Some of my earliest hiking adventures began not far from the Lincoln Highway in Auburn, California, where my dad still lives today.
Growing up as an Air Force brat meant that “home” could be found in many different places, but Northern California gave me an early appreciation for trails, rivers, rocky overlooks, and the thrill of discovering what waited around the next bend. Those childhood adventures helped shape a lifelong love of hiking and then fishing—two activities that still influence how I explore a new place.
Perhaps that is why I have always loved the idea of turning off the Lincoln Highway and following a trail.
The highway may lead us through nearly 200 miles of Pennsylvania history, but the journey does not have to end when we park the car. Just beyond the pavement are wooded paths, mountain streams, peaceful lakes, picnic areas, scenic overlooks, and some of the most beautiful public lands in the Commonwealth.
From Route 30 to Wolf Rocks
Recently, that sense of adventure led me to the Wolf Rocks viewpoint, located only about six miles from the Lincoln Highway.
The hike begins at Laurel Summit State Park, a small mountaintop park that serves as a trailhead for the surrounding Forbes State Forest. From there, the trail winds through the woods before reaching a striking sandstone outcrop overlooking the Linn Run Valley and Chestnut Ridge.
Standing on Wolf Rocks, surrounded by miles of green ridges and a wide summer sky, it was easy to forget how close I was to Route 30. That is part of what makes these outdoor detours so special: you can leave the highway behind for a few hours, experience an entirely different landscape, and still return to your Lincoln Highway journey before the day is over.
Wolf Rocks is only one example. Travelers can leave the highway near Ligonier to explore Linn Run or Laurel Summit, venture toward the trails and lake at Laurel Hill, or head farther east to places such as Shawnee and Cowans Gap. Depending on the stop, your outdoor adventure might include a woodland hike, a quiet afternoon of fishing, a paddle across a lake, or simply lunch beneath the trees.
Adventure Does Not Have to Be Expensive
Let’s be honest: the economy is not making travel especially easy right now.
Gas, meals, lodging, admission fees, and all the other costs of a road trip can add up quickly. But a memorable day away does not have to require an elaborate itinerary or a large travel budget.
Why not skip the Turnpike, take the Lincoln Highway, and make the journey itself part of the adventure?
Pack a lunch instead of relying on another expensive meal. Bring your hiking shoes or fishing pole. Stop at a state park for a short walk, spread a blanket beside a lake, or find a picnic table with a view. Pair that outdoor stop with a museum, historic site, roadside attraction, or locally owned business along the route.
Some of the best travel memories come from experiences that cost very little.
One of my fondest road-trip memories is from a summer journey through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with my family. We stopped at a roadside park along Lake Michigan, pulled out our cooking supplies, and made omelettes for everyone. It was not an expensive restaurant or a carefully planned attraction. It was simply a beautiful place, a meal prepared together, and an unexpected pause along the road.
Years later, that roadside breakfast remains one of the moments I remember most clearly.
That is the kind of experience the Lincoln Highway still invites us to have. Sometimes all it takes is choosing the slower road, packing something good to eat, and remaining open to the places you find along the way.
Choose Your Own Outdoor Detour
There is no single way to experience the natural side of the Lincoln Highway.
If you love to hike, choose a short trail that fits comfortably into your itinerary—or challenge yourself with a longer route and make it the centerpiece of the day. The Laurel Highlands offer everything from brief woodland walks to rocky overlooks and sections of the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
If fishing is more your speed, pack your gear and look for a nearby lake or stream. An hour beside the water can turn an ordinary drive into a restorative afternoon, whether the fish are biting or not.
Families might prefer an easy nature walk followed by a picnic. Campers can use a state park as a home base for exploring nearby Lincoln Highway communities over an entire weekend. Even travelers who are not interested in a long hike can enjoy a scenic pull-off, a quiet picnic area, or a few moments beside the water.
The point is not to check another destination off a list. It is to slow down and experience the landscape through which the highway travels.
Protecting the Places Beyond the Pavement
Outdoor recreation is not separate from the Lincoln Highway story. Parks, trails, waterways, forests, and scenic landscapes are all part of the character of the Heritage Corridor—and caring for them is an investment in the communities along the route.
That connection was reflected in the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor’s recent Mini-Grant funding cycle, which placed special emphasis on projects supporting access to parks, trails, and water resources. Trail development, conservation, maintenance, interpretation, and improved access help residents enjoy these places while giving travelers another reason to explore the communities surrounding them.
When we preserve a trail, improve access to a waterway, or care for a public landscape, we are also protecting the experiences that make a journey meaningful.
The Lincoln Highway tells a story of movement, connection, and discovery. Our trails and public lands extend that story beyond the road.
Build Your Own Road-and-Trail Adventure
The next time you travel Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Highway, consider adding one outdoor detour to your plans.
Begin with a morning hike and reward yourself with lunch at a local restaurant. Pack a picnic and spend the afternoon beside a lake before visiting a historic site. Go fishing for a few hours, stop at a roadside landmark, and finish the day with a locally made treat. Use our Lincoln Highway Map & Guide to find nearby attractions, shops, restaurants, and places to stay.
Your plans do not have to be complicated. In fact, leaving a little room for spontaneity may lead to the best part of the trip.
There will always be reasons to hurry from one destination to the next. The Lincoln Highway reminds us that there is another way to travel: choose the historic road, watch for the unexpected turn, and occasionally park the car.
You never know what view—or memory—might be waiting at the end of the trail.
