Laurel Highlands River Tours & Outdoor Center
Laurel Highlands River Tours & Outdoor Center
Laurel Highlands River Tours & Outdoor Center
5
River Rafting & TubingZipline & Aerial Adventure ParksBike ToursClimbing ToursKayaking & Canoeing
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Enjoy Guided Rafting trips on the Middle, Lower or Upper Youghiogheny River or on the Cheat River. We offer Family float trips to wild whitewater. We are located in the heart of scenic Ohiopyle Pa. We have bike rentals, guided rock climbing, and guided mountain biking, as well as lodging and camping packages! Our Zip Line Adventure Park is located on Grant Street in Ohiopyle, Pa, with two levels for kids of (almost) all ages and the young at heart! Our multi-day packages are the way to go when you're visiting Southwestern Pennsylvania!
Ohiopyle, United States
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Laurel Highlands River Tours & Outdoor Center
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravellers talk about
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
658 reviews
Excellent
594
Very good
37
Average
8
Poor
11
Terrible
9
Roni
Reisterstown, MD2 contributions
Jul 2020
We brought our grandchildren, ages 7 and 9, on their first whitewater rafting adventure. We took the Middle Yough Premium Tour. We had the BEST tour guide, Elaina. She was so knowledgeable and skilled and made the day even more enjoyable! She was also great working with the children. Originally we were not going to have a guide at all and then we were going to have her in a duckie beside us instead of in our raft. We changed our mind on both accounts and were SO glad we did. We could easily ask questions and interact with her as well as work together when we were maneuvering the raft. Having the guide was worth every bit of extra money and I would highly recommend taking the guided tour if your are not famililiar with the river. The grandchildren were so thrilled with the experience and we all had lots of fun and made special memories! I would go again with Laurel Highlands if we are ever in the area again!
Written 27 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DLMWR
Pittsburgh, PA191 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Our family of four booked a premium guided tour of the lower Yough on a Thursday. My husband and I haven’t rafted for 20+ years, and our kids (12 and 15) had never gone before. We had an AMAZING experience. Brandon was our guide and expertly steered us through the rapids - we were just the “motor” and he would tell us when and how to paddle. It made the trip stress free so we could focus on the fun of the rapids and relax on the quiet parts. We also stopped at Cucumber Falls, which was a short hike from the river. If you decide to hike, make sure that your water shoes have good treads because some of the rocky spots are steep and slick. Brandon brought us bottled water and Gatorades and we ordered boxed lunches a few days in advance. Our youngest loved the trip so much that she wants to go back for her birthday in a few weeks. Highly recommended!
Written 9 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nurse1978
Butler, PA30 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Oh my word! The best trip ever! Our daughter and our 3 teenage grandchildren were visiting from Chicago(2 boys age 13, one girl age 12)We booked a trip through Laurel Highlands before they got here for 2:30pm on a Friday afternoon (Laural travels rain or shine) but we had BEAUTIFUL sunshine. I can't say enough about our guide Noah. Told us the names of all of the rapids plus what to expect and how to row and navigate them before and while going over them. He talked about the wildlife, pointed out an orange trout, engaged us in conversation about his life and ours, and successfully rescued us when my granddaughter and I fell out of the raft on Cucumber. (That by the way was one of my favorite parts of the day) And them to have it photographed by the Laurel Highlands photographer. Will definitely go with this company again! Oh and the trip bus trip up and back was full of information about Ohiopyle! Best trip EVER!
Written 26 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nate S
3 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
I booked a pedal/paddle trip as an engagement event with my now fiancé. I spoke with two different ladies on the phone, both were very polite and friendly. I don’t recall the name of the first lady, but the second lady’s name is Liz. We decided to go with Laurel Highlands River Tours since Wilderness Voyageurs was more expensive and they sounded nicer on the phone than Ohiopyle Trading Post.
Upon arrival, we were disappointed with the way we were treated by the bicycle attendants. We were previously told that we could choose mountain bikes and we were given step through style comfort bikes. When I told them that we had previously discussed a mountain bike option before booking, they insisted that we would want the comfort bikes for the long 9 mile ride (not knowing that I do 20 mile rides on the regular.) I was pretty upset. After starting our bike ride up river I realized that my seat needed adjusted and then discovered that the quick realized lever for the seat post had been broken off, so I had to finish the ride with less than comfortable comfort bike. Upon completion of the bike ride, before getting on the river, I E-mailed Liz and informed her of our disappointment, almost a week later and still no response. I don’t know the names of the bicycle attendants, there was a younger guy in his teens or early 20s, and an older guy in his 50s I’m guessing. I was told the younger guy’s name may be Ray.
The raft attendants were much nicer. They are the reason why I’m rating my experience with Laurel Highlands River Tours as a 2 instead of a 0. Helpful, courteous, funny, friendly. They gave us very good instructions for navigating the middle Yough.
We should have gone with Ohiopyle Trading Post. Lots of bikes outside in their lot to choose from, as opposed to just being handed two bikes without opportunity to choose, and their duckies appeared to be designed as to better navigate areas with lower water levels.
In spite of a disappointing start, and me being cranky as a result, my fiancé still said yes.
Upon arrival, we were disappointed with the way we were treated by the bicycle attendants. We were previously told that we could choose mountain bikes and we were given step through style comfort bikes. When I told them that we had previously discussed a mountain bike option before booking, they insisted that we would want the comfort bikes for the long 9 mile ride (not knowing that I do 20 mile rides on the regular.) I was pretty upset. After starting our bike ride up river I realized that my seat needed adjusted and then discovered that the quick realized lever for the seat post had been broken off, so I had to finish the ride with less than comfortable comfort bike. Upon completion of the bike ride, before getting on the river, I E-mailed Liz and informed her of our disappointment, almost a week later and still no response. I don’t know the names of the bicycle attendants, there was a younger guy in his teens or early 20s, and an older guy in his 50s I’m guessing. I was told the younger guy’s name may be Ray.
The raft attendants were much nicer. They are the reason why I’m rating my experience with Laurel Highlands River Tours as a 2 instead of a 0. Helpful, courteous, funny, friendly. They gave us very good instructions for navigating the middle Yough.
We should have gone with Ohiopyle Trading Post. Lots of bikes outside in their lot to choose from, as opposed to just being handed two bikes without opportunity to choose, and their duckies appeared to be designed as to better navigate areas with lower water levels.
In spite of a disappointing start, and me being cranky as a result, my fiancé still said yes.
Written 3 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PondaBaba
Poughkeepsie, NY5 contributions
Jul 2022
This was a fantastic experience and a great way to spend the day. We're a family of four (two adults, two teenagers), and none of us had ever gone whitewater rafting before. Our guide, Mason, was knowledgeable and skilled, and navigated us through all of the rapids by helping us work together. My wife fell out of the boat during a particularly rough section of water, and Mason leaped into action, grabbing her out of the water with one hand while steering the boat through the rapids with the other. The whole trip was exciting and fun, but never felt like we were in any real danger due to the experienced staff.
We had considered some of the other tour companies in the area, and were glad we picked Laurel Highlands. We saw some of the other companies leading river tours at the same time, and our rafts seemed to be newer and in better shape than the rafts we saw the other companies using. Also we got to hear some great dad jokes on the bus ride back to the base.
Overall we highly recommend taking a whitewater rafting trip on the Yough, and specifically with Laurel Highlands. It was a great day!
We had considered some of the other tour companies in the area, and were glad we picked Laurel Highlands. We saw some of the other companies leading river tours at the same time, and our rafts seemed to be newer and in better shape than the rafts we saw the other companies using. Also we got to hear some great dad jokes on the bus ride back to the base.
Overall we highly recommend taking a whitewater rafting trip on the Yough, and specifically with Laurel Highlands. It was a great day!
Written 7 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angela V
1 contribution
Jul 2020
We did a premium tour on a Sunday, especially because we were nervous about being in a raft with other people we don't know. Our guide, Simon, was fantastic. He was calm, so knowledgeable about all things river and rafting related, happy to explain any questions we had, and was so pleasant to have as our guide. We had lunch included as part of our tour package. The lunch hit the spot. This trip was the highlight of our summer 2020!
Written 27 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
videoln
Indianapolis, IN18 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
This was an amazing family adventure and our rafting guide Ray was exceptional! We chose the Premium day trip which included lunch and several scenic stops along the way. Ray was super educated about the area, the river, and rafting and put any of our fears of the unknown at ease. Make sure to purchase the photo package. Photo quality is excellent, affordable, and a perfect capturing of our fun family day! Highly recommend!
Written 10 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joshua D
3 contributions
Aug 2021
I have been coming to Ohiopyle since i was 11 and have rafted the lower Yough half a dozen times in the last 20 years.
We booked a trip for 5. On our way to the area, we had a truck break down and were unable to finish the trip to Ohiopyle. I called as soon as it was apparent we would not be able to raft, 2 days prior. The person i spoke with on the phone, Vanessa was rude and after putting me on hold told me there was no refunds. I was never informed of this policy prior to booking. I would have been content with a raincheck or maybe a partial refund. Especially now in the covid era where plans change due to unforeseen circumstances. We were booked on a group trip that typically sends a 10-15 rafts together; i see no way our cancelling impacted their ability to run that trip. This "policy" is a simple money grab.
A few days later, i received an email from "Liz Mccarty' thanking of for coming and asking us to review. I replied and asked to be contacted prior to leaving a review. I have yet to be contacted by email or phone so clearly they are not interested in anyone's feedback.
I will never book with Laurel Highlands again, and honestly am soured on the whole Ohiopyle area. Liz i hope you enjoy my money as i do what you request and leave you poor reviews anywhere I can.
We booked a trip for 5. On our way to the area, we had a truck break down and were unable to finish the trip to Ohiopyle. I called as soon as it was apparent we would not be able to raft, 2 days prior. The person i spoke with on the phone, Vanessa was rude and after putting me on hold told me there was no refunds. I was never informed of this policy prior to booking. I would have been content with a raincheck or maybe a partial refund. Especially now in the covid era where plans change due to unforeseen circumstances. We were booked on a group trip that typically sends a 10-15 rafts together; i see no way our cancelling impacted their ability to run that trip. This "policy" is a simple money grab.
A few days later, i received an email from "Liz Mccarty' thanking of for coming and asking us to review. I replied and asked to be contacted prior to leaving a review. I have yet to be contacted by email or phone so clearly they are not interested in anyone's feedback.
I will never book with Laurel Highlands again, and honestly am soured on the whole Ohiopyle area. Liz i hope you enjoy my money as i do what you request and leave you poor reviews anywhere I can.
Written 11 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HeZ777
Savannah, GA128 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
Jared & David were awesome guides on our trip. Safety minded yet fun. We took the Lower Yough tour. Class III/IV. They worked hard to make it enjoyable for our rafting party, yet it was clear they really enjoyed what they were doing. Excellent pics available after the trip.
The water level during our trip was at about 18". Rapids experiences sprinkled throughout the approximate 3 hour trip. During higher water, we heard the trip can be as fast as 35 minutes. From what we heard today, Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, additional water is released, making the Upper Yough (Class V) even more challenging.
Know that cell and WiFi in the Ohiopyle proper were generally pretty weak, but then again, we're here for the nature.
The water level during our trip was at about 18". Rapids experiences sprinkled throughout the approximate 3 hour trip. During higher water, we heard the trip can be as fast as 35 minutes. From what we heard today, Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, additional water is released, making the Upper Yough (Class V) even more challenging.
Know that cell and WiFi in the Ohiopyle proper were generally pretty weak, but then again, we're here for the nature.
Written 9 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary Jo S
Tallahassee, FL79 contributions
Jun 2021
Rafted the lower Yough with a great guide. We had a group of 14 and put the kids in one raft and the adults in another.
Rapids were exhilarating but not overwhelming. This is no float trip.
Weather was perfect. Water was refreshing. Had a blast.
And the guide was hilarious. He never stopped telling jokes on the entire journey (except when he was telling us to paddle).
Bring water!
Rapids were exhilarating but not overwhelming. This is no float trip.
Weather was perfect. Water was refreshing. Had a blast.
And the guide was hilarious. He never stopped telling jokes on the entire journey (except when he was telling us to paddle).
Bring water!
Written 29 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey, you mention kids in your review. Would it be suitable for somebody with limited swimming ability?
Thanks
Written 3 April 2019
Rafting is a great activity for kids and families! And the nice thing is that knowing how to swim is not a necessity because you will be wearing a personal flotation device at all times on the river. We will take good care of you!
Written 8 April 2019
Can we kayak with our own kayaks or do we have to rent them when we come?
Written 30 June 2018
Hi Racquel! You can use your own equipment on the Youghiogheny River. Check with the Ohiopyle State Park for the regulations for private boaters. Their number is 724-329-8591. We rent equipment on the Middle Yough and Lower Yough if you need any help! Thank you!
Written 1 July 2018
I'm absolutely scared to go rafting. I'm a teenager but I sorta am not that adventuristic. My whole family is going & my concern is that I'll fall out of the raft. We're going on the lower yough. but I'm scared that I'll fall out or that the raft will flip. On the lower yough do a lot of people fall out? & is it really scary?
Written 16 June 2016
I think you will find that once you get in the water, all of your fear will go away rather quickly. We did the Upper Yough which is much more challenging and had some nervous people. After the first couple of rapids anyone who started out scared was having too much fun to be afraid. Don't worry...even if you do fall out you have a helmet and life jacket, and the company does a great job of taking care of people who happen to go swimming. I highly recommend you take a chance and go. You'll have a great time.
Written 16 June 2016
Showing results 1-4 of 4