THE FALLS ON THE YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER NEAR THE VISITORS CENTER AT OHIOPYLE STATE PARK. | PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Of 100 state parks across the nation, Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County has been deemed No. 1 as a “great-value stay.”

That’s the latest analysis by 2025 HomeToGo State Index, which looked at accommodation prices, affordability, the quality of trails, abundance of wildlife and more. The company, founded in 2014 as a vacation marketplace, also gave scores on the parks’ “scenic wow-factor” and as a “hidden gem.”

Ohiopyle State Park, located at the gateway to the Laurel Highlands, encompasses 20,500 acres of rugged trails, gorges, natural water slides and waterfalls. The Great Allegheny Passage bike trail cuts through the park and whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular sports on the Youghiogheny River, which poses challenges for adventure seekers on the Upper Yough’s difficult Class IV and V rapids.

HomeToGo calls Ohiopyle “a veritable playground for hikers, rafters and travelers chasing untamed landscapes.”

Nine Pennsylvania state parks made the list. In addition to Ohiopyle, there were Caledonia, Black Moshannon, Cook Forest, Worlds End, Presque Isle, Bald Eagle, Parker Dam and Cherry Springs state parks.

Regarding affordability, HomeToGo used cost data to find the median nightly price per person for vacation accommodation in the vicinity of each park with a check-in date between July 15, 2025 – Dec. 31, 2025. The area with the lowest median nightly price per person was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining locations were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Ohiopyle had an accommodation price per person of $65.81 and affordability score of 6.74. Among other scores — each on a 10-point scale — were hidden gem (8.97), trails (7.95), wildlife (10) and scenic “wow factor” (9.59) for a total score of 53.11, which topped the list of 100.

Devil’s Fork State Park in South Carolina — No. 100 on the list — had an accommodation price per person of $85.41.