The Top 10 Pennsylvania State Parks (2023 edition) 

After going back and backpacking the Gerard Trail I think it’ll rank higher when I redo this list! Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you and I had a lot of fun making this list, really can’t wait until I get a few more parks covered by this time next year to do an updated one, but yah it’s going to be tough to top the top 3! Would be fun to do a collab video sometime in the future if your interested!

@@MaksimOutdoors I would absolutely love to collab sometime. I live really close to Jennings Environmental Education Center and Maurice K. Goddard State Park if you'd want to do a day there and check another state park off your list!

@@StillGoingFar I was actually thinking about doing Goddard here soon that would be awesome!

Pymatunning is my favorite place ever to go!❤

😊

It’s my home!

Thank you for the support by leaving a comment! Looking forward to redoing this list next year as well as seeing Ricketts Glen.

You want to see beaches go to Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie, the water is quite warm as Lake Erie is the shallowest Great Lake.

Thank you, hope to get to them this fall!

Both are great parks, make sure you hike down to the bottom of the bridge the views from down below are incredible. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment man!

These were only the parks I’ve visited

May I suggest you lookup some of the State Parks in Central and Eastern PA. The Commonwealth had a pretty decent website on all of our State Parks. I was serious about Cherry Springs State Park which I believe is in Potter County, it is a World reknown Dark Sky Location and is visited by star gazers from all over the planet, look at their website and the photos posted on there. It isn't really a hiking location but it does have some camp sites and observatories and the Commonwealth has taken every effort to insure that there is no intrusive ambiant lighting. I am too old now to visit there, but have encouraged my Daughter to take her children there. Also there are some great Eastern PA State Parks, I believe that there is one called Singing Rocks, take a hammer with you. In the Eastern part of PA there are glacial lakes and parks that were formed at the end of the last ice age. I live in Lancaster County, but also have some land in Eagles Mere, Sullivan County. The entire State of Pennsylvania is absolutely stunning. From what I have read the Appalachian Mountians at one time during the end of the last ice age the tallest mountains on Earth, but subjected to more weathering than more newly formed mountains. I really enjoyed your video and believe that you owe it to yourself to explore more State Parks in PA. If there are still any (since COVID) Pa caverns open there are some different types of caverns in PA as well, if Lost River Caverns in Bucks County, I believe, that cavern has features not found anywhere else in North America. It is a smaller cavern with as I recall star shaped stalagtites that actually glitter in light. Keep up your good work and happy travels.

That is quite a feat! Congrats on your journey, funny you say that I’m actually headed to Ricketts Glen for the first time ever tomorrow morning! I’m sure I’ll be updating this list after visiting there, thanks for the great comment Dale.

@@MaksimOutdoors That’s awesome, Enjoy

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment! As you already know I can’t agree more, Cook Forest is just a magical spot to explore.

No problem! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment Craig!

Something about that area is just special it’s hard to put it into words! Thanks for leaving me a comment!

Still haven’t made it to Ricketts but I’d imagine when I do get there it’ll crack the top ten! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment verda

@@MaksimOutdoors I am sure you will enjoy Rickey’s Glen. It’s a beautiful hike!

@@verdashirk9819 can’t wait to see it!

Thanks so much for stopping by Debbie! It was a tough one to make that’s for sure, I’m looking forward to updating this list every year. Once again thanks for stopping by!

Thank you!

@@MaksimOutdoors always welcome to my channel too

Thank you

Thank you! Looking forward to doing more park out in the eastern side of the state here soon, also looking forward to updating the list next year!

Thank you, I definitely had some parks that didn't make the list simply due to me never seeing them such as Ricketts Glen but I most likely will be updating this list in the near future, thanks for the kind comment

The GAP has been on my bucket list for a few years now, would love to do it here in the next few years I just need a bike first lol. Glad you enjoyed the list!

Doing excellent! Great to hear from you and thank you for the comment!

Ill have to check them out!

Edit: I forgot to mention I own some land in Sullivan County, but I live in Lancaster County.

Only have so much time at the end of the day, but I did recently visit Ricketts a few months ago so I need to redo this list here within the year.

Thanks Mike always appreciate the comments, it was extremely tough to choose the top 5 I had to sit around and seriously think about it for longer than I’d like to admit lol, what state are you from?

@@MaksimOutdoors I'm currently living in the desert in Arizona with a 2nd home in South West Oklahoma. I don't see much water on my hikes in Arizona.

Thanks Joe that means a lot, put a lot of work into this one, I’ll have another top ten list coming out in a few weeks. As for the bottom list that’s a possibility, the AT would be a blast to do one day.

These are just the parks I’ve explored, haven’t made it there yet

@@MaksimOutdoors Oh I see. In that case, I highly recommend it.

I’ve definitely heard of it and will be visiting there one day, thanks for stopping by Fred!

I’ve been to French Creek sooooo many times. I adore it

French Creek is awesome. I went camping there a few years ago & had a blast. Hoping to get there for a couple nights this summer

Appreciate the comment, I hope you enjoyed!

Wish I would’ve known that !

Always good to hear from you Walter, I look at you like you’re my twin from the other side of the state lol. Agreed Cook Forest is just amazing, really looking forward to doing Ricketts Glen one of these days (really enjoyed your video there) as for camera equipment I’m primarily a GoPro guy. Stay safe out there buddy.

@@MaksimOutdoors I seen that the video was being shown in 50 fps and I didnt think that's a setting for go pro. As a creator I take note of these kinds of things lol. I found the look of the video interesting that's why I was curious.

What’s your number one? Good idea I’ll have to implement that in next years edition. Thanks for stopping by!

@@MaksimOutdoors I have other parks that beat out this but on this list, it is Oil Creek State Park because in an hour from home, it has everything I can do in one day... Biking, Hiking, a large creek, history throughout, a really interesting graveyard, an oil museum, a train ride, and if I really want to stay overnight there is a Caboose Motel next to the park in Titusville.

On my list of places to go here soon!

It was my first state park that I ever visited and probably have the most time spent there so it holds a close spot to my heart but I can understand your opinion

@MaksimOutdoors Maybe it was just a bad time to be there our site was flooded and we had to be moved, and the mosquitoes were horrible. So I guess that lead to not a great experience.

Richard lou, great place to stay near Ohiopyle and Falling Water is the Historic Summit Inn open from Spring to Fall located on route 40.