2 lost hikers found safe in Ligonier Township

Cellphone technology and knowledge of the area helped police and firefighters locate two hikers who had become lost Wednesday evening on Laurel Ridge, said Ligonier Valley Police Chief Mike Matrunics.

The two hikers parked along Laurel Summit Road and headed onto the Wolf Rocks Trail, an approximately 5-mile trail that leads to a rock outcropping overlook in Laurel Summit State Park at Forbes State Forest.

At some point, they got lost, Matrunics said, and they called 911 about 8 p.m.

The call initially went to state officials, but Ligonier Valley police took over because they had ended up on private property in Ligonier Township, Matrunics said.

Police worked with firefighters from Waterford and Fairfield to head into the woods off Jacob Miller Road, just outside Rector.

The hikers were found and brought out of the woods around midnight. Matrunics said they were not hurt.

Authorities were able to use a pinned location from one of the hikers’ smartphones to find them, he said.

The knowledge of the area shared by Loyalhanna and Ligonier Valley officers, as well as Waterford firefighters, helped with the rescue.

“Their knowledge and expertise obviously helped locate them,” Matrunics said.

Wolf Rocks is a popular hiking area that in daylight offers an expansive view of Chestnut Ridge and Linn Run Hollow.

The trailhead is at the Laurel Summit State Park lot off Laurel Summit Road. It is also part of Forbes State Forest that annually attracts more than 200,000 people.

The forest is named for John Forbes, the general who led British Colonial forces west across Pennsylvania in a 1758 campaign to oust French foes from the site that would become Pittsburgh.

Related:

• Short hikes offer the best views in peak Western Pennsylvania fall foliage season
• Staycation: Hikers, hunters, campers can enjoy wild times at Forbes State Forest

Staff writer Joe Napsha contributed.