Living close to recreation in the Laurel Highlands
Despite being a heavily rural area, Jefferson Township in Somerset County is a tourist destination with Hidden Valley Resort and multiple state parks. Some visit during the winter to ski down the Hidden Valley slopes and stay in a log cabin, but the area also has condos, townhouses and single-family homes to move into and stay long term. The resort closes for the summer, so locals visit the nearby state parks for outdoor activities. Residents in the western half of the township often stay busy working on their farms. Whether living near the resort or on a farm, Jefferson Township is a quiet place to be encompassed by forests, hills and farmland.
State parks and Hidden Valley Resor
John Nichols, an experienced Realtor with Highlands Resort Realty who specializes in the area, points out the proximity of the Hidden Valley neighborhood to local state parks within the township. “The resort tries to open the ski slopes around Thanksgiving weekend, but it depends on how the weather cooperates,” Nichols says. “Kooser State Park and Laurel Hill State Park are nearby, and Ohiopyle is about half an hour away. The neighborhood has walking trails and the Highlands Golf Club, so there are things to do in all four seasons.” Kooser State Park has a lake for fishing, the Kincora Trail for hiking and rentable family cabins for vacations in the woods. Laurel Hill State Park is southwest of Hidden Valley and has even more space for swimming in the lake, spending the night in the campground or spotting wildlife at the Hemlock Trail Natural Area. Living in the Hidden Valley neighborhood means having ski slopes and a golf course close to home. The Hidden Valley HOA even offers a shuttle service during the winter to make it easier for residents to access the resort and ski slopes.
Condos, townhouses and single-family homes
Hidden Valley is the biggest neighborhood in the township. The area has condos for $150,000 to $200,000, attached townhouses for $200,000 to $450,000 and detached single-family homes for $450,000 to $900,000. “I’d say about 15% of the area has full-time residents,” Nichols says. “The rest are owned as vacation homes. The majority are condos and townhouses, with the remainder being single-family homes.” 1950s ranch homes and cabins are located away from the resort in the forested northern half of the township and sell between $200,000 and $500,000. The gated Pheasant Run community is closer to Seven Springs Resort but falls within Jefferson Township. This neighborhood has secluded luxury homes that cost $1 million to almost $2 million.
Supporting local farms and businesses
Meadow Creek Farm has been a family farm in Jefferson Township for over 80 years. Janet Miller passed the farm down to her son but continues to work there and keep things running. Also close to Meadow Creek Farm is The Glades Pike Winery, which hosts a summer music series. Every Saturday, visitors lay out their lawn chairs and picnic blankets to hear live music and try local wine. The Oakhurst Grille & Event Center serves a classic American menu for dinner most days and opens for brunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Nichols says Somerset is the closest place to get groceries at the Walmart Supercenter, but Greensburg is where most go to find clothes and other goods.
Driving to Somerset or Pittsburgh
Driving is necessary to get around the township. Those traveling 12 miles to Somerset or roughly 30 miles to Greensburg take Glades Pike. Interstate 70, also known as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, cuts through the northern part of the township, leading into Somerset and north to Pittsburgh. Pike Run Church of the Brethren is close to Meadow Creek Farm, off Glades Pike. The Bethany United Methodist Church is surrounded by farmland and forested areas, and the church supports local charities, including the Somerset County Mobile Food Bank and Salvation Army.
Learning in Somerset
Somerset Area School District serves the township, and kids attend prekindergarten through second grade at Maple Ridge Elementary School, which gets a C from Niche. Next is the B-rated Eagle View Elementary School, just down the street from Maple Ridge. Somerset Area Junior/Senior High School gets a B-minus and has Esports teams for the Junior and Senior levels.
HOA events and extraterrestrial sighting
The Hidden Valley HOA keeps a full calendar of neighborhood events throughout the year. The Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat is held every October, where everybody dresses up and walks among the fallen leaves to collect candy from parked cars and golf carts. Everyone gathers at the community pool in May to celebrate the return of the summer season. The PA Myths & Legends Festival had its inaugural meet-up in 2024 at the Bakersville Community Grove Park. Believers and skeptics stopped by to hear first-hand accounts of Bigfoot and UFO sightings while vendors and food trucks joined in to complete the event. Daniel Benoit, the host and organizer of the festival, says, “The event was amazing and had a great turnout of attendees. If a new affordable location with more space than our last spot becomes available, we will most definitely hold this again, and it will be even bigger.”
