Laurel Highlands River Tours and Outdoor Center — Local services in Ohiopyle

Captures the feeling of Road Rage perfectly!

All the rafts had to cluster in the eddy after almost every rapid, wait for the stragglers, get briefed on the next rapid, and then launch again. It was as if they were trying to re-create the stop and go feeling of I-95 outside of Washington during rush hour (complete with road rage). It really ended up feeling like they went out of their way to prevent us from having fun. We not allow to jump from the seemingly designated "Jump Rock" (other rafting companies were actively doing it as we passed by)

Posting guides on the rocks to call out instructions and wave their arms frantically was effective. They were always ready to fish people out that were knocked overboard. I do applaud their attention to safety. After everyone was thrown out of a raft, a guide heroically dived into the raft to prevent it from being washed away.

However, it did not begin to counter balance the frustration of continuously stopping and regrouping. The pre-rapid briefings were doubly frustrating as they seemed to reiterate the key point: follow the water and avoid the rocks. Explaining what we needed to do by using the names of unlabled rocks that we had never seen before was particularly unhelpful. Perhaps the worst part of the format was that the post-rapid waits were bound by the skill level of the other rafts of the flotilla: you are only as fast as the slowest raft.

This rafting company is not for those that want to actually experience rafting. It is for families that want to feel like they are going to a safe, controlled amusement park; but still be able to claim that they took their kids white water rafting. If you are an overprotective mother, then this is the company that you want to hire. If you want to have a fun day of rafting, look elsewhere.

EDIT: I was not aware that the other options (Super Deluxe Private Guided Tours) would have theoretically reduced many of the sources of aggravation. We selected the one we did because we did not want to have a guide in the raft. Based on my experience (grueling and frustrating with bursts of happiness when we actually got to hit a rapid), I am still unable to recommend this...

UPDATE: We returned to this company for a second trip and they were once again amazing. We had John as our guide this time and he was great, funny, knowledgeable, and talented. We will definitely return for a third trip in the future.

This was an amazing trip in so many ways. I am thrilled that we went with this company versus the others in the area.

First, when you arrive, this company is in the booth located on the right side of the parking area. Someone is there to go through the check-in process and they are willing to hold onto belongings like keys so you can lock things in your car without worrying about having your keys with you on the trip. The check-in process was easy and the staff were very nice and helpful.

Next, everyone suits up in a life jacket and helmet prior to going on the bus to the actual launch site. Some initial instruction takes place before getting on the bus, but a majority of the nuts and bolts are talked about at the site where the boats are.

Once the bus arrives at the river, everyone is told their boat/guide assignment. One important thing to note is that every boat has a guide, which is not true with other companies. Once everyone gets to their boat, the guide puts people in spots based on strengths, more instruction is given, and all the boats launch.

The trip is great and our guide Rodney was amazing. He was extremely knowledgeable of the river and it made us feel extremely confident going down.

Once you get to the end of the river, you carry the boat up to a van waiting to haul them back. You get back on the bus and they drive you back to the original site. The bus driver we had was very talented and was able to maneuver us around a downed tree safe and sound.

Once you get back, you have the opportunity to buy photos from the trip. There's a certain rapid where the company has a photographer set up and the photos are available for purchase.

I cannot recommend this company enough. It was such a great...

My husband and I had an absolutely amazing time at Laurel Highlands last week! It was our first experience with rafting, and I'm thrilled that we chose this place. Our guide, Jess, was not only incredibly nice but also highly skilled and adorable. She expertly navigated around almost every rock, making our rafting adventure both exciting and safe.

The entire staff went above and beyond their duties. At one point, we had the option to climb a high rock and jump into the water. I was initially eager to try it, but as fear set in, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I asked Jess if she could jump with me, and though she couldn't physically hold me, she agreed to jump together. Unfortunately, my fear got the best of me, and I feel terrible for letting her jump alone. I'm sincerely sorry, Jess, for not being able to follow through. You didn't have to do it, but you did. Thank you so much.

Then, another guide named John noticed my desire to jump and offered to jump with me, holding onto me for support. He was already in his own raft, but his crew was incredibly friendly and understanding. John stopped his raft, climbed up the rock, and took the leap with me. I must admit, it was scary, but it was also so much fun! Thank you, Jess and John, for being such fantastic companions. You both are truly the best!

I also want to mention the guide on the bus, although I regret not getting his name. During the ride back to the end of the tour, he kept us entertained with his jokes, making the journey even more enjoyable. The two bus drivers were equally amazing. We had an absolutely wonderful time overall. I will definitely recommend Laurel Highlands to my friends for an unforgettable...