Ohiopyle Falls. sometimes referred to as the “Niagara Falls of Western Pennsylvania”, is located near the center of 19,052 acre Ohiopyle State Park, just off Route 381 in Fayette County.
The name Ohiopyle comes from the Native American term “ohiopehhla”, which loosely translates into modern English as “white, frothy water”, a reference to the whitewater the falls and the Youghiogheny River are famous for.
With a drop of 20 feet and a width spanning the entire Youghiogheny River, Ohiopyle Falls is one of the most visited and most photographed tourist attractions in the Laurel Highlands.
Its close proximity to nearby Cucumber Falls, arguably THE most photogenic waterfall in western Pennsylvania, makes Ohiopyle Falls a bucket list destination on any travel itinerary through the region.
Finding the Falls
Finding Ohiopyle Falls is easy – deciding where to view it from is the hard part, because there are so many good spots to choose from.
The falls are located in the town of Ohiopyle, just off of Main Street / Route 381.
If you are using navigation, use the GPS coordinates 39.868156, -79.494286 to guide you to the large parking lot closest to what I’m calling View #1 on the map above.
The street address of the parking lot / Visitors Center is 124 Main Street, Ohiopyle, PA 15470.
Or if you’re old school, just follow road signs to the town of Ohiopyle and look for the Ohiopyle Falls signs along Main Street.
Which View to Choose
I’m going to give you a breakdown of what I consider to be the 5 best vantage points to take in Ohiopyle Falls.
The first 3 are the easiest to get to, the last 2 are the most photogenic.
View #1 – The Observation Deck
The first view I’ll mention is the Ohiopyle Falls Observation Deck, located next to the parking lot on Main Street / Route 381.
This vantage point is dead easy to get to – hop out of your car, travel a few yards, and you’re there.
The observation deck is actually a series of 3 tiered decks, each one offering a slightly different view.
The uppermost deck is wheelchair accessible, the other decks require you to navigate some steps.
If you want to get a quick glimpse of the falls without any effort, then this is your spot.
View #2 – Outside the Visitors Center
The next-easiest vantage point to view Ohiopyle Falls from would be in front of the Laurel Highlands Visitors Center, which shares the parking lot with the Ohiopyle Falls Observation Deck.
This view gives you a better sense of scale, in my opinion, than does the Observation Deck view.
It’s also very easy to get to and wheelchair accessible.
View #3 – Inside the Visitors Center
Of course if you want to see Ohiopyle Falls from a climate-controlled environment, you can’t beat the view from inside the Laurel Highlands Visitors Center.
Located on the lower level of the Visitors Center (and wheelchair accessible via elevator), this wall of glass and steel gives you a chance to see the falls without being exposed to the elements.
The Visitors Center is also a fantastic source of information about Ohiopyle State Park and the Laurel Highlands in general.
And yes there are public restrooms!
View #4 – The Ferncliff Trail
Whereas the first 3 views I mentioned were easy to get to, the last 2 are slightly more challenging.
But the payoff is, in my opinion, well worth the effort.
So how do you get to the other side of the falls?
Simple.
Park in the large dirt Ferncliff Trail lot indicated on the map above.
Hike down the Ferncliff Trail 1/3 of a mile, along the banks of the Youghiogheny River, until you reach the side of Ohiopyle Falls.
That’s it!
When the river is swollen, parts of the Ferncliff Trail may be partially submerged.
Whereas other times, when the water is low, you might encounter folks fishing on the rocks immediately beneath the falls.
This side view of the falls is also one of my favorite spots to take in the sunrise at Ohiopyle State Park.
The sun crests the mountains to the east approximately 1 hour after the “official” sunrise time for any given day.
On this particular morning I captured the sunrise AND a fisherman in one frame!
The side view is especially stunning in the winter.
And winter sunrises are often a misty affair.
View #5 – The Ferncliff Overlook
Another 1/10th of a mile down the Ferncliff Trail from the Side View is the Ferncliff Overlook.
This is a great spot to watch the kayakers who occasionally “shoot the falls”.
This is also one of the best “selfie” spots at Ohiopyle State Park.
And even though the sun is typically just out of frame from this angle, it still makes for a nice sunrise spot.
Other Photo Ops along Ferncliff Trail
Another reason I like the Ferncliff Trail side of Ohiopyle Falls so much is the other photo opportunities you have hiking to / from the falls.
Numerous small cascades dot the river between the Low Bridge on the Great Allegheny Passage and Ohiopyle Falls.
In the winter the cascades can become obscured by snow and ice.
But the Low Bridge is always there as an outstanding focal point.
Nearby Attractions
10 Must-See Waterfalls at Ohiopyle State Park is your guide to to the 10 best waterfall spots at Ohiopyle State Park!
10 of the Best Hiking Trails at Ohiopyle State Park will introduce you to nearly 80 miles of trails and vistas!
Nearby Laurel Caverns is billed as “Pennsylvania’s Largest Cave”, and is a great way to spend an hour or two BENEATH Fayette County!
Fallingwater, located just a few miles from Ohiopyle, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and was voted by the American Institute of Architects as “the best all-time work of American architecture”.
Kentuck Knob in Fayette County is another nearby Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, built in 1954 for Isaac and Bernardine Hagan, founders of the Hagan Ice Cream company in nearby Uniontown, PA.
Fort Necessity in Fayette County is the site of the first battle in what would become known in North America as the French and Indian War.
Still not convinced you need to visit Ohiopyle Falls?
Then check out this video!
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