The 20 "must-see" Pennsylvania state parks (Gap, Delaware Water Gap: camp, beaches)

[Craziaskowboi]

Has anybody ever been to any of Pennsylvania's 20 "must-see" state parks? They are...

1. Black Moshannon State Park
2. Canoe Creek State Park
3. Cherry Springs State Park
4. Cook Forest State Park
5. Delaware Canal State Park
6. Greenwood Forest State Park
7. Hickory Run State Park
8. Hyner View State Park
9. Jennings State Park
10. Kinzua Bridge State Park
11. Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks
12. McConnells Mill State Park
13. Ohiopyle State Park
14. Oil Creek State Park
15. Presque Isle State Park
16. Pymatuning State Park
17. Raccoon Creek State Park
18. Ricketts Glen State Park
19. Trough Creek State Park
20. Worlds End State Park

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/twenty/twenty_images/20parks.gif (broken link)

Of those 20, I've only ever been to Ohiopyle and Pymatuning State Parks. I took a raft down the Youghiogheny River below the Ohiopyle Falls, and almost took a rowboat across Pymatuning Lake from Tuttle Point to a couple of random islands. (It's a good thing I turned around because the sun was setting.)

So if any of you have ever been to any of these places, let me know what you thought.

[Lehigh Valley Native]

World's End and Rickets Glenn are two of the most beautiful state parks I have been to.

My favorite parks in PA are Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area(National Park), and Lehigh Gorge State Park.

[blauskies]

Been to several, Rickett's Glen is excellent as is Worlds End, there are several others that I have been to that are not even on the list well it's not a state park but Hawk Mountain is a great place to see birds but often too touristy.

[Gettingouttahere]

5. Delaware Canal State Park
7. Hickory Run State Park
15. Presque Isle State Park
18. Ricketts Glen State Park
20. Worlds End State Park

Been to all of these. Have camped at Ricketts Glen and outside Presque Isle. Ricketts Glen has the best waterfalls around, great hiking, and a lake for swimming. Presque Isle has wonderful beaches, even waves if you hit the winds right, and no sticky salt residue (great for taking young kids). I would highly recommend them for multi-night getaways. The others I've been to I would also go back to.

PA has some of the best state parks I've ever been to - the whole system is excellent - and the fact that they're free is amazing.

[pcity]

I've been to:

5. Delaware Canal State Park
7. Hickory Run State Park
11. Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks
13. Ohiopyle State Park
14. Oil Creek State Park
15. Presque Isle State Park
18. Ricketts Glen State Park

and driven through (this probably doesn't count):

4. Cook Forest State Park

Opinions:

I'd take Delaware Canal and Oil Creek off the must-see list. Not saying these are bad parks, but if someone from out of state were visiting, I wouldn't tell them these are places they had to go.

The Delaware Canal is nice but it's not particularly unique- you can see the same thing on the NJ side of the river, and the C&O Canal towpath in MD is similar. The Drake Well Museum and Historic Site near Oil Creek is cool, but the state park is just average- some nice trails but nothing special.

Now for the good ones:

Hickory Run - Love the boulder fields here- they're huge! This is definitely a unique experience.

Leonard Harrison/Colton Point - The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon might not be quite as impressive as the real thing, but it's pretty deep for this part of the country. Great place to hike.

Ohiopyle - Natural waterslides! I didn't get to go on these since it was Spring when I visited, but I'd imagine they are a lot of fun. The rafting is supposed to be pretty good here too.

Presque Isle - This has to be the most impressive park in the state. I believe it's also the only one that charges admission. You've got beaches, bird habitats, and it's probably the only place in PA you can hike on trails of sand.

Ricketts Glenn - Some of the most plentiful and beautiful waterfalls in the state.

[Ohiogirl81]

Presque Isle has no equal.

The others that I've been to, I'd rank in this order:

Cook Forest State Park
Kinzua Bridge State Park
Pymatuning State Park
Hickory Run State Park
Oil Creek State Park
Delaware Canal State Park

[Johnny C]

I have been to all of the top 20 listed except for World's End, Hickory Run, and Cherry Springs. I loved Ricketts Glen because I am a huge waterfall fan. Here are a few pics from Ricketts Glen SP:






















http://www.aroundpa.com/forum/images/smilies/new/sweatdrop.gif (broken link)

[ki0eh]

All except 3 and 5 (actually #3 has nothing there, which is the attraction, except I don't need to go somewhere to find nothing since I can just go to camp ) I personally like Trough Creek and Presque Isle better than Ricketts Glen. I would second that Oil Creek isn't that interesting beyond the Drake Well site, not bad but not an absolute must see. I'm not that thrilled with Canoe Creek either, I'd put Linn Run on there instead.

[Johnny C]

Here are some more of my pics of my favorite PA State Parks:

Ohiopyle:









Cook Forest:

[Flamingo13]

I've been to:

Presque Isle
Pymatuning
Kinzua
McConnells Mill
Raccoon
Ohiopyle

(may have been to others but can't place them)