It's honestly kind of perplexing that I'd never been to Little Buffalo State Park before. I live…read moreonly about 25 minutes away, have spent years exploring Central PA, and somehow this one had completely escaped me. I decided it was time to fix that! On a rainy late-June Sunday morning, I headed to Little Buffalo with a 5.5-mile hiking route I'd found on social media and figured if I was going to get wet anyway, I might as well do it surrounded by nature. One thing that immediately stood out was how much there is to do here. Little Buffalo State Park offers hiking trails, boating, fishing, kayaking, picnic areas, a large swimming pool during the summer, playgrounds, and the beautifully restored Shoaff's Mill, making it a destination that's just as appealing for families as it is for folks looking to spend some time outdoors. It's one of those parks where you could easily spend an entire day exploring. Parking was plentiful throughout the park, and everything I saw was clean, well maintained and easy to navigate. Despite the rainy weather, there were still plenty of people out enjoying the park, which tells you something about how loved this place is. The highlight of my visit was definitely the Middle Ridge Trail. Marked as "Most Difficult," this 2.5-mile section delivered exactly what I was hoping for. The climbs were steep enough to get my heart pumping, and as the rain continued, the trail became even more challenging in all the right ways. I absolutely loved it! It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning unplugging from everything else and simply enjoying the woods. By the end of my hike, I was muddy, damp and grinning. My kind of morning! I didn't have time to explore everything Little Buffalo has to offer on this visit, but I definitely noticed the swimming pool while I was there, and that's already on my list for a future adventure. Little Buffalo State Park has officially earned a spot in my regular outdoor adventure rotation. It's close to home, beautifully maintained, offers something for just about everyone, and if you're looking for a hike that will get your legs working, don't skip the Middle Ridge Trail. I'll definitely be back!

Easily marked hiking trails, clean restrooms. Nice mix of easy and difficult trails. Plenty of…read morepicnic tables and grills.

I am not sure how or why anyone would not love a state park like Reed's Gap. It has all the…read moreconvenience of fairly modern restrooms with the charm of well developed yet semi rustic picnic areas. From the relaxing sounds and breeze from Honey Creek, which runs through the park, to the well constructed wooden bridges that line some of the trails, it is a fun trip for the family. There are camping areas for those that wish to stay the night. Bring the tent, though, as there aren't any cabins and I am unsure if they have camper access at this point. They do have fire rings and grills throughout the park. The real appeal, for me, are the trails. They have a number of them. One that travels along Honey Creek and borders a deer rescue/preserve maintained by a private owner. I once traveled far down the trail, near the deer preserve, only to be surprised by an entire herd of deer wondering near where I was on the other side of the owners fence. It was an experience I will never forget. The park, itself, can be busy in the Summer months. Family reunions are often held, here as is the occasional work picnic. The one negative is that the old swimming pool, which was free to use for the public, has been long closed and torn out. There is little sign of it other than the old refreshment stand and changing house. So, get out in the woods. Pick a trail A few go up into the nearby mountain. There is always a friendly face and decent conversation in the park. Just make sure to bring the bug spray and a jacket in the Spring and Fall. In the Summer, get ready to sweat on those walks. As always, enjoy!

My family went to this park often, but I never realized how good it was until later in life when I…read moresaw how crappy most other state parks are, both in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Reeds Gap has pretty much everything--swimming pool, concessions, playground, campsites--but I love it for the picnic areas, hiking, and general woodland setting. We used to come here for low-key Sunday afternoons: just bring the family and some food and set up shop at one of the picnic tables. After lunch, let the kids run around the woods or the playground, or maybe even go swimming. Today I was amazed that the park was nearly empty. I saw two rangers and two campers back towards the far (eastern) end of the park. The pool and concession stand were closed. What gives? It was a Friday. In the old days, there would have been hundreds of people. I took advantage of the peace and quiet. First I sat at a picnic table near Parking Lot B, directly facing Honey Creek. There is almost no better sound on Earth than gently running water in a rocky creek. I enjoyed my lunch and didn't even get out the book that I brought; I just looked and listened. Then I took off down the trail by the creek. At one point I lost the trail and just crossed the creek on some rocks, picking up the red trail, which I took all the way around the loop. I crossed the creek again on a large fallen tree. That was scary but thrilling. The whole excursion was exactly what I needed--some peace and calm while enjoying the outdoors. All I wanted to do was eat lunch, tromp around the woods, stop and read my book, tromp around the woods some more, etc. Perfect afternoon. This park has something for everyone, and all aspects are very well maintained by the DCNR. Kudos to them for their efforts to create and keep a great park.

Absolutely gorgeous park with so much to do and see. They have a full campground with hookups and a…read morerustic one also. You can rent anything from a boat to a yurt or cabin. The rangers are amazing people. You can swim, fish and there is hunting lands nearby.

WOW. INCREDIBLE. We…read morehad a reunion at pavilion number four, which was clean,spacious, and the seating was more than adequate The park itself is in a beautiful setting Surrounded by mountains. We had the opportunity to do a number of boating options. Pontoon. Speed boat. All 17 of us had a great time riding on the lake. The guy who is caring for us dockside was fabulous. You can't go wrong when visiting this beautiful state park.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g53190-d4170165-r774164462-1_000_Steps_at_Jacks_Mountain…read moreMill_Creek_Pennsylvania.html?m=19905 Took 30 minutes to get to the top with breaks. Totally worth it! Knees were trembling when they got to the bottom.

I grew up hiking/biking/camping here and the surrounding areas as a child. Definitely recommend…read moredoing this hike for the views!!

I was here in the winter time so I am guessing that this place is even better in the warmer…read moreseasons. There's a great trail around the lake, the furnaces are there with some nice information about the history of the area, so well constructed shelters to reserve for your group, and even more trails to explore that go across the hill and across the road. I feel like I barely saw a fraction of the area on my 4 mile hike, so I'll be back.

Pennsylvania is home to some of the best Parks! Greenwood Furnace Park is one of them!…read more They have over 10 different hikes all in a variety of difficulties. For example, part of The Standing Stone Trail is in the Greenwood Furnace Park! The trails go past areas including beaches, dams, forests, historic buildings and more! At times the hiking trails became overgrown. If hiking is not your thing they also have boating and fishing options. Obviously, the lakes in the park are usually packed with canoes and kayaks. When it comes to fishing, trout is sought after! After day-time activities you can cool of at the sand beach located on the lake. Around that area they have pagodas and barbecues that are great for picnicking! They also have a playground with multiple slides for the kids! During the winter time, they also have plenty of activities including snowmobiling, sledding and ice skating! The bathrooms here are new and clean so you can change into your bathing suit at the park! I would highly recommend this Park!

Our recent visit to the Camp Hill area of PA was made so much nicer having this park close to our…read morehotel. It certainly left me wishing I had a park with these amenities close to my own home! We were really just looking for a clean playground for my daughter to get some energy out, but I was so impressed that Siebert Park also had a large swimming pool (Olympic size I want to say), walking trails, tennis courts and a full football/soccer field. It was really a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon. The county is clearly committed to making this a clean, safe environment for residents. There was no noticeable litter, there were receptacles available for recycles and I especially appreciate the No Smoking signs near the play equipment. We enjoyed our time here and I would highly recommend it for locals and visitors!

Sieber Park is among my favorite parks in the area for many reasons. First there is a nice, shady…read moretrail along side the brook. The trail is not paved but provides a good variations of terrains, keeping the short hike interesting. We usually start the hike from the trailhead near the pool parking lot by N 25th St. When you cross the bridge, you have the option to turn left to continue north toward the Conodoguinet Creek, or head straight into the wood for a fun hilly hike which I usually do. By the way, if you do continue north toward the creek, you'd reach the water access point on Creek Rd where you can deploy kayaks or tubes for the 3 miles of downstream to the Susquehana River. Then there are the plentiful amenities that makes this park stand out: swimming pool, beach volleyball court, football/athletic field, cabin, and even a gaga ball pit in addition to the usual tennis courts, basketball courts, and children's playground. You will also find track and field grounds scattered around, albeit none of us will make use of them: discus, shot put, javelin, hammer throw, etc. Now, I must mention even as the park got notably improved over the years, the value it provides to me actually diminishes. For example, the football/athletic field is now a full-blown Camp Hill Stadium but open during actual events only, and the tennis courts are for paid member badge access only. Both of them used to be open to public. So Sieber Park's rank on my list has gone down, but we still frequent it for the fun hikes.

what a neat trail! very clean and maintained nicely…read morewanted to check out the rail trail and walk for a bit . it is pretty cool how it goes into MD really beautiful area many entrances to the rail trail. one day i will be be to walk the entire thing!

Amazing! Love to hike here, and great for bikes too. Lots of different things to see, and great…read moreterrain.

Ricketts Glen is a very special place for me and my family, and we have been visiting annually for…read moremany years. Lodging: My family likes to stay in the little cabins in the park. They have two or three bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a fire ring. They are fully furnished and climate controlled, which is nice in the winter and summer. However, there is no WiFi or cell service (unless you have A T and T) so be mindful of that when you book. I have never stayed at the campsites, so I cant speak for accommodations there. Activities: There's so much to do around the park, including boating or swimming at Lake Jean, exploring the many miles of trails, or having a family barbecue. The most famous trail in the park, the Falls Trail, is a must-hike for visitors. The trail can be steep, rocky, and slippery, and the main loop (not including the bottom three falls) runs about 5 miles, which is longer than the advertised distance, so be prepared. Bring good shoes and lots of water and expect some amazing views of the falls. The other trails in the park are also beautiful, albeit far less traveled. I did the 13 mile loop from cherry run to mountain springs road to the mountain springs trail, and it was a great distance and not too steep. We went past the old Lake Leigh dam breast and an unnamed waterfall with a nice swimming hole. The cherry run and mountain springs trails have lots of tall grass, so make sure to wear long pants in case of ticks. Additionally, the spring runs right through portions of the mountain springs trail, so be prepared to get your feet a little wet. I look forward to each year I get to go to Ricketts and even though I am sad I'm home, I'm super excited for next year!

My birthday is the most important day of the year. This is a fact. I get very ornery if I don't…read morespend the day/week/month the way that I want. For 3 years running The Plan has been to go to Acadia. First year: someone went to an international wedding of 500 people and got the Rona Second year: someone bought a big rig and rates were in the toilet Third year: Someone was tired and the planing was overwhelming I just knew this would be The Year. Sike - Rain and thunderstorms forecasted from May 27-June 4 and we had a campsite lmaaoooooo But one thing about me - I'm gon pivot every time. So we booked a Hipcamp and headed to PA instead. I wanted open land, dark skies, and opportunities to hike. Ricketts was only 10 minutes away!! All I knew about this park beforehand was that it was a waterfall paradise. We had our dog with us and arrived at Ricketts around 4pm on a Sunday. We checked out some of the small falls at the trailhead then did the Evergreen Trail. Beautiful view of Adams Falls, a lovely wooded walk through an old growth forest, and some climbs here and there to keep your heart rate up. I love when Wesley goes out on the trails - he sniffs everything, bounds ahead to scout the path, and patiently waits until I can clear obstacles. Still, given the height and uneven terrain of even this shorter trail in the park, I would likely return without him to take on some of the more challenging routes. Making sure he didn't fly off the ledge and I didn't fall off the stone steps had my nervous system on fire lol. I'm also old now and believe feet should always stay rooted to the floor. So yeah. The park is very dog friendly and we love that. But for me and mine, maybe we'll come solo next time. Summed Up: Beautiful Ethereal Calming Steep Heights Dog-friendly Free Do it!

Stopped by the park while in the area to check out the overlook view. The park was clearly marked…read moremaking it easy to navigate. Free entry and plenty of parking. There were walking trail options in the area as well. The view was amazing and definitely worth the stop!

Beautiful scenic overlook of the confluence of the branches of the Susquehanna River. And unlike…read moreMaryland's state parks, there's no admission fee. Very quiet, despite the constant traffic on State Routes 11/15 immediately below. Didn't find the nesting raptors in the trees below, nor did we see any deer as we hiked along the Deer Trail, although we came across a family BBQ at one of the covered picnic areas. Near the top were restrooms that were in an actual building rather than the usual porta-potties, but with no running water (although there was hand sanitizer). Well-maintained playground with swings, slides, and monkey bars at the upper parking lot for the kids too. Just be sure to map or GPS your route to avoid having to make numerous U-turns - coming north up Route 11/15, there's no park directional signage (look for the County Line Road sign just before the bridge) and from County Line Road, the park entrance sign is pointing towards visitors coming from the opposite direction.

Sharp winding rocky roads but worth it. Definitely worried about popping a tire in the middle of…read morenowhere. The beach is nice and clean. Snack bar is cash only so be prepared. GPS is spotty so pay attention to signs

This beach is beautiful and this park is beautiful. The lake is big where the beach is and there…read moreare some beautiful vistas to view at nearby Poe Paddy S.P. Parking is good here too.