Officials at Ohiopyle State Park have opened a new bicyclist-focused, fee-based primitive campground at mile marker 72.6 along the Great Allegheny Passage. Dubbed High Bridge Biking Campsites, this new overnight spot for bikepackers includes five tent sites (each with a picnic table), and a centrally-located composting toilet. The site is inaccessible by motorized vehicles and no campfires are allowed. No sinks, showers, or water are available on site, but users can fill up water bottles at the renovated former train station a few hundred yards away, across the Ohiopyle Low and High Bridges and Ferncliff Peninsula, and walk up to Kentuck Campground to freely use its shower facilities. Pets are welcome as per park policy.
“This new campground is set apart for bicyclists, and will allow thru-riders on the Great Allegheny Passage to make camp inside Ohiopyle State Park without walking their bikes up to Kentuck Campground, which was designed for car camping and backpackers when trains were still running through the park,” says Ken Bisbee, Park Operations Manager. “We’re very thankful to private donors who have underwritten and supported this project for many years.” Bisbee notes that park staff installed a Dero Bike Fix-It Station on site, as well.
Advance reservations are required, and are limited to one night only for parties of up to five people. Each of the five sites are $4 per person for Pennsylvania residents or $5 per person for out-of-staters. Reserve your spot by logging in at the Pennsylvania state park website, pull up Ohiopyle State Park and then “Backpacking and River Camping,” click on “Bike-In Camping Permit,” then pick your date and site, and finally click “I am an Experienced Backpacker or River Camper!” to secure and pay in advance for your site. If you need help or have questions, call the park office at 724-329-8591.