Each area has five three-sided shelters, sleeping four comfortably, with a fireplace positioned to radiate heat into the sleeping platform. There are also 30 flat spaces for tents, some with fire rings or grills. Park rangers provide chopped firewood, discouraging hikers from hacking their own. Rounding out each area is a hand pump to draw water from a well, and two sets of latrines. The reservation system bothers some hikers, who find it inflexible.
State regulations prohibit pitching a tent anywhere but at a shelter area.
Since pets are not welcome at shelter areas, hikers with pets are also excluded from overnight excursions on the trail. Nevertheless, day hikers and backpackers alike agree that the trail is an important recreational resource. Tom walked the length of the trail in 1979. When I hiked it, there was a father and his 10 year old son on his first backpack. On a more personal note, the Laurel Highlands Trail provided me with my first long-distance backpacking experience, something I'll not soon forget.