Beam Rocks Overlook Hike and Linn Run State Park, Laughlintown, PA, Somerset and Westmoreland Counties

One of my favorite little hikes in western PA is the Beam Rocks Overlook hike. If you are traveling along the Lincoln Highway in this area, you absolutely need to stop here, stretch your legs, and take in the magnificent views. Even though this is a generally level and obstacle free hike, between this and the nearby Wolf Rocks hike, the absolutely spectacular views make these some of the finest places to hike in western PA. The last time I showed you these places was during the depths of winter. Today we visit during the autumn season, and get a view of some of the residual colors and fresh blanket of leaves across the forest floor of Laurel Ridge. 

For more in depth information about this and the nearby Wolf Rocks hikes, check out this guide that we wrote. 

A fresh blanket of leaves on the forest floor of Laurel Ridge.

There's Brit!

The shapes of the stones give them an almost lifelike feel. With some imagination, the rock in the center of the photo almost looks like a sleeping or planking person, to bring back a meme phenomenon from a few years ago. The rock is complete with two nostrils facing us towards the end of the rock, with the sides of the rock almost looking like the arms of someone with an hourglass figure, and the hips tilting back outwards towards the bottom right of the photo. 

These sandstone outcroppings stand about ninety feet above Laurel Ridge. 

A commanding view of Laurel Ridge

A look down about 90 feet, with the forest floor having some low lying Mountain Laurel or Rhododendron. Nothing makes me feel as alive as taking in nature on a nice crisp day like this.

It is neat to see how the sandstone has weathered with rounded edges without one jagged/90 degree edge. 

A commanding view of the Somerset County countryside with just a hint of remaining autumn color.

Brit!

Now we headed back to the parking location and needed to quench our thirst.

So we stopped at Grove Run Spring at the nearby Linn Run State Park, a gorgeous little wonderland, complete with this spring, a deeply forested gorge, a small waterfall, and historic cabins that were constructed by the CCC, a Great Depression era program that built the infrastructure of many of the places that we hold dear. Grove Run Spring gushes the cleanest and most delicious spring water that is known to man, in my humble opinion. My goodness is it so delicious. The best things in life are free.

Linn Run State Park, Forbes State Forest, and the surrounding areas abound with spectacular natural beauty and are well worth your time. These places are so awesome to relax in.