Frequently Asked Questions

Hazelbaker Recreational Services offers instruction at both locations — moving-water trips on the Youghiogheny at Perryopolis and flat-water lake paddling at Laurel Hill State Park near Somerset. Instruction is built into the scheduled trip model rather than offered as a standalone class.

Lesson pricing is tied to the rental or trip you book, not charged separately. Full payment is required at booking. Contact Hazelbaker directly at (724) 207-3416 for current pricing, since rates depend on craft type, location, and group size.

Look for instructors trained on both liability procedures and independent paddling protocols for the specific water type involved — moving river current and flat lake water require different skills. Nearly 50 years of continuous operation with 80% returning customers is a meaningful indicator that the teaching model works.

The lake location at Laurel Hill State Park offers kayak rentals daily from 10am to 5pm, no reservation required. It operates first-come, first-served from the week before Memorial Day through Labor Day, making it accessible for spontaneous family day trips.

Pricing varies by craft type and number of paddlers. Full payment is collected at the time of booking or arrival depending on location. Call (724) 207-3416 for current family rates — the lake location doesn't require advance booking, so walk-up pricing is straightforward.

The Somerset lake location at Laurel Hill State Park operates entirely first-come, first-served with no advance reservation needed. The Perryopolis river location does require booking and full prepayment in advance, particularly for summer weekends when departure slots fill early.

Hazelbaker Recreational Services has operated canoe rentals on the Youghiogheny near Jones Mills for nearly 50 years. The upstream-drop model — where you're transported to a put-in and paddle back independently — is the standard format for this stretch of river because current direction makes returning upstream impractical.

River trips at the Perryopolis location require advance reservations with full prepayment — departure slots at 9am, 11am, and noon on weekdays fill months ahead, with most summer bookings placed in January and February. The Somerset lake location is walk-up, no reservation needed.

Group outings for Scout troops and school groups are a recurring part of the operation. River groups must book months in advance — summer dates typically fill in January and February — and each participant completes a liability waiver; school groups can download PDFs in advance to collect signed forms before arrival.

For the Perryopolis river location, booking in January or February for summer dates is standard practice among returning groups. The Somerset lake location is first-come, first-served with no advance booking, making it better suited for groups with flexible schedules or last-minute plans.

First-time guests sign a liability waiver before their trip. Returning customers who have paddled before don't need to re-sign each visit — the form stays on file. School groups booking offline can print PDFs, collect signatures from each student, and arrive with paperwork completed.

The Perryopolis location runs scheduled upstream-drop trips on moving water — you're transported to a put-in and paddle downstream independently at set departure times. Somerset is flat-water lake paddling at a state park, open daily on a walk-up basis with no fixed departure schedule and a wider range of watercraft including SUPs, rowboats, and paddleboats.