Laurel Mountain State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Laurel Mountain State Park |
|
|---|---|
Near the entrance to the ski area
|
|
 Laurel Mountain State Park
Location in Pennsylvania
|
|
| Location | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 493 acres (200 ha) |
| Elevation | 2,723 ft (830 m) |
| Established | 1964 |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Laurel Mountain State Park |
Laurel Mountain State Park is a 493-acre (200 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County and Jenner Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States.
Geography
Laurel Mountain State Park is 2 miles (3.2 km) south of U.S. Route 30 near Jennerstown. Several communications and broadcast towers are located on the top of Laurel Mountain, which serves the eastern Pittsburgh area and Greater Johnstown.
History
The park was opened as a private ski area in 1939 by General Richard K. Mellon and the Rolling Rock brewery from nearby Latrobe. It was one of the first ski areas in Pennsylvania and although World War II caused the ski resort to be temporarily closed, in the years following the war, it was the "Ski Capital of Pennsylvania". General Mellon leased the land to the state in 1963 and gave it to the state in 1964, when it officially became "Laurel Mountain State Park".
This state park is a ski resort that closed for business in 2005. The ski assets of the park were purchased by Seven Springs Mountain Resort in November 2008 with the goal of reopening the slopes. They would be operated under contract with PA-DCNR by the management of Seven Springs. Seven Springs signed a 10-year lease with PA-DCNR in November 2009. This allows the ski company to move ahead with plans to renovate and reopen the ski slopes.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Laurel Mountain State Park:
- Blue Knob State Park (Bedford County)
- Keystone State Park (Westmoreland County)
- Kooser State Park (Somerset County)
- Laurel Hill State Park (Somerset County)
- Laurel Ridge State Park (Cambria, Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties)
- Laurel Summit State Park (Westmoreland County)
- Linn Run State Park (Westmoreland County)
- Ohiopyle State Park (Fayette County)
- Shawnee State Park (Bedford County)
- Yellow Creek State Park (Indiana County)
