Residents upset over loss of public trail access at Laurel Mountain State Park Ski Area

Residents on both sides of Laurel Mountain State Park are upset that the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, aka DCNR, has banned public use of a trail leading to the Laurel Mountain State Park Ski Area for nine months of the year.

On Friday, a dozen residents from Laurel Mountain Village, as well as the mayor of Ligonier Borough, gathered across from the ski area's entrance gate to discuss the issue and promote public support of an online petition asking DCNR to reverse their decision.

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As of Friday afternoon, 348 people had signed the "Laurel Mountain Trail access in summer" online petition at Change.org to reverse the closure, which began last summer. Laurel Mountain State Park is part of the Linn Run State Park complex, both of which are overseen by Park Manager Corey Snyder.

The residents say that DCNR is using taxpayer money to mow the grass and maintain the trail, while also paying rangers to watch out for, warn and fine people who use that same public land to walk or ride on for recreation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DCNR officials had encouraged the public to get outside and walk or pursue other kinds of outdoor recreation as an alternative to indoor gatherings.

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Why the ban?

Douglas Sphar, a local resident and one of the petition organizers, said that DCNR told them the reason for the ban was wording from a 1964 document in which Richard King Mellon gifted the property to the state, where Mellon stipulates that the land may not be used for "summer activities."

Sphar said the petitioners believe Mellon's intent was to prohibit outdoor concerts, festivals and other money-making ventures on the property, not free recreational activities like walking or bike riding for the public.

"Our ultimate goal is to get the policy reversed and the petition is the means," Sphar said. "We're paying DCNR rangers to lock us off our (public) property."

A popular trail for families to walk and ride

The residents say that individuals and families come from Pittsburgh, Greensburg and other places to walk or ride bikes on the trail because it has great scenery, offers a paved surface that's away from vehicle traffic and is also handicapped-accessible. They also say their presence helps the park rangers because they pick up trash and report incidents of vandalism or other destructive activity they come across as they use the trail.

"People from everywhere come here to enjoy (the park)," said Margie Curley, another longtime resident. "My family comes in from Pittsburgh and they like to walk and exercise. They don't know they can't use the trail anymore. It's a lovely place, and it was open and free."

Nancy Bollinger, who has lived in the area for 30 years, added: "We're not asking for quads to use (the trail), we just want to walk and bike on it. This is one of the reasons we bought (property) here, because of being able to walk there. It's a pretty trail."

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Ligonier Borough Mayor Ormond "Butch" Bellas also came to lend his support to the public efforts to get DCNR to revise the policy.

"All the people in both valleys need access to enjoy the park," Bellas said. "It's a state park and we should have access to all of it. If it's leased, then the lessee should have to pay for their own security."

In Februrary of 2016, DCNR's Bureau of State Parks and the state's Department of General Services gave $6.5 million in state funding for improvements to the nearby Laurel Mountain Ski Resort, including a new chair lift, updating snowmaking equipment and making improvements on various trails.

Laurel Mountain Ski Resort was purchased by Vail Resorts in December as part of an agreement to purchase Seven Springs Mountain Resort and Hidden Valley Resort.

Sphar said the residents don't know if the trail closure has anything to do with Vail Resorts' plans for the Laurel Mountain Ski Resort, but they do hope that their efforts to make people aware that DCNR is denying access to public land will lead to changes that will benefit both parties.

"We want people to sign the petition, make phone calls and send emails to DCNR and let them know this is bad policy," he said. "The state encourages public-private partnerships, but it takes collaboration, trust and cooperation.

"(Meanwhile,) we're hoping they (DCNR) are having some internal conversations we're not privy to."

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Laurel Mountain State Park Ski Area trail off limits to public use