map-www.LHtrouttrail.com The Laurel Highlands region of southwestern Pennsylvania is famous for its trails including the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, the Great Allegheny Passage Laurel bicycle and multi-use trail, the Youghiogheny River Water Trail and now the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail. A trout trail? Not one for trout, but one to take people to trout-related recreation. The Laurel Highlands Trout Trail directs anglers to 10 different streams in a Highlands 70-mile region that stretches from Ligonier in the north, southward almost to the West Virginia border. Unlike the others, it’s not a trail that’s one continuous route but a course of driving from stream to stream and tasting the Trout Trail fishing at each and every stop. The Laurel Highlands Trout Trail is in its fifth year and so far, according to Olga Herbert, executive director of by Linda Steiner the Lincoln Highway (Route 30) Heritage Corridor, it has 24 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • March/April 2016 PFBC Facebook: PaFishandBoat photo-Linda Steiner photo-Linda Fishing the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area of Loyalhanna Creek, Westmoreland County. been very popular with anglers and their families. The trail concept was created in 2012 by Herbert in conjunction with the local Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) and the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau. It has thrived through the support of these and other partners. The trail is a novel way to focus and spur angling-related visitation to enhance the local economy, and it also has a conservation component. “We’ve put some money into healthy streams,” said Herbert. “We wrote a grant from the Laurel Highlands Visitor Bureau to add limestone sand to Rock Run, which has an acid problem.” The remediation work involved the Forbes Trail TU chapter. Rock Run flows into Linn Run, which feeds map-www.LHtrouttrail.com Loyalhanna Creek, Westmoreland County. Both are destinations on the trout trail. “We’re trying to attract new men, women and youth to fly fishing and the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail, and you have to have good streams to have a good time,” said Herbert. Anglers visiting the trail streams are encouraged to take a “selfie” photo at each of the destinations, and email it to the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. The “Selfie at the Stream” promotion, which offers a drawing for fishing-related prizes, will be conducted again this year. Visit www.LHtrouttrail.com for more information on Steiner photo-Bob where to email photos for 2016 and view the on-the-trail “selfies.” The website also has a trout trail brochure, stream location map, listing of area angling-themed events, lodging suggestions, fishing and fly-hatch information and Fishing the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area of additional links and contacts. Laurel Hill Creek, Somerset County. PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • March/April 2016 25 photo-Bob Steiner photo-Bob View of falls in Ohiopyle State Park. photo-Bob Steiner Hooked on the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail? You can start anywhere along the way, but let’s look at the 10 trout trail waters from north to south. Many of the stream sections on the trail are on public land, many are in Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission special regulation Fishing the DHALO area of Laurel Hill Creek, Somerset County. angling programs, and all have good public access. 1. Mill Creek’s section of the trail is 3 miles long, 5. To fish the Stonycreek River, follow the trail along beginning on Mallard Lane, off Wilpen Road, and Route 30 to Stoystown. Turn south onto State running downstream to Ligonier, Westmoreland Route 1007. Park and start fishing at the restored County. Mill Creek is a medium-sized tributary of Glessner covered bridge, circa 1845. Loyalhanna Creek and is fed by Exceptional Value headwater streams. 6. Also on the trail is Pike Run, Washington County, at the Laurel Hill Trout Farm, about 3 miles east 2. The trout trail part of Loyalhanna Creek, of Jones Mills on the south side of Route 31 (fee Westmoreland County, 1.67 miles in the Delayed fishing). Harvest Artificial Lures Only (DHALO) Program, is also at Ligonier. It runs from State Route 711 7. Laurel Hill Creek’s portion of the trout trail is to State Route 2045. The Loyalhanna Creek in Laurel Hill State Park, west of Somerset. A is a comfortable casting width in this section, 2.33-mile DHALO project begins at the bridge paralleling Route 30, and is easily waded. Like upstream of Laurel Hill Lake (Township 364) and Mill Creek, it is semi-suburban, semi-pastoral and extends toward Countryman Bridge on Township somewhat wooded. 364. Stocked trout may be caught in this forested stream. Laurel Hill Creek, Somerset County, has 3. Linn Run, south of Ligonier, is in the Linn Run State a second DHALO project of 1.26 miles, from the Park, Westmoreland County. It’s a classic small-and- footbridge on State Game Lands 111 Road in tumbling mountain stream. The access is along the Humbert, downstream to Paddytown Hollow Run. main park road, with lots of parking and streamside cabins. The trout trail section extends from the Linn Run State Park office downstream to the park boundary, near Rector. Cold tributaries and a dense tree cover extend the trout fishing period on this stocked stream. 4. East of Donegal, picturesque Indian Creek, Westmoreland County, is another trout trail destination. Fish the 1.6-mile section along Route 381 that is a DHALO project. The special regulation area boundaries are from Hunters Bridge, off Route 381 on Township 916, downstream to the Route 381 bridge in Jones Mills. Indian Creek’s Camp Run is a notable tributary, hosting wild trout. Brook Trout photo-Linda Steiner 26 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • March/April 2016 PFBC Facebook: PaFishandBoat photo-Linda Steiner photo-Linda Rainbow Trout 8.1. Another trout trail creek is Meadow Run, Fayette County. Its DHALO segment, 2.2 miles, is in photo-Linda Steiner photo-Linda Ohiopyle State Park, near the state park office. Meadow Run is a fast-flowing, fast-falling stream with waterfalls and slick slides in its lower section. The creek’s outlet is the Youghiogheny River. The Laurel Highlands Trout Trail directs anglers to 10 different 9.2. The 10-mile section of the Youghiogheny River streams in a 70-mile region. between Ohiopyle and Confluence is the longest and biggest offering on the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail. photo-Bob Steiner photo-Bob The “Yough” here is a tailwater fishery, maintaining long-term, trout-suitable water temperatures and is popular with fly anglers just below the dam. Try fishing the All Tackle Trophy Trout Project in the “Middle Yough,” from the Ramcat access in the state park downstream to Ohiopyle. Wading can be tricky in this rocky, quick-moving, high-volume river, but there’s lots of casting room and fish-holding pockets to explore. 10.3. Quebec Run is the most remote and probably least fished of the 10 trail streams, which will make it a must-visit for some trout trail travelers. Quebec Run is in Forbes State Forest, Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, a few miles north of the West Virginia border. Located within a state- designated Wild Area, the run has native Brook Trout. Hike in on the Mill Run Trail to complete the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail. You may want to travel the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail with the goal of catching a trout in each of the 10 waters. Visit each one just to see it, say you’ve wet a line and take it off your list, or use it as a way to find out about new angling opportunities you plan to revisit again and again. In any case, each of the destinations on the trout trail can During a float trip of the Middle Youghiogheny River, an answer the question “where do I want to go fishing this angler stops to wet a line. weekend” for the next 10 weekends. PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • March/April 2016 27.