Destinations
Pennsylvania outdoors
Waterfall canyons, mile-deep gorges, and ridge trails: Pennsylvania is a forest state built for hikers who like a payoff.
Top parks in Pennsylvania
See all 126 parks
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Forty miles of the Middle Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey: waterfalls, the Mount Tammany climb, river canoeing, and primitive river camping.
Gettysburg National Military Park
The Civil War's pivotal battlefield in Pennsylvania. The battlefield and grounds are free, but the museum, the film, and the Cyclorama need a ticket, and a licensed guide is the standout way to tour.
Independence National Historical Park
The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in old-city Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell is walk-in free, but Independence Hall now requires a free timed ticket from recreation.gov in peak season.
Bald Eagle State Park
A 5,900-acre central Pennsylvania park on Foster Joseph Sayers Lake: open-water boating, a sand beach, lakeside trails, a marina, and a modern campground.
Ohiopyle State Park
Laurel Highlands river country: the Youghiogheny's whitewater, Cucumber Falls, the Ferncliff peninsula, the Great Allegheny Passage, and the big Kentuck Campground.
Presque Isle State Park
A sandy Lake Erie peninsula and Pennsylvania's only seashore: 11 beaches, a working lighthouse, the 13.5-mile Karl Boyes loop, and prime birding at Gull Point.
Ricketts Glen State Park
A Pennsylvania waterfall mecca: the 7.2-mile Falls Trail past 21 named waterfalls in a National Natural Landmark, plus Lake Jean, a campground, and cabins. The Falls Trail closes in winter without ice gear.
Worlds End State Park
A rugged 780-acre gorge park in Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains: the Loyalsock Creek S-curve, the Canyon Vista overlook, year-round cabins, and swimming holes.
Allegheny Islands State Park
Accessible only by boat, the 50-acre Allegheny Islands State Park consists of two alluvial islands and seven shoals in the Allegheny River.
Planning a Pennsylvania trip
Pennsylvania does not have a marquee national park, and that is part of its charm. What it has instead is a deep bench of state parks and state forests that quietly outpunch their reputation. Think waterfall glens, a gorge people fairly call the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, and ridge-line trails that roll for dozens of miles through hardwood forest.
If you only had a long weekend, start with the headliners. Ricketts Glen, in the northeast, strings 22 named waterfalls along a single loop, including the 94-foot Ganoga Falls, and the Falls Trail is the kind of hike that makes a first-timer fall for the state. Ohiopyle, in the southwest, packs whitewater on the Youghiogheny River, the easy walk to Cucumber Falls, and a hub on the Great Allegheny Passage rail trail into one busy park. Up north, Pine Creek Gorge drops about 1,450 feet, and the overlooks at Leonard Harrison and Colton Point state parks deliver the view without a hard climb. For a longer effort, the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail runs roughly 70 miles along Laurel Mountain, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the eastern border adds waterfalls and river miles.
Timing matters here. Fall is the headline season: foliage peaks from late September into early October in the north (Pine Creek Gorge, the Allegheny National Forest) and a week or two later farther south, with crisp days in the 50s and 60s F that are ideal for walking. Summer is warm and humid, often 80s F, and great for the rivers and reservoirs. Winters are real, with snow and ice that open up cross-country skiing and even ice climbing at Ricketts Glen, so plan accordingly.
The through-line on what to pack is traction and layers. Those waterfall trails are gorgeous and genuinely slick, so grippy footwear earns its place, and rain is common enough that a shell belongs in the bag year-round. Bring layers you can shed on the climb and add at a breezy overlook, plenty of water, and microspikes if you are hiking the glens once the temperature drops.
Getting around Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is wide, and the easiest plan is to pick a corner and fly into the nearest hub. Pittsburgh International (PIT) anchors the southwest and puts you about an hour from the Laurel Highlands and Ohiopyle State Park. Philadelphia International (PHL) anchors the southeast and is the natural gateway to the Poconos and the Delaware Water Gap, roughly a two-hour, 120-mile drive northeast. For the northern tier and Pine Creek Gorge, smaller regional airports like Williamsport (IPT) or State College (UNV) get you closer, though many travelers still drive in from Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.
A car is essential once you land, since the best parks sit well off the interstate grid. Distances between regions are real: Pittsburgh to the Pine Creek Gorge area is roughly 3 to 4 hours north, and Pittsburgh to Ricketts Glen in the northeast is a solid 4 to 5 hours, so most trips focus on one part of the state rather than crisscrossing it. Within a region the driving is easy and scenic. The Laurel Highlands cluster (Ohiopyle, the Great Allegheny Passage trail towns, the ridge trail) is tight enough to base in one town, and Pine Creek Gorge's two rim parks, Leonard Harrison and Colton Point, sit on opposite sides of the canyon about an hour apart by road. Fill the tank before heading into the state forests; services thin out fast.
All 8 Pennsylvania park guides
State park directory
Every Pennsylvania state park
A source-backed inventory layer for planning breadth. Full Kit Authority guides are marked when a park has camping detail, rules, and packing notes; the rest link straight to the official page. Looking for rail trails and state trails? They have their own Trail Guide.
126 parks
5 full guides · 115 with photos
Bald Eagle State Park
State Park
The 5,900-acre Bald Eagle State Park is in the broad Bald Eagle Valley of northcentral Pennsylvania.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
Pennsylvania DCNR
Full guideOhiopyle State Park
State Park
Ohiopyle State Park encompasses roughly 20,500 acres of the Laurel Highlands, with the Youghiogheny River Gorge offering some of the best whitewater boating in the eastern United States.
- Biking
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
Pennsylvania DCNR
Full guidePresque Isle State Park
State Park
Presque Isle State Park is Pennsylvania's only seashore, a sandy peninsula on Lake Erie and a National Natural Landmark favored by migrating birds.
- Swimming
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
Pennsylvania DCNR
Full guideRicketts Glen State Park
State Park
Ricketts Glen State Park comprises 13,193 acres and harbors the Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark with 22 named waterfalls along the Falls Trail System.
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
Pennsylvania DCNR
Full guideWorlds End State Park
State Park
Worlds End State Park sits in a narrow S-shaped valley of Loyalsock Creek and spans 780 rugged acres surrounded by Loyalsock State Forest in the Endless Mountains.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Picnicking
Pennsylvania DCNR
Full guideAllegheny Islands State Park
State Park
Accessible only by boat, the 50-acre Allegheny Islands State Park consists of two alluvial islands and seven shoals in the Allegheny River.
- Fishing
- Boating
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hunting
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageArchbald Pothole State Park
State Park
Archbald Pothole State Park is a 150-acre park in northeastern Pennsylvania.
- Hiking
- Hunting
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBeltzville State Park
State Park
The 3,002-acre Beltzville State Park is in the southern foothills of the Poconos.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBendigo State Park
State Park
The 100-acre Bendigo State Park is in a small valley surrounded by picturesque hills.
- Camping
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Picnicking
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBenjamin Rush State Park
State Park
Benjamin Rush State Park is located in the North East section of Philadelphia and is the only state park within the city boundary.
- Hiking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Biking
- Winter Sports
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBig Pocono State Park
State Park
Big Pocono State Park is in Monroe County in northeastern Pennsylvania.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Picnicking
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBlack Moshannon State Park
State Park
Black Moshannon State Park covers 3,394 acres of forests and wetlands and conserves unique, natural environments.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBlue Knob State Park
State Park
Blue Knob State Park offers year-round wilderness adventures on 6,128 acres of woodland.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Swimming
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBoyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area
State park system area
The 1,025-acre Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area straddles Blue Mountain and is the habitat of large trees of numerous species, which are homes for deep forest birds, especially warblers.
- Hiking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Winter Sports
- Historic Site
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBuchanan's Birthplace State Park
State Park
Buchanan's Birthplace State Park is an 18.5-acre park nestled in a gap of Tuscarora Mountain in Franklin County.
- Camping
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- Historic Site
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageBucktail State Park Natural Area
State Park
Bucktail State Park Natural Area provides a beautiful 75-mile scenic drive along PA 120 from Emporium, through Renovo, to Lock Haven.
- Fishing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Paddling
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageCaledonia State Park
State Park
The 1,125-acre Caledonia State Park is in Adams and Franklin counties, midway between Chambersburg and Gettysburg along Lincoln Highway, US 30.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Fishing
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageCanoe Creek State Park
State Park
The beautiful, 961-acre Canoe Creek State Park features a 155-acre lake, wetlands, old fields, and mature forests, which provide critical habitat for migrating birds and other wildlife.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Fishing
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageChapman State Park
State Park
The 862-acre Chapman State Park includes the 68-acre Chapman Lake on the West Branch of Tionesta Creek.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageCherry Springs State Park
State Park
Cherry Springs State Park is nearly as remote and wild today as it was two centuries ago.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Picnicking
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageClear Creek State Park
State Park
Clear Creek State Park encompasses 1,901 acres in Jefferson County.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Fishing
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageCodorus State Park
State Park
The 3,500-acre Codorus State Park is in the rolling hills of southern York County.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageColonel Denning State Park
State Park
Colonel Denning State Park, in north-central Cumberland County, has 273 acres of woodland and a 3.5-acre lake.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official pageColton Point State Park
State Park
On the west rim of Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, the 368-acre Colton Point State Park offers rugged overlooks with great views of the canyon.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Picnicking
Pennsylvania DCNR
Official page
Inventory source: USGS PAD-US 4.1. Photos are public-domain or Creative Commons via Wikimedia Commons, credited per image. Official reservations and rules remain state-specific, so use the state booking links before committing to dates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best national park in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania does not have a designated national park, but it is rich in National Park Service sites and standout state parks. For outdoor scenery, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the eastern border offers waterfalls and river miles, while state-managed Ricketts Glen and Ohiopyle are the must-see natural areas. If you want a gorge view, Pine Creek Gorge (the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania) is the headliner.
When is the best time to visit Pennsylvania's parks?
Fall is the standout season for Pennsylvania's parks and forests. Foliage peaks from late September into early October in the northern tier, including Pine Creek Gorge and the Allegheny National Forest, and a week or two later in the south, with comfortable hiking days in the 50s and 60s F. Summer is warm and humid (often 80s F) and best for rafting and lake recreation, while winter brings snow that opens cross-country skiing and ice climbing at parks like Ricketts Glen.
Where can I see waterfalls in Pennsylvania?
Ricketts Glen State Park in the northeast is the top waterfall destination, with 22 named falls along the Falls Trail loop, headlined by the 94-foot Ganoga Falls. In the southwest, Ohiopyle State Park has Ohiopyle Falls on the Youghiogheny River plus the short walk to Cucumber Falls. The trails near these falls stay slick year-round, so grippy footwear is worth packing.