I came here for the first time last summer and I wasn't sure about it because I've never gone…read morecamping before. It was by far the highlight of my summer and I've been waiting all winter to go back. If you don't feel comfortable in a tent or don't want to rent a camper no worries. They have cabins you can rent out. Was very nice and the bathrooms were surprisingly clean.

My husband & I hiked here for the first time last week. Hopefully, it won't be the last time as we…read morereally enjoyed it & plan to come back to the area soon. We chose to hike the "Phyllis" trail which was deemed difficult. It was challenging & gave us a great workout which is exactly what we were looking for. We thoroughly enjoyed the scenery...beautiful park.

This is a great off-the-beaten-path scenic park with views available free of charge! Kinzua Bridge…read morehas been on our must-see list for a few years & we added it to a vacation visit to NW PA - & we were treated to a day with awesome weather. The views from the bridge as well as nearby observation decks were awesome. We made use of some of the trails to get views of the underside of the bridge & the valley below. Trail to the bottom of the valley is a bit difficult for a casual hiker, but worth it if you have the stamina & are so inclined;) Views from the observation deck are impressive - affording a display of the power of the tornado that caused the destruction of the opposite half of the bridge. The park includes a small but very nice visitor center with gift shop & museum containing history of the bridge/area. The park also has handicap-accessible access to the bridge. I'd highly recommend this park to outdoor & history enthusiasts!

Kinzua Bridge State Park…read more Finally got to visit this place. The previous reviews said there are no bathrooms but as of 2026, there are bathrooms in the visitor building. Great bridge. Old. Rusty. I'm told they will make future renovations. Inside the visitor center there is a small museum and shop. Highly recommended

The Rim Rock Overlook and Picnic Area offer spectacular views of the Kinzua Valley, the Allegheny…read moreReservoir, and the dam. It's comprised of a mountaintop series of huge sandstone boulders. The huge rocks are a lot of fun to climb about but beware of rattlesnakes. I was born in the Town of Kinzua which, despite the objections of the Seneca Indian Nation, which had a treaty signed by George Washington covering their sections of land for as long as the grass grew and the sun shined, was broken, and flooded. So, as striking as the view may be, you're looking at yet another despicable act of a broken treaty with an Indian Nation. For the view, 5 Yelp Stars, for its appalling background of perfidy, I'll let you decide. By the way, the lake is commonly known as Lake Perfidy by the indigenous Seneca people.

This is a beautiful area that overlooks the Allegheny Reservoir. You can park near Kinzua Beach and…read morehike up to the Rim Rock Overlook or you can drive up and park at the top and take a short walk to the overlook. There are a lot of large rocks and boulders that make for interesting exploration opportunities. There's a narrow staircase that cuts right through the rocks as part of the trail between the beach and the overlook. Whichever option you choose, the overlook is gorgeous and worth checking out the view!

Awesome place to have a calm quiet hike. The history and rock formations are so cool.read more

Wow this is very unique! Not a safe or easy adventure. It's only a mile long, but if you choose to…read moreexplore any of the caves, it's a tiring experience!

This one is going to be a partial review. Why partial? Well, we barely scratched the surface of…read morewhat's at this beautiful state park and I want to come back to see more. On our way from Ohio to the other side of PA, we took a detour to get a look at where the modern petroleum industry got its start in this country. One big downside is that because this was ad-libbed, we entered the per se, "wrong side" of the park which doesn't have a much to see as the other side. Let me explain: As the below map shows, the park is laid out in a thin vertical line. Instead of arriving at the northern end where the Drake Well Musuem is, we showed up at the southern tip by the Egbert Farm Day Use Area. The big problem with that goes back to the adlibbing and not knowing that the bridge that leads over Oil Creek is long term closed to vehicles. It's possible to go around but it's a PIA and we didn't have enough time. www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/OilCreekStatePark/pages/maps.aspx We saw Coal Oil Johnny's House, some of the Blood Farm Area and walked a bit of the snowy/muddy Gerard Trail before we ran out of daylight. uncoveringpa.com/things-to-do-oil-creek-state-park Jim at unoveringpa.com has a great list of stuff to do in the park and later this year I'm hoping to do a longer tour of the area and hit this place up for a few days along with Cherry Springs and Hyner Run. We didn't spend a long time here, but the appetite has been whet for more.

This park is an intriguing blend of history and nature. This is the site of an oil boom town, and…read morethere are a number of historical indicators left memorializing it. An interpretive trail is located near the visitor's center that lets you stroll what used to be an old street in the town. None of the actual buildings remain, but the signage is great. There is a train visitor center where a train still runs through at times. There is also a nice playground and picnic tables available. The Blood Farm area is also beautiful - there's a nice large green space near the Oil Creek, with picnic tables, a playground, and shelterhouses. The Blood Farm Interpretive Trail provides an enjoyable short hike with some information about how the Blood Farm became a site where oil was discovered, and you can still find stopped off oil wells, old equipment and old farm buildings to view. Several waterfalls can be found here during certain times of year; unfortunately, the friendly staff told us that they weren't really running at the time of our visit. Very interesting park!

Been going here for 50 years . All the garbage has been cleaned up . Railing has been fixed , it's…read moretruly a beautiful place . It won't be long though when the view is gone , you can only see a very little bit of the river now because the trees are getting too tall . It needs cut all the way to the dirt road below like the old days when the whole river could be seen . Nice trails below , watch for snakes .

Just a beautiful site to see when everything is changing.I urge anyone in the area to of Kennerdell…read moreto stop and to see for themselves

Another great visit to cook forest in the books!!! I grew up, coming to cook forest and fall in…read morelove again every time I visit. The fire tower is an absolute must, and although there are trails to take to reach the fire tower, I love the drive through the forest, the best. Since many are visiting the fire tower along with Seneca point I always try and visit earlier in the mornings when there's not a lot of people. I also am a fan of the lodging in the area. The cabins (River & McBeth) are very affordable & comfortable and sometimes we even stay nearby in Brookville. A lot to book up fast but they do have availability from time to time so even if its last minute, still check their websites. The sawmill is so fun to shop at as well as Parkers Indian trading Post. We love Cook Forest & will always return!!

I love visiting Cook Forest State Park! If you enjoy being outdoors, this is a place you should add…read moreto your bucket list. There is truly something here for everyone. If you're the hiking type, there are 52 miles of trails to explore. If you're a birder, you'll definitely want to grab your binoculars and check out different parts of the park, as numerous birds inhabit the forest. If you prefer spending a day on the water, you can go swimming in the Clarion River, as well as rent kayaks, canoes, and river tubes. It's not hard to find a good spot to fish, and in the winter you can also enjoy cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, and ice-skating. In my case, Cook Forest is just a couple of hours away - a day trip isn't out of the question. Still, it's so much nicer to spend an entire weekend in this beautiful place. Fortunately, that's pretty easy to do! Campgrounds and log cabins alike are available within the park. The cabins are very popular, but have no fear: there are hotels within driving distance of the park as well. Do keep in mind that cell service is not guaranteed here; this is totally OK in my book, but it does mean that having a rough idea of where you'll be driving is essential. Grab a map or write down some directions from Google Maps - then go forth and enjoy your time in this beautiful place!

Absolutely beautiful close to Lake Erie fortunately because the local restaurants here like the…read moreFrog Pond is are complete dives. Over priced drinks that are either watered down or just flat out made wrong and the food is mediocre at best. The scenery is perfect here and centrally located to great attractions if you don't mind a 40 minute drive. Not much to do here for the younger kiddos

The beach is extremely tiny, lots of vegetation growing in the water, water slide was fun but…read morerather expensive..

This beautiful recreational area keeps improving. There are fields for baseball and soccer and now…read morea dog po park. There are pavilions and playgrounds in several areas around the sprawling park. Walking, jogging, fishing, wading in the water, bird watching or just enjoying the outdoors. There is even internet access. There's something for everyone here.

We visited Chapman State Park as we were driving around enjoying different sights in the Allegheny…read moreNational Forest. The park was very calm and peaceful, with only a few other visitors when we stopped by. The lake and its small dam were beautiful to look at. The lake offers an accessible dock for fishing too. There are a number of picnic tables and shelterhouses throughout the park, plus some nice modern restrooms in good condition available. There is great beach area with a nearby playground, plus a campground with yurts and trails. It was a beautiful and relaxing visit to a very nice state park!

Chapman State Park is a pretty Pennsylvania State Park within the Boundaries of the Allegheny…read moreNational Forest. Its a unique State Park that shares it boundaries with National Forest Land making it really feel as if your in the middle of nowhere. Chapman State Park offers a beautiful campground with great amenities for families. As well as Cabin and Yurt rentals. Chapman also offers a Beach for swimming as well as a few Playgrounds for kids. Chapman has a pretty decent trail system for Hiking as well as Bike Riding. The large draw to the park is the Large lake that acts as the center piece for the Park. At one end of the Park is a beautiful spillway at the edge of the lake. Overall if your looking for a Pennsylvania State Park away from it all, but great for families Chapman is a great choice. Happy Travels!