Linn Run State Park

The varied topography and mixed hardwood and evergreen forest make the 612-acre Linn Run State Park a scenic place for picnicking, hiking and cabin rentals. Grove and Rock runs join to make Linn Run, an excellent trout stream that has a lovely waterfall, Adams Falls. Forbes State Forest borders Linn Run State Park and offers 50,000 acres of land for outdoor recreation.

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Directions - Weather  - Recreation  - Trails  - Winter Report  - Accessibility  - History  - Nearby Attractions  - Volunteers  - Rules and Regs  - In an Emergency  - Contact Us  - Downloadables and Maps

Park Advisories

Directions

To reach the park from Ligonier, take US 30 east for two miles. At the intersection of PA 381, turn south for two miles. At the small town of Rector turn left onto Linn Run Road.

Recreational Opportunities

Hiking  - Horseback Riding  - Picnicking  - Fishing  - Hunting  - Snowmobiling  - Cabins 

Picnicking: The Adams Falls and Grove Run picnic areas have picnic tables, drinking water, playgrounds and restrooms. Adams Falls has a picnic pavilion that may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Recycling is available in both picnic areas. Please help by disposing of your trash in proper receptacles.

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Fishing: Linn Run offers trout fishing. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws apply.

For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Horseback Riding: Horseback riding is permitted along Linn Run Road and on designated trails in Forbes State Forest.

Cabins: Nine rustic cabins and one modern cabin are available for year-round rental. During the summer season, only weekly rentals are available. Rustic cabins have simple furnishings that include: benches, tables, beds, electric heaters, fireplace inserts for heating, electric stove and refrigerator. Rustic cabins are served by outside water spigots, rustic toilets, and a modern washhouse with showers and flush toilets. The modern cabin (7) is ADA accessible. Explore the Linn Run cabin map. (297 kb) Explore cabins for more information.

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Hunting and Firearms: Over 400 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey, bear and squirrel.

Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible hunting information.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owner's car, trailer or leased campsite. The only exception is that law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms may carry said firearm concealed on their person while they are within the park.

For complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.

Hiking: 6.25 miles of trails
Many of Linn Run’s hiking trails connect to many miles of trails in Forbes State Forest.

Mountain bikes are NOT permitted on hiking trails in Linn Run State Park, but are permitted on designated trails in Forbes State Forest.

Adams Falls Trail is a 1-mile loop that features a mountain waterfall tucked in among rhododendron and hemlock. This very rocky trail passes by large boulders.

Iscrupe Trail is a 0.75-mile trail that follows the original Linn Run Road and was used by early visitors to the Adams Falls Picnic Area.

Flat Rock Trail is a 0.5-mile trail that ends at a large, smooth rock in the stream Linn Run. Swimming is not permitted in this area. Please be cautious, the rocks are very slippery!

Grove Run Trail is a 4-mile loop that starts with a gentle slope behind the Grove Run Picnic Area and becomes progressively steeper. Part of this trail follows Grove Run.

Snowmobiling: Snowmobiles are permitted on the road in the cabin area only. Road access to Forbes State Forest snowmobile trails is near the cabin area. Explore the Winter Report for current snow depths.

Access for People with Disabilities

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

History

Linn Run is in the heart of the Laurel Mountains. The mountainous land ranges from 1,300 feet to 2,800 feet above sea level. Most of the land was bought from the Byers and Allen Lumber Company for $42,662. When the Commonwealth acquired this land in 1909, it was the first major public purchase of denuded forest land in the Ohio River Basin. Today, it is difficult to visualize what this land looked like in 1909 or to imagine that some people questioned the wisdom of purchasing so much “wasteland.”

About fifteen years prior to the acquisition of the Linn Run property, this entire area was clearcut. The old growth forest was transformed into an area devoid of timber and wildlife. Treetops littered the area. Saw logs were sold for lumber. Small logs were used for props in nearby coal mines. Hemlock bark, a source of tannin, was bundled and shipped to tanneries. The railroad that hauled timber and other products to market caused many severe wildfires.

In his first report (September 1909), Forester John R. Williams wrote, “I should say that fully three-fifths of the reserve has been burned over since lumbering was done. The fires did great damage to the young growth. Some places are covered with nothing but ferns and blackberry bushes.”

Occasional scars from those early fires can still be seen after years of forest rehabilitation.

In 1910, the newly formed Pennsylvania Game Commission cooperated with the former Department of Forestry to restock deer. White-tailed deer were imported from New York and Michigan for release throughout Pennsylvania.

Interesting traces remain of the Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad that serviced the area. The main line extended from Rector to Somerset. Because of heavy loads, the tracks switched back and forth across Linn Run several times. Along the Fish Run Trail in Forbes State Forest you will find traces of the old railroad bed.

Nearby State Parks

Laurel Summit State Park: This six-acre area offers picnic tables, a pavilion, drinking water and restrooms. In 1922, Laurel Summit campground had the highest elevation of any public campground in Pennsylvania. The “Summit” remained a public camping area until the late 1940s when it was designated a state park picnic area. This scenic area is 2,739 feet above sea level and several degrees cooler than surrounding towns. Laurel Summit is a carry-in/carry-out area. Please take all of your trash with you.

Laurel Summit provides trailhead parking for Forbes State Forest’s Wolf Rocks Trail, Spruce Flats Bog and access to many of the mountain biking and snowmobile trails in Forbes State Forest. 724-238-6623

Laurel Ridge State Park: The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is a 70-mile backpacking trail that runs from Ohiopyle, Pa., to the Conemaugh River near Johnstown.

Kooser State Park: This 250-acre wooded area has cabins, camping, group tenting, swimming and fishing.

Laurel Hill State Park: In Somerset County, Laurel Hill offers camping, hunting, organized group tenting, organized group cabin camps, boating, fishing, hiking, environmental education programs, and swimming in 65-acre Laurel Hill Lake.

Nearby Attractions

For information on nearby attractions, contact: Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, 800-333-5661, www.laurelhighlands.org.

Forbes State Forest: The 50,000 acres of Forbes State Forest offer hiking, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and other outdoor recreation in a nearly wilderness setting. Contact Forbes State Forest or Linn Run State Park for a map. Mountain bikes are permitted only on designated trails.

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is a segment of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. An enterprise of many partners, the evolving trail network celebrates the heritage of the Potomac and upper Ohio river basins and offers opportunities for hiking, bicycling, boating, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. National Park Service Passport Stamps for the trail are available at the Laurel Ridge State Park Office and at the visitor center in Ohiopyle. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/pohe.

In an Emergency

Contact a park employee or dial 911.
For directions to the nearest hospital, look on bulletin boards or at the park office.

Nearest Hospital:
Excela Latrobe Area Hospital
121 West 2nd Avenue
Latrobe, PA 15650
724-537-1000

For More Information Contact

Linn Run State Park
P.O. Box 50
Rector, PA 15677-0050
724-238-6623
Manager: Doug Finger

E-mail: linnrunsp@state.pa.us
An equal opportunity employer

Make online reservations or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.