Ricketts Glen
Ricketts Glen State Park
State: Pennsylvania
Distance from New York City: 4 hrs
Single day
Ricketts Glen State Park is an unusual sight just 3,5 hrs from New York City. I’m in the fortunate position of only living 30-40 minutes from here, and I thought I’d be visiting this park this year as well. Ricketts Glen has 21 waterfalls along streams called Kitchen and Shingle creeks. Each waterfall is unique and makes the park very special. Almost all of the waterfalls named after an indian tribe, such as Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Ganoga, Seneca, Delaware, Mohawk, Conestoga and so on. The Hiking trails designed so you can see al 21 waterfalls just about two hours walking, in the park. this walking sometimes involves a lots of stairs. One of the special features of the park is that there are no barriers, you can come and go completely freely, just as you would be in the wilderness. You can stop on the top of the waterfall in the middle of the creek, or just underneath of it. Just in the wilderness with the exception of a wooden bridge and a puritan hiking trail, and a carved staircase on the hillsides.
The park is not only about waterfalls, but there is a swamp, a huge forest Fire Tower witch is on the top of the hill and usually can be visited by hikers, but not at this location. There are a several campsites in the park around Lake Jean. The lake is so big there is a couple of islands on the lake.One of the great feature of this park is that you can camp out and also you can bring your own canoe, because it got a huge lake with islands on it. And if there is a lake, there is a beach, where you can swim.
If you like hiking this is might be for you. There are 14 hiking trails in the forest and along the creeks. In America where is woods, there are bears. In the eastern forests the black bear is native animal, witch usually avoid humans. It is characterized by poor eyesight but excellent smell, so its worth storing food in the car, because if you wont, it will come and help you to eat it. Also the bear can smell toothpaste, deodorant, or perfume, fragrance, or air freshener, also the dress you cooked in also can attract the bear, and once it comes to food, a bear can aggressive. So good luck!.
Also I have to mention, that once you arrive or leave the park, there is a lovely Ice Cream shop at the near the entrance, where you can find flavors, that are rear just for half price and double amount ice cream compare to city prices. you gonna get so much you wont be able to eat all.
Not too far from here is the World End State Park. The road is pretty nice over here, however, at night you have to be careful driving because lots of deer by the side of the road. When I arrived, my first thing was to walk down to the creek, witch was pretty loud and very beautiful. There are big rocks and boulders in the creek, so you can jump one to another if you like that kind of thing. I do. It also has a beach, hiking trails the park provides restroom and pick-nick tables. The river and the area fells like being in one of the James Fenimore Cooper’s indian novel. For me, this was it was the highlight of the day. As the night came, the weather cooled down, and forced us to leave and go home. the road after dark was full of deer.
