sports

One of the most popular activities Westmoreland County residents have is the opportunity to both play and watch a variety of popular sports. The area offers an assortment of team sports for children, teens, and adults through parks and recreation departments. Area schools, as well as colleges and universities, offer a multitude of sports and encourage students to participate. Saint Vincent College, located in Latrobe, has been home to the Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp since 1967 and welcomes thousands of spectators to the campus each year to watch players train for the upcoming season.

Westmoreland County is home to more than 30 outstanding public and private golf courses, several of which have hosted professional events.

​Heinz Field, PNC Park and PPG Paints Arena are all located less than an hour away in the city of Pittsburgh where the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins welcome hundreds of thousands of fans each year. Other professional teams such as the Altoona Curve AA Minor League Baseball Team, Washington Wild Things Frontier League Baseball and the Johnstown Chiefs East Coast Hockey League are located in neighboring counties and also attract a large number of spectators during the year.

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parks  & recreation

​Westmoreland County Parks & Recreation oversees Westmoreland County’s nine county parks: Ann Rudd Saxman Nature Park, Bridgeport Dam, Cedar Creek Park, Chestnut Ridge, Historic Hanna’s Town, Mammoth Park, Northmoreland Park, Sewickley Creek Wetlands, and Twin Lakes Park. The various county parks provide visitors with access to hundreds of acres of land, paved walking paths, equestrian trails, a BMX track, a model radio controlled airfield, ball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, boat rentals, playgrounds, spectacular views, and much more. Fun, summer environmental programs and camps for children, night walks, and geology hikes are also offered at some of the parks.

Westmoreland County Parks & Recreation is also a partner in the management of the area’s four trails: Five Star Trail, Yough River Trail, Coal & Coke Trail, and the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. These special trails offer hundreds of miles of safe, paved trails for biking and walking. The Great Allegheny Passage, a 300 mile trail connecting Pittsburgh and Washington DC, also runs through the region.
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There are four Pennsylvania State Parks in Westmoreland County: Keystone State Park, Laurel Ridge State Park, Laurel Summit State Park and Linn Run State Park. Keystone State Park is home to the area’s only swimming “beach” and also has boating, camping, hunting and fishing, and offers sledding and cross country skiing in the winter. Laurel Ridge State Park stretches across five counties and incorporates the Laurel Highland Trail, a trail that extends over 70 miles and offers shelters for overnight camping along the trail. Laurel Summit State Park is one of the first ski areas in Pennsylvania and is a popular place for downhill skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. Linn Run State Park is a great place to visit for picnicking, hiking, fishing and horseback riding, and provides direct access to Forbes State Forest, a 54,800 acre forest that spans across southern Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties.

Residents and visitors of all ages can take advantage of the many state and community parks, forests and game lands located around Westmoreland County. Parks are open year round and offer recreational activities for any interest. Walking paths, playgrounds, fitness trails, and pavilions are located in most of the region’s parks.
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Boating, biking, hiking and picnicking are popular pastimes enjoyed by many, along with swimming, hunting, fishing, and camping. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the county’s hilly terrain during the winter months for skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobile riding.

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