State Parks of Pennsylvania: Index

INTRODUCTION

Pennsylvania has about 120 State Parks scattered through the state.  I've been making it a project to visit them, get to know their core attractions, their range of recreational opportunities, and capture a few scenic highlights.  I also provide an  overall rating for each park, from one star (pretty sad little parks; bottom ten percent) to five stars (outstanding; top ten percent of parks in the state).  Two stars means subpar, the bottom 10 to 30 percent; four stars means above average (top 70 to 90 percent), and three stars means "nice," a solid average park which covers the middle 40 percent of parks.  In my rating system, I start with an average rating, then add or subtract points to determine my final score.

Here's my system:

Parks should have a main recreational attraction (a lake, a mountain, a river), recreational opportunities (hiking, paddling, biking), and camping or other overnight accommodations.  I add credit for places of historical or cultural significance, spectacular scenery, exceptional geology, plant or animal life, abundant recreational opportunities, and access to adjacent recreational or wilderness spaces.  Parks lose credit if they are closed (yes, that happens!), tiny, have no overnight accommodations, no central attraction, or have extremely limited recreational opportunities.  The ratings are still a bit subjective, but I do try to be explicit and consistent about how I think about our parks. 

I create a google photo page for each park, and on each page, I summarize what I have learned about the park during my visit(s).  I included pictures, other online resources, and recommendations about sights or activities, if I have any.

Below is the list of parks I've visited, with links to google photoblogs for each park.  This is an ongoing project, so check back if you are interested in updates.  And if  you have pictures or content you'd like to add, please contact me: johnguetter@gmail.com; I'd love feedback or more input.  

Happy Parking!  

John


Ratings:

* = Sad, poor, closed, bottom 10% of PA State Parks  Has few, if any core elements of a park
** = Sub par, missing at least one important element of a park, bottom 10 - 30% of PA Parks
*** = Nice, average, has all the core elements (central attraction, adequate recreation, camping) OR has something exceptional to make up for the lack of a core element  Middle 40% of PA Parks
**** = Exceptional, has all core elements and one or more additional features (spectacular scenery, a lot of recreational opportunities, well developed historical, cultural, or other features) to make this a top 10 - 30% of PA Parks
***** = Outstanding, has multiple exceptional attractions, many recreational opportunities, full range of camping alternatives, spectacular scenery, well developed interpretations of historical, cultural, or natural features, to make for a top 10% of PA Parks.

The Parks:

Archbald Pothole *

Bald Eagle  ****

Black Moshannon ***

Buchanan Birthplace *

Caledonia **

Cherry Springs  ****

Colton Point  ****

Cowans Gap  ***

Denton Hill  *

Detweiler  **

Frances Slocum  ***

French Creek  ***

Gouldsboro  **

Hickory Run  ****

Hills Creek  ****

Hyner Run  ***

Hyner View  ***

Ibberson  **

Kettle Creek  ****

Kings Gap  ***

Kinzua Bridge  ****

Kooser  ***

Lackawanna  ***

Laurel Highlands  ****

Laurel Hill  ***

Laurel Ridge  ****

Laurel Summit  **

Leonard Harrison State Park  ****

Linn Run  **

Little Buffalo  ***

Little Pine  ***

Lyman Run  ***

Memorial Lake  *

Michaux SF 

Middle Creek

Milton  ***

Mt Pisgah  ***

Nescopeck  ***

Nolde  ***

Ole Bull  ***

Ohiopyle  *****

Patterson  *

Pine Creek Rail Trail and Gorge:  *****

Pine Grove Furnace  ***

Promised Land  ***

Pymatuning  ***

Ravensburg  **

Reeds Gap  **

Ricketts Glen  *****

Salt Springs  ***

Sand Bridge  *

Shawnee  ****

Sinnemahoning  ****

Sizerville  ***

Skikellamy  ***

Susquehannock  ***

Swatara  ***

Tobyhanna  ***

Trough Creek  ***

Upper Pine Bottom  *

World's End  ****


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State Parks: PA

INTRODUCTION Pennsylvania has about 120 State Parks scattered through the state.  I've been making it a project to visit them, get to know their core attractions, their range of recreational opportunities, and capture a few scenic highlights.  I also provide an  overall rating for each park, from one star (pretty sad little parks; bottom ten percent) to five stars (outstanding; top ten percent of parks in the state).  Two stars means subpar, the bottom 10 to 30 percent; four stars means above average (top 70 to 90 percent), and three stars means "nice," a solid average park which covers the middle 40 percent of parks.  In my rating system, I start with an average rating, then add or subtract points to determine my final score. Here's my system: Parks should have a main recreational attraction (a lake, a mountain, a river), recreational opportunities (hiking, paddling, biking), and camping or other overnight accommodations.  I add credit for places of historical or cul
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