This is a great little park with a play area and benches. Certain areas offer great views of the…read more borough and surrounding mountains. The Pioneer Coal Mine Tour it's directly behind the park.

Nice quiet park overlooking Ashland, Pennsylvania. Combination of both traditional metal playground…read moreequipment (swings, merry-go-rounds, and adult porch swings) and new plastic equipment. There's a little wooden train set for the kiddies (with a bell that rings!) and a basketball court and a baseball field round out the attractions. The Pioneer Tunnel train ride and the Anthracite Museum are right across the street if you're looking for something else for the kiddies to do, or if you arrive too soon before the train ride departs!

One of my favorite places ever Our family has enjoyed camping here many years. There is a medium…read moresized lake with a beach area and plenty of room outside of that to fish and boat. The sites have a nice amount of trees in them and privacy between spots. We prefer the beach loop which is all tent camping. It usually is cold enough in the summer to need hoodies at night. There are a ton of chipmunks and squirrels. Make sure your food is secured well as they will find it and have chewed through our plastic totes to get to it. This morning we found that they got our chocolate bars, took them up into a tree and were dropping them half eaten onto the ground. Wildlife is nothing to mess with, they will cut you.

The lake and property are quite beautiful but the inhumane restrooms/showers are unacceptable.read more

While scrolling social media, I saw someone casually mention Sweet Arrow Lake as a place to find a…read morewaterfall in Central PA. A waterfall? Within 45 minutes of my house? Excuse me?! That was all I needed. Immediately added to the Sunday adventure list. I planned my visit for a mid-March Sunday, right after a hearty pre-St. Patrick's Day brunch (and cocktail), because if I was going to go chasing waterfalls, I might as well do it properly fueled and slightly festive. Getting there was super easy with Google Maps, and parking was plentiful all around the lake. Since it was my first visit, I parked near the clubhouse and set out to explore. Bathrooms were locked for the season, but there were portajohns available...which I respectfully chose to ignore and simply hoped for the best. It was about 50°, cloudy, and windy, but that didn't stop people from being out and about. There were families, walkers, and a surprisingly intense group of disc golfers launching discs through the air like they had something to prove. I heard multiple rounds of "HEAD'S UP!" and just accepted that at any moment I could become part of the game. Even with the number of people there, it never felt crowded. The park is big enough that you can easily find your own little peaceful corner and pretend you're out in nature alone...minus the occasional flying disc. This is definitely more of a walk than a hike, which honestly matched my post-brunch energy level perfectly. The paths are a mix of paved trails and well-worn walking routes, with plenty of options to wander depending on how far you feel like going. The lake itself was gorgeous in that moody, dramatic way that makes you feel like you're in a very calm, slightly emotional movie scene. There was someone fishing from a kayak, a few people along the shoreline, and just enough quiet to make it feel relaxing despite the wind. I came for the waterfall, though. And I heard it before I saw it. "I can hear water!" I announced (again, to no one in particular) as I followed the Waterfall Trail like I was on some sort of mission. And when I finally got there...totally worth it. The waterfall was beautiful. It might be partially man-made, but honestly, I do not care. It's water. It's falling. It's peaceful. It's a win! As I walked around, I kept thinking how perfect this place would be for a picnic once the weather warms up. There are so many great spots to throw down a blanket, snack, and pretend you're the kind of person who has their life together enough to plan outdoor picnics. Sweet Arrow Lake is easy to get to, easy to park, easy to walk, and very family-friendly. There's nothing wildly over-the-top here beyond the waterfall, but that's kind of the point. It's a solid, peaceful place to get outside, get some steps in, and enjoy a view that you don't come across every day in Central PA. And honestly? For a spontaneous "there's a waterfall 45 minutes away" adventure...I'd say that's a pretty great return on investment!

A wonderful place to go walking hiking trails are for beginners the small damn was cool must come…read moreearly parking are limited so get your parking spot early boat rental fun for the little one

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.

We spent 8 nights tent camping in the big loop (site 40) as a family with two elementary school…read moreaged children. Overall it was a wonderful experience and we highly recommend to anyone who loves camping. The great: I need to highlight the events that are organized by the rangers. They were really wonderful. The day we arrived there was a strawberry jam event (which we couldn't participate in because you had to pre-register). While we were there we participated in yoga on the beach, a sundial activity for children, nature story time, and a fireflies activity. These were all fantastic and interactive. Yoga and fireflies were both well attended talks. For the Sundial and Nature Story, it was only us or us and another family. I really liked how the leader was able to present in a way that hooked my 10 year old as well as younger children. The visitor center will also let you borrow fishing poles to try out fishing. The good: We booked our site about 10 months out and it was the last lake view site available to us for those dates. The view and size were wonderful. Other lake view sites were more private, if you can book them 11 months out when booking opens. We loved our site though and our neighbors, though close, were all very nice. There was a small trail leading down to the lake and an area that you could launch small boats. We brought our stand up paddle board and made sure it was registered. The ability to launch essentially from our campsite was fantastic! As a tent camper, I definitely prefer the Big Loop (where we were) to the Small Loop, where there are full hook up sites and lots of RVs. It was wonderful to walk around and we saw lots of wildlife, including ducks, geese, many birds, a bald eagle, and a young black bear. The not-so-good: Note, there is a young black bear that frequents the campground area and has, apparently, found that human food is easy to get. Please for your safety and the bear's safety lock up all your food, toiletries and trash in a locked vehicle. I'd also highly recommend not feeding ANY wildlife, including ducks and geese. The only other real problem was that the power was out in the big loop bathrooms for the duration of our stay and I didn't notice any urgency to fix that. The plumbing still works, but there is no hot water or lights. They've actually made it pretty workable, placing motion sensor battery lights in the stalls themselves. It definitely made grooming more complex. We had to drive to the small loop or the beach for showers. In addition, sometimes the dish washing sinks behind the bathrooms aren't draining properly. Next time I'll bring a dish pan to place into the utility sink so I have a bit more control of that, but if everyone scrapes their dishes and pots into the trash before washing it would help.

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!

Getting there is a challenge make sure you have a taller vehicle. Lots of pot holes. However once…read morethere it is amazing how all there rock made it there.

Such a cool and interesting thing to see in the state park. Have to drive a little over 3 miles to…read moreget here on a dirt road but lots of parking once you get there. There are plaques explaining how the field developed. Overall, a super cool thing to see, pictures don't do the size of the field justice

Moon Lake is so beautiful and peaceful. I spent the summer going up here when I needed to be alone…read morewith my thoughts. It's usually really quiet. The geese, however, are nosy as hell, and will try to steal your food and get into your business.

Favorite mountain biking in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Extensive, singletrack trail system…read more Dedicated volunteers quickly remove fallen trees, blow leaves off the trails. Super popular place to ride.

One of the best things about living in Derry Township is the parks and recreation. Shenk, Gelder…read moreand Cocoa Castle are well maintained. If you are looking for something to do that doesn't cost anything, take the kids to Cocoa Castle.

This a clean, new, and beautiful park. It's good for all ages. My 4 and 1 year old had a blast…read more They didn't have any bathrooms open so that's the only con.

What a fantastic piece of history, go, stop and read the plaques and take pictures. What an amazing…read morepiece of history

Well maintained space without signs of overt modernization make this place a worthwhile…read moreexploration. Industrial relics exhibit excellent decay and are easily accessible. Short walking trail takes you through the greenspace pebbled with old structures, into small wooded areas, over a bisecting stream, and along forgotten rail tracks. Quiet, and surrounded by development though you wouldn't know it.

Softball & Baseball Fields, Multipurpose lower fields, Pavilion, Launch Area for kayaking the…read moreSchuylkill River, hosts many events including Family Fun and Fireworks Night, Island Park Festival, Irish Flats Walking Trail circles the property, slightly over a mile in total. More to come