Seven Springs Mountain Resort

If you’re from Pittsburgh, you’ll know that winter is a very iffy season there. That’s because the type of weather always varies from year to year, or even from day to day. There are winters when it’s so cold you can’t feel your face, and so snowy you can’t get anywhere. And sometimes, there are winters where there isn’t a single drop of snow. That’s where Seven Springs Mountain Resort comes in. It’s one of the best places in the greater Pittsburgh area to ski, snowboard, and tube, provided it’s cold enough (even when there’s no snow). Not to mention, there are so many other things to do there besides winter sports. Seven Springs is a great place to have a great time indoors or outdoors, no matter what time of year it is.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort is located in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, about an hour east of Pittsburgh. It’s only about 45 minutes from my hometown, Johnstown. I’ve gone there several times, because not only is it near where I live but it’s also only about 15 minutes from Hidden Valley, another resort where my family has a mountain house. Hidden Valley, Laurel Mountain Resort, and Seven Springs are all under the same management as of 2014.

There are several people from Western Pennsylvania who will tell you that they absolutely detest the snow. But there are some people who absolutely love it, and make the effort every year to go out and enjoy it, and if you’re from Western Pennsylvania, there’s no better place to do that than Seven Springs. Seven Springs has some of the best skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing in the region. I come from a family that loves skiing; it’s something I’ve done from a pretty young age. Most of the time, my family skis at Hidden Valley, since we have a mountain house there. However, I’ve been to Seven Springs to ski quite a few times. Some were when I was really young, and some were with my high school’s ski club. Seven Springs has several options when it comes to skiing and snowboarding. There are 33 slopes, 10 chairlifts, and 8 terrain parks located throughout the resort. The slopes are open every day from December 1 to April 1, including holidays. You can buy tickets to hit the slopes either all day, only at night, or for an entire weekend. You can also buy Highlands weekend tickets, which allow you to go back and forth between the slopes at Seven Springs, Laurel Mountain, and Hidden Valley within a single weekend. If you visit often throughout a single season, it’s a good idea to get a season pass. Season passes allow you unlimited runs on the slopes without having to buy a lift ticket each time, and also give you special perks. You can either buy a Seven Springs Season Pass or a Highlands Pass. The Highlands Pass works at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain. My family used to rent skis, but ever since we got a mountain house at Hidden Valley, we’ve always bought our skis instead since it’s more convenient. However, if you do want to rent your skis, boots, poles, snowboards, etc., you always have the option of doing that at Seven Springs. It also has a shop where you can purchase your own skis and equipment as well. Seven Springs also offers lessons for skiers and snowboarders of all ages; no matter how old you are, don’t be embarrassed to take a lesson or two! You can sign up for either private or group lessons. Seven Springs also offers special rates for school groups, which include lessons, lift tickets, and equipment rentals. Groups can either come for a day or stay overnight. I love skiing at Seven Springs. From personal experience, however, one piece of advice about skiing and snowboarding here would be to avoid going on slopes that nobody else appears to be going on. There’s usually a reason why nobody is on these slopes, and most of the time it’s because the slopes are too steep or too icy. Snow tubing at Seven Springs is also lots of fun, and not too expensive either. I haven’t been snow tubing at Seven Springs in a very long time, but I recall it being a lot of fun. But matter what slope you go on, you’re sure to enjoy spending your winter skiing, snowboarding, or tubing at Seven Springs.

Even if you’re not hitting the slopes, there’s always something to do at Seven Springs. For example, in the winter, you can also go snowmobiling or snowshoeing. And any time of year, there’s several indoor activities available at Seven Springs, including swimming, bowling, mini golf, an arcade, and yoga. Seven Springs also has horses; in the winter, you can enjoy relaxing sleigh rides through the snow, and in the summer, you can take a horseback riding lesson or two. Some summer activities include paddleboarding, mountain biking, fishing, golfing, rock climbing, and more. And then there’s my personal favorite, the Laurel Ridgeline and Screaming Hawk Zipline tours. The ziplines opened in the summer of 2011. Since then, ziplining has become one of the resort’s most popular activities. My family and I did it in the summer of 2016, and we had a great time. I’m not a big outdoorsman, but I’ve always loved ziplining. I’ve done it several times on vacation and at summer camp. One of the greatest things about ziplining at Seven Springs is it gives you a whole new way to look at the Laurel Highlands. You can see the rest of the resort, and other buildings and mountains that are miles and miles away. You can also see a lot of the greenery and wildlife at Seven Springs, something you may only get to see there in the summer. I saw a lot of groundhogs, and while groundhogs seem like they’d be common in Pennsylvania, I don’t always see too many. And the best part is, you get to experience the view while feeling like you’re flying. The ziplining tours require advance reservations, which can be made at the Seven Springs official website. You can check out a video of a ziplining tour at Seven Springs below. If you want to relax, Seven Springs also contains lots of great dining options, both formal and informal, as well as a spa. Seven Springs is also a great place to go for events. Seven Springs holds events for several occasions, such as major holidays. These events range from big music festivals to blowout block parties to small dinners. You can check out the list of upcoming events at the website. Two events I’ve been to are the Fourth of July and Octoberfest. My family and I went to the Fourth of July celebration the same weekend we did the ziplining tour, although we only went to the Fourth of July celebration to see the fireworks. But the fireworks display is amazing; the fireworks are visible from anywhere within the resort, but the best place to watch them is on the snow tubing slope. Octoberfest is an AMAZING event; I went there about six or seven years ago. It’s held every weekend in October, and includes both outdoor and indoor activities. The outdoor ones include riding the alpine slide and riding the chairlift. They also have outdoor food stands and an indoor buffet with lots of amazing Fall food and drinks, like hot and cold apple cider as well as my personal favorite dessert, pumpkin pie. No matter what time of year it is, there’ll always be a reason for you to visit Seven Springs.

Can’t get enough of Seven Springs? Wish you could be there for longer than a day trip? Well, you absolutely can! Seven Springs has several options for overnight or permanent stays, so whether you want to stay a few nights at Seven Springs or live there permanently, you’re in luck. This is great if you come from far away and don’t want to drive to Seven Springs and back in the same day, if there’s a blizzard you don’t want to drive home in, or if you just need more than one day to check out all that Seven Springs has to offer! Seven Springs contains a hotel with several amenities, including free wi-fi, an indoor and outdoor pool, several restaurants and bars, and more. Like most mountain resorts, Seven Springs also contains condos and townhouses. These are great to rent for a week-long vacation or a weekend getaway, especially if you’re traveling with a large party. Or, you can simply buy property at Seven Springs, and be able to enjoy the resort as much as you want! If you buy Seven Springs property, the door is always open to you, whether you want it to be your second home or your permanent home. A reviewer on TripAdvisor said that the “condos and cabins areout of this world” and that they are “great for family gatherings.” The overnight options at Seven Springs are great for anyone looking for either a simple getaway or a new home.

Whether there’s a snowstorm or a heat wave outside, you’ll always find a way to enjoy yourself at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.