Geography

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Geography Category Factoids

Geography
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The Youghiogheny River, or "Yough" as many locals call it, begins in the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland before flowing into the Youghiogheny River Lake (reservoir). The Youghiogheny River emerges after a dam at Confluence, PA, where it is joined by water from the Casselman River and Laurel Hill Creek before flowing with class II and III whitewater rapids prior to Ohiopyle, PA, where the Youghiogheny River makes a dramatic 20 - 25 foot plunge at Ohiopyle State Park, PA's Ohiopyle Falls. Class III, IV and V rapids begin at Ohiopyle, PA and continue for nearly eight miles before the river begins to calm as it nears South Connellsville, PA. The Youghiogheny River's personality becomes gentler beginning at Connellsville, PA, after which it meanders until its confluence with the Monongahela River at McKeesport, PA.
?} Communities bordering South Connellsville, PA include Connellsville, PA, Connellsville Township, PA, and Dunbar Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Connellsville, PA include Connellsville Township, PA, Dunbar Township, PA, and South Connellsville, PA.
?} Connellsville, PA straddles the Youghiogheny River and is at the western base of Chestnut Ridge, which is known locally as the start of the "mountains."
?} Westmoreland County, PA's county seat is Greensburg, PA.
?} Communities bordering Wharton Township, PA include Georges Township, PA, Henry Clay Township, PA, North Union Township, PA, South Union Township, PA, Springhill Township, PA, and Stewart Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Connellsville Township, PA include Bullskin Township, PA, Connellsville, PA, Dunbar Township, PA, Springfield Township, PA, South Connellsville, PA, and Upper Tyrone Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Dunbar Township, PA include Bullskin Township, PA, Connellsville, PA, Dawson, PA, Dunbar, PA, North Union Township, PA, South Connellsville, PA, Springfield Township, PA, Stewart Township, PA, Upper Tyrone Township, PA, and Vanderbilt, PA.
?} Dunbar Township, PA surrounds the borough of Dunbar, PA.
?} Communities bordering Dawson, PA include Dunbar Township, PA, and Lower Tyrone Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Stewart Township, PA include Dunbar Township, PA, Henry Clay Township, PA, Ohiopyle, PA, Springfield Township, PA, and Wharton Township, PA.
?} Stewart Township, PA surrounds the borough of Ohiopyle, PA.
?} Communities bordering North Union Township, PA include Dunbar Township, PA, Franklin Township, PA, Menallen Township, PA, South Union Township, PA, Uniontown, PA, and Wharton Township, PA.
?} Fayette County, PA's county seat is Uniontown, PA.
?} Somerset County, PA's county seat is Somerset, PA.
?} Communities bordering Henry Clay Township, PA include Markleysburg, PA, Stewart Township, PA, and Wharton Township, PA.
?} Henry Clay Township, PA surrounds the borough of Markleysburg, PA.
?} Communities bordering Franklin Township, PA include Dunbar Township, PA, Jefferson Township, PA, Lower Tyrone Township, PA, Menallen Township, PA, North Union Township, PA, Perry Township, PA, and Redstone Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Jefferson Township, PA include Brownsville Township, PA, Franklin Township, PA, Newell, PA, Perry Township, PA, Redstone Township, PA, and Washington Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Brownsville Township, PA include Brownsville, PA, Jefferson Township, PA, Luzerne Township, PA, and Redstone Township, PA.
?} Brownsville, PA is bordered by Brownsville Township, PA, and Washington County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Washington Township, PA include Belle Vernon, PA, Fayette City, PA, Jefferson Township, PA, and Perry Township, PA.
?} Belle Vernon, PA is bordered by Washington Township, PA as well as Washington County, PA, and Westmoreland County, PA.
?} Fayette City, PA is bordered by Washington Township, PA, and Washington County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Lower Tyrone Township, PA include Dawson, PA, Dunbar Township, PA, Franklin Township, PA, Perry Township, PA, and Upper Tyrone Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Perry Township, PA include Franklin Township, PA, Jefferson Township, PA, Lower Tyrone Township, PA, Perryopolis, PA, and Washington Township, PA.
?} The borough of Newell, PA is bordered by Jefferson Township, PA as well as Washington County, PA, and Westmoreland County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Redstone Township, PA include Brownsville Township, PA, Franklin Township, PA, German Township, PA, Jefferson Township, PA, Luzerne Township, PA, and Menallen Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering German Township, PA include Georges Township, PA, Luzerne Township, PA, Masontown, PA, Menallen Township, PA, Nicholson Township, PA, Redstone Township, PA, South Union Township, PA as well as Greene County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Uniontown, PA include North Union Township, PA, and South Union Township, PA. Unincorporated communities bordering Uniontown include East Uniontown, PA, Hopwood, PA, Leith-Hatfield, PA, and Oliver, PA.
?} Communities bordering South Union Township, PA include Georges Township, PA, German Township, PA, Menallen Township, PA, North Union Township, PA, Uniontown, PA, and Wharton Township, PA.
?} Communities bordering Georges Township, PA include Fairchance, PA, German Township, PA, Nicholson Township, PA, Smithfield, PA, South Union Township, PA, Springhill Township, PA, and Wharton Township, PA.
?} Georges Township, PA surrounds the borough of Smithfield, PA.
?} Georges Township, PA surrounds the borough of Fairchance, PA.
?} Communities bordering Springhill Township, PA include Georges Township, PA, Nicholson Township, PA, Point Marion, PA, and Wharton Township, PA.
?} Bordering Point Marion, PA is Springhill Township, PA as well as Greene County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Nicholson Township, PA include Georges Township, PA, German Township, PA, Masontown, PA, and Springhill Township, PA as well as Greene County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Luzerne Township, PA include Brownsville Township, PA, German Township, PA, and Redstone Township, PA as well as Greene County, PA, and Washington County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Masontown, PA include German Township, PA, and Nicholson Township, PA as well as Greene County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Upper Tyrone Township, PA include Bullskin Township, PA, Connellsville Township, PA, Dunbar Township, PA, Everson, PA, and Lower Tyrone Township, PA as well as Westmoreland County, PA.
?} Bordering Everson, PA is Upper Tyrone Township, PA as well as Westmoreland County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Bullskin Township, PA include Connellsville Township, PA, Saltlick Township, PA, Springfield Township, PA, and Upper Tyrone Township, PA as well as Westmoreland County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Saltlick Township, PA include Bullskin Township, PA, Seven Springs, PA, and Springfield Township, PA as well as Somerset County, PA, and Westmoreland County, PA.
?} Bordering Seven Springs, PA is Saltlick Township, PA as well as Somerset County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Springfield Township, PA include Bullskin Township, PA, Connellsville Township, PA, Dunbar Township, PA, and Saltlick Township, PA, Stewart Township, PA as well as Somerset County, PA.
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Ohiopyle, PA is named for the Youghiogheny River's twenty to twenty-five foot tall waterfall, the Ohiopyle Falls, which is also the namesake for Ohiopyle State Park, PA that engulfs the Ohiopyle, PA borough. Ohiopyle is a Delaware Indian word that translates to "white frothy water."
?} Seven Springs, PA is the highest elevated town (Borough or City) in Pennsylvania, at an elevation of 2530 feet.
?} Unincorporated communities located within South Union Township, PA include Hopwood, PA, and Leith-Hatfield, PA.
?} Grindstone, PA is an unincorporated village located in Jefferson Township, PA.
?} East Uniontown, PA is an unincorporated community located in North Union Township, PA.
?} Villages, or unincorporated communities, within North Union Township, PA include Coolspring, PA, East Uniontown, PA, Jumonville, PA, Lemont Furnace, PA, Mount Braddock, PA, Oliver, PA, Phillips, PA, and West Leisenring, PA.
?} Mill Run Reservoir and the lower Indian Creek Valley are owned by the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, with the goal of protecting Indian Creek's water quality.
?} Indian Creek is a tributary of the Youghiogheny River that originates in Forbes State Forest at Donegal Township, PA and flows over 28 miles before emptying into the Youghiogheny River in Springfield Township, PA. The stream drains approximately 125 square miles between the eastern slope of Chestnut Ridge and the western slope of Laurel Ridge. Five miles prior to the stream's confluence with the Youghiogheny River is a dam on Indian Creek, which forms Mill Run Reservoir.
?} Mill Run Reservoir is a shallow body of water on the lower portion of Indian Creek that is approximately 0.10 square miles or about 64 acres. The reservoir has been steadily filling with sediment, washed down by Indian Creek, and is now dotted with muddy islands. A bridge for Route 381 crosses a portion of the reservoir between the villages of Normalville, PA and Mill Run, PA in Springfield Township, PA.
?} Ohiopyle, PA's main street is Route 381.
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Dunbar Creek is a popular stream for trout fishing in Fayette County, PA. Dunbar Creek's headwaters are located between Fulton Knob and Dunbar Knob in North Union Township, PA (near Jumonville, PA) just east of Chestnut Ridge. The creek flows north by northeast along the eastern slopes of Chestnut Ridge through forested highlands as it enters Dunbar Township, PA, and then steers in a northwest direction as it cuts through Chestnut Ridge. Here the creek parallels Dunbar Ohiopyle Road until it enters Dunbar, PA, afterwards it turns north east again prior to its confluence with the Youghiogheny River.

Prior to Dunbar, PA, much of Dunbar Creek is on PA State Game Land.

Dunbar Creek is popular for fishing, and fly fishing along its upper portion. Access is provided by PA State Game Land 51 parkings lots and improved roads.
?} Dunbar Creek tributaries include:
?} Zebley Flats is an unusually flat highland area of forested terrain along the crest of Chestnut Ridge located in Dunbar Township, PA (central Fayette County, PA). Zebley Flats is on PA State Game Land 51 and is popular with local hunters for its abundant wildlife.

Zebley Flats can be accessed south of Dunbar Ohiopyle Road via some rough jeep trails.
?} West of Zebley Flats are Glade Run and Dunbar Creek, and to the north is Limestone Run.
?} Rivers in the area are Casselman River, Cheat River, Conemaugh River, Monongahela River, and Youghiogheny River.
?} Connellsville, PA is located approximately 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, PA. Quickest route (approximately 1 hour) to Pittsburgh, PA from the Connellsville, PA is Route 119 north, I-76 west, and I-376 west to downtown Pittsburgh, PA.
?} Ohiopyle State Park, PA owns the lands surrounding the small borough of Ohiopyle, PA.
?} Ohiopyle State Park, PA comprises a good portion of Stewart Township, PA's land.
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Casparis is a remote rugged area on Chestnut Ridge made up of tree farms and PA State Game Land 51 located primarily in Connellsville Township, PA. It is named for the Casparis Mine and the former Casparis Community that sprung up to service the mine. Lookout Point Overlook, a half mile above the mines, has one of the best views in all of Fayette County, PA.
?} Communities bordering Menallen Township, PA include Franklin Township, PA, German Township, PA, North Union Township, PA, Redstone Township, PA, and South Union Township, PA.
?} Tri-Town refers to the communities of Vanderbilt, PA, Dickerson Run, PA, and Dawson, PA.
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Cucumber Falls is a picturesque waterfall, surrounded by mountain laurel and rhododendrons, of Cucumber Run making a 39 foot plunge over an overhanging cliff into a moss and rhododendron filled ravine less than a hundred yards from the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle State Park, PA. A small parking area off of Kentuck Road (SR 2019) is within a short walk of an overlook for Cucumber Falls. A trail there offers a hike down to the base of the ravine where some treacherous pathways even lead to a ledge behind the waterfall though the main path veers away to join Meadow Run Trail at the Youghiogheny River.
?} Mount Pleasant, PA is bordered by East Huntingdon Township, PA, and Mount Pleasant Township, PA.
?} Greendance The Winery at Sand Hill Winery's average elevation is about 1250 feet and located in the rolling hills north of Mount Pleasant, PA. The winery's vineyards sprawl across East Huntingdon Township, PA, and Mount Pleasant Township, PA.