It's no wonder Kings Gap was named PA's Park of the Year! It's so peaceful, beautiful, and less…read morethan 30 minutes from Carlisle. There are walking and hiking trails everywhere and the crown jewel of course is the mansion, the view, and the gardens. There are activities year round including music festivals, tours of the mansion, and you can even rent out the mansion or just rooms. There's truly something for everyone. I wish there was a small store in the education center that offered drinks, coffee, and snacks, but there is the general store at the bottom of the hill that offers sandwiches, take-out meals, and beverages so hit up Kings Gap General Store before heading up to the mansion. We're so fortunate to have this park so close to us and if it's not my favorite state park, it's in the top five at least.

I headed up to Cameron-Masland Mansion on a warm, sunny October Sunday, planning just to check out…read morethe scenic overlook... and accidentally stumbled into the Friends of Kings Gap Annual Garden Harvest Day. Food, crafts, live music, crowds, and enough traffic to require Park Rangers directing cars--definitely more than I bargained for, but sometimes that's half the fun. The mansion itself is a gorgeous 32-room stone villa perched on the mountaintop, built in 1908. On this day, the inside was open to wander through, though I admit I was a little disappointed to find vendor booths set up in many of the rooms. Not exactly ideal for soaking in the mansion's character or snapping quality photos, especially when another full field of vendors was set up right across the street. Still, it was cool to step inside and imagine what life here must have been like in the early 1900s--quiet, peaceful, with endless valley views. Speaking of views: the terrace overlook is the true star here. On this bright, cloudless day, with the leaves just beginning to turn, it was absolutely stunning. The terrace even had two velvet chairs and some pumpkins set up for a fun fall photo op. I spent the most time here, just taking in the sights and thinking about how many people have stood in that same spot over the last century. I also popped by the Education Center and wandered through the mansion garden (though the garden seemed like it could use a little love). All told, it was a fun stop that combined history, nature, and a little unexpected festival energy. I don't know that I need to go back, but it was definitely worth visiting once--and that view alone is bucket-list worthy.

Along the water in Bainbridge is a small park with a covered area and a small lot where many hikers…read moreand bikers park to use the nearby trail. Personally, I parked to walk 1.5 miles to the White Cliffs of Conoy, an old quarry along the water with stunning views and photo opps.

The white cliffs of conoy is located here, which is roughly a 3 mile trek round trip (1.5 miles one…read moreway). Parking is limited in Koser Park. When heading towards the paved trail that is tree lined, take the paved path opposite of the side the picnic tables (on your right if your back is to the Susquehanna river). The trail can get quite busy, numerous people bike down the trails, others are just walking &/or walking their dogs. You eventually cross a small bridge, once you hit the 1.5 mile mark you will come up on a port a potty on your right. You can enter the first mound by walking through the overgrown brush/trees. The view from the first mound doesn't have as much impressive views as the second mound. When we arrived there were two kids biking on the first mound. The white cliffs of conoy was named after the resemblance of the white cliffs of Dover, however these mounds are actually industrial waste from crushed excess limestone & dolomite fused from an old limestone quarry that was once private land, but is now publicly owned. The second mound can be accessed if you walk a few feet past the port a potty, take caution as there are old metal rods etc poking out through the mound in various areas. There are also signs to take caution away from the ledge, as some of the areas can be unstable. The view of the Susquehanna River is beautiful. Are the white cliffs of conoy impressive? Not necessarily, but it's something unique, & quirky to see in person. It's also a popular spot for engagement/proposal photos for the locals. I wouldn't say it's a must see, but if you are out of state visiting, it's a nice short, paved easy hike that will probably last roughly an hour or so, dependent upon your speed & physical fitness level. You can combine this hike with the Chickies rock overlook trail, as it is only a 15 minute drive from one another. When leaving to head back to Hershey, we drove pass Three Mile Island, where the unit 2 reactor partial meltdown caused roughly 2 million people living nearby to be exposed to small amounts of radiation.

The park spans a little over a mile. Accessible by car from Whitehouse ln, or Ann st. Walking…read moreaccess is available from Hanover st. The trail is scenic, and fairly well maintained. The Whitehouse lane side has a sheltered picnic area. I believe there's a charcoal grill. I assuming you'd need to contact Highspire borough for reservation information. It would be nice if the trail extended around the whole reservoir. In my opinion the only negatives are the occasional bike, or dog without a leash.

Great park with a picnic area, walking trail and a rcently added boardwalk. We spotted a white…read moreheron, bluejay, frog and some squirrels on our visit. Kids enjoyed the bridges a nd marsh areas as well as just sitting down on the benches listening to birds. This area was completely unknown to me until recently. Worth a visit if you are a nature enthusiast.

I learned about the Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve through social media and was genuinely…read moresurprised to discover it's less than 20 minutes from my house--yet I had never heard of it. This has been happening more and more lately, and I've been having a lot of fun discovering these close-to-home, beautiful outdoor spaces. Thankfully, this preserve did not disappoint. According to the preserve's website, this 54-acre nature preserve sits along the Conodoguinet Creek and serves as an important natural habitat featuring meadows, wetlands, and ponds. It offers creek access for kayaking and fishing, and the ponds are also open for fishing. Visitors can choose between an almost 2-mile outer loop trail or a shorter 1-mile inner loop trail, both clearly marked and suitable for walking, hiking, and biking. One section of the outer loop provides views of a bald eagle nesting area. The website notes that dogs are not permitted. I visited on a beautiful, though chilly, first Sunday in January. When I arrived around 9am, I found a large gravel parking lot with just a handful of cars. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of clearly marked handicap parking--always nice to see thoughtful accessibility. While the website states that dogs are not allowed, I encountered multiple leashed dogs during my walk (some even sporting sweaters), and several posted signs reminded owners to keep dogs leashed and clean up after them. It's possible the website is outdated, but based on what I observed, dogs definitely seem to be a common sight here. The crushed stone paths combined with the very flat terrain made this an incredibly relaxed and easy walk--perfect for a laid-back Sunday morning. After reviewing the trail map, I chose the Black Trail, which follows the Conodoguinet Creek and passes the designated eagle nesting area before looping back to the parking lot. I took my time, as usual, and the entire walk lasted about 45 minutes. The creek was especially beautiful that morning, with a thin layer of ice glistening in the sunlight. Homes perched high above the creek added to the scenery, and there was plenty of wildlife activity--birds flitting about and squirrels clearly enjoying the crisp morning air. While I didn't spot any eagles on this visit, the signage notes that they frequent the area between January and June, so I'm hopeful I'll catch a glimpse on a future visit. One thing to note: while the preserve is lovely, it does come with a fair amount of residential and roadway noise due to nearby homes and streets. This isn't a secluded, deep-woods experience. Expect to see other visitors, hear phones ringing, and encounter everyday neighborhood sounds. That said, the Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve is a solid community space for getting outside and stretching your legs. While I personally prefer quieter, more remote nature experiences, this is a safe, well-maintained, and accessible option for locals looking for a quick and easy nature walk close to home.

This trail is so well maintained with benches placed periodically throughout. It's mostly flat and…read morean easy, relaxing walk.

This is a park with a little something for everyone. You pass tennis courts as you make your way…read moreinto the park which is nice. There's also a baseball field, pavilion with lots of tables, and plenty of open grass/ field. There are also two separate playground areas, one for ages 2-5 and then another for 6-12. If you're there during peak times on a Saturday the amount of children/ tweens and parents there can feel a bit overwhelming. So I would advise trying to avoid peak times on a Saturday. Sundays seem a little more calm. There are so many cool features at this playground your child will definitely have fun and wear themselves out! There's also a waterway/ creek that has ducks in it frequently and what appears to be a path/walkway/ walking trail. This park has everything you need for a day or afternoon at the park!

Awesome place! Id love to visit again haha the kids LOVED IT! Charles almost fell in though....stay…read moresafe!

I recently discovered LeTort Spring Run and Nature Trail, and honestly, I'm still annoyed with…read moremyself for not knowing it existed sooner. I've lived in Central PA nearly my entire life--and even in Carlisle--and somehow this peaceful little gem flew completely under my radar until it popped up on social media a few weeks ago. Once I realized it was only about a 20-minute drive from my house, it immediately earned a spot on my must-visit list. Naturally, I wasted no time--early the very next Sunday morning, LeTort was my destination. According to LeTort's website (and because I love a little history with my walks): the trail is named after James LeTort, a French-Swiss trader who settled near the stream in the early 1700s. The area once hosted mills and tanneries and later became internationally known for cold-water fly fishing. Today, LeTort is famous for its limestone trout stream, bird watching, and a 2.5-mile out-and-back trail that's wide, flat, and easy to navigate. There are multiple access points, ADA-accessible fishing platforms, interpretive signage, and plenty of opportunities to feel outdoorsy without having to scale a boulder or question your life choices. I parked in the newly developed lot on South Spring Garden Street and was thrilled to find...absolutely no one else there! Sunday morning hikes are sacred to me--they're about quiet, reflection, and resetting my brain for the week ahead--so having the entire place to myself felt like winning the nature lottery. The sun was just coming up, casting that soft, golden morning light that makes everything feel calm and slightly magical. I specifically chose LeTort because it promised well-maintained, ADA-accessible paths, as opposed to my usual "billy-goating through the woods" adventures involving rocks, roots, and questionable footing. This particular Sunday, my brain was heavy and my soul needed something gentle. LeTort absolutely delivered. I didn't pass another human the entire time I was there (10/10 experience for me), but it's clear this trail would be perfect for folks with strollers, dogs, or mobility aids. The paths are wide, flat, and beautifully maintained, with lovely views along the stream. Wildlife was very much awake and active--squirrels were busy being chaotic, birds were everywhere, and a few mallard ducks were enjoying their best peaceful-morning lives. My two favorite moments from this visit really stood out. First was the view from a bridge near Bonny Brook Road, where I stopped to watch ducks gliding through the creek while squirrels chased each other across fallen trees spanning the water. It was serene, peaceful, and exactly the kind of quiet beauty I needed. The second moment surprised me: a Sharpie-marked message on a wooden signpost that read, "ALWAYS HAVE HOPE." I'm not usually a fan of graffiti, but that message hit me square in the feelings that morning and felt oddly meant just for me. Sometimes the universe shows up in weird ways--even via Sharpie. LeTort Spring Run is a solid choice for a low-impact, easy walk when you want fresh air without breaking a sweat or navigating rugged terrain. There's plenty of parking, plenty of space to move comfortably, and plenty of beauty if you're paying attention. It may not land on my frequent-visit list, but I'll absolutely keep it in mind as a future picnic spot once spring and summer roll around. Sometimes the best adventures are the quiet ones--and LeTort is a really lovely place to slow down, breathe, and just be.

This is a rather easy and underwhelming bike trail, but an OK one for walking/jogging. The reason…read moreis it's only 1.7 miles long. The trail is narrower than a typical rail trail and is paved with crushed stones. Best parking for the trailhead is at the Lamberton Middle School. In the visitor parking just head toward the building and veer to the left and you will see the trailhead. At the end of the trail at S Spring Garden St, there's a posted sign announcing the extension of the trail all the way to Heisters Lane and is expected to be completed in July of 2021. That would add at least .9 miles to the trail, making it more presentable and worth while to visit. Officially the trail starts from LeTort Park which adds .3 mile to the length, but that would include 3 blocks of street biking interconnecting the 2 segments. By the way, LeTort Park has a nice setting for duck and goose watching if you're into that sort of thing.

If you've never been to Big Spring State Park, you're seriously missing out on one of…read morePennsylvania's best-kept little secrets. It's tucked into the side of Conococheague Mountain and surrounded by Tuscarora State Forest -- which makes it quiet. Like, so freaking quiet. The kind of quiet where you can actually hear your own thoughts... or question all your life choices while admiring the trees. I went early on a chilly October Saturday morning to hike the Tunnel Trail and see the abandoned train tunnel. The park lists it as "more difficult hiking," but I have questions. Because this out-of-shape, 40-year-old woman -- hiking solo in Hey Dudes, mind you -- handled it just fine. A few big rocks to navigate and one short, steep-ish climb near the end, but nothing that required an oxygen tank or a pep talk. The tunnel itself is super cool and loaded with history. The Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad started digging it in 1894, got about 10% done, and then apparently said "nah, we're good." You can peek inside and see where it abruptly ends about 100 feet in. There's a little fence, but no "keep out" signs. I didn't go in, though, because there was what looked suspiciously like fresh animal blood leading into the darkness and I wasn't looking to become part of the food chain that day. I admired from a safe distance and called that a win. The rest of the park is small but really charming. Picnic tables, a few pavilions, and even what looks like an old stone fireplace near the bathrooms. Speaking of bathrooms -- we need to talk about those. They're not your average grimy state park port-a-potties. These were fancy port-a-johns. Clean, surprisingly non-stinky, and fully stocked with toilet paper. I almost shed a tear of joy. The roads leading in are in great shape (even the unpaved parts), the trails are well-marked, and there's just enough cell service to make a call if you need to -- which is nice when you're adventuring solo. All in all, Big Spring State Park might be tiny, but it packs in a ton of history, scenery, and peace. It's the perfect low-key spot for an easy hike, a quiet picnic, or just to clear your head for a few hours. Highly recommend it!

This is a 45 acre park in western perry county, plast blain and new germantown. it is pretty small…read moreitself, but is totally surrounded by thousands of acres of state forest land. it is kind of rugged and mountainy. there is a decent mile or so long trail, the iron horseshoe. we ealked it last summer, and it turned out to be pretty cool. it was basically a railroad grade that ended up in a mountain, they tried to build a tunnel there a centruy ago, but never completed it and the company that made it went out of business. anyway, good hike, nice picnic area, very peaceful and quiet.

Nice and quiet short trail along the water with access to the water at the end, if you wish to…read moreutilize that. Trail is short (probably not even half a mile one way) but still a nice quick place to get out in nature and go for a walk. Parking is available and trail is easy to find. Pretty quite place.