
rushing water below some of the floors of the house.
If
you love whitewater rivers and thick woods then you need
to plan to spend some time at the Ohiopyle State Park
off of state road 381. The Youghiogheny River is an Indian
word meaning “white frothy water” … you will quickly see
why the name fits the river so well. The park has a section
of the river that passes through a huge gorge. There
are plenty of overlooks for you to see the river if you
stop and walk around in the park. The park is loaded
with trails.
Youghiogheny
Lake offers fishing, hiking and camping for those interested.
Laurel
Hill State Park is a top quality park that has
a visitor’s center that can tell you about all the trails
and attractions the park has to offer.
In
the town of Somerset you can has a large Historical Center
where old pioneer-like skills and crafts are on display.
Here you can also pickup a brochure and a nearby Covered
Bridge Route that may become the favorite part of this
route for you.
Take
US 31 east to the town of Manns Choice where the route
can get a little tricky as you head to Bedford … don’t
hesitate to ask for directions if you think your lost.
The
town of Bedford dates back to before the declaration of
independence and was the location where George Washington
once established a headquarters. The town offers a walking
tour that will tell you all about the role this town played
as a frontier outpost. If you want to visit a recreated
Colonial settlement, visit the Old
Bedford Village.
On
route 30 heading east you will see some Inns and taverns
from as long ago as the 1700s. Some are even strategically
built 4 miles apart because that was the average daily
travel length for people that day.
If
you take a detour off of US 30, south on state road 96,
you can go to the Shawnee State Park.
At
Bald Knob summit you can take in some views of both Maryland
and West Virginia.
The
route finishes up in the nice little town of Ligonier.
Here you can walk or drive down Main street and checkout
the beautiful historic buildings.
Laurel
Hills Visitors Bureau (800-925-7669).
