Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation inventory is defined by the depth and variety of its wild lands — the state contains 2.2 million acres of State Forest land (the largest state forest system in the eastern United States), 121 state parks, a 229-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail (the longest of any state it crosses), the Pocono Mountains’ lakeside resorts and waterfalls, the Pine Creek Gorge (“Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon”) in the Northern Tier, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the New Jersey border. For the tens of millions of residents of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metros, Pennsylvania’s outdoor access is a primary quality-of-life asset — the Wissahickon Creek gorge is accessible by foot from Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood; Point State Park and the North Shore Trail provide river access minutes from Pittsburgh’s downtown; and the Poconos are two hours from Philadelphia.
Pine Creek Gorge: Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon
Pine Creek Gorge, in the Northern Tier’s Tioga State Forest, is Pennsylvania‘s most dramatic natural landscape — a 47-mile gorge cut 1,000 feet deep through the Allegheny Plateau by Pine Creek, providing views of forested ridges and the creek below that genuinely justify the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania” designation. The Leonard Harrison State Park on the east rim and Colton Point State Park on the west rim provide overlook access, hiking trails, and campgrounds. The Pine Creek Rail Trail, 62 miles long along the old Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway corridor, provides hiking and cycling through the gorge at creek level — one of the finest rail trail experiences in the eastern United States. The Susquehannock Trail System, 85 miles of hiking trail in the surrounding State Forest, provides multi-day backpacking in a wilderness setting unusual for the densely populated Mid-Atlantic region.
Pocono Mountains: Waterfalls and Winter Recreation
The Pocono Mountains, in northeastern Pennsylvania, provide the most accessible resort recreation for the Philadelphia, New York City, and New Jersey markets — a landscape of glacially carved lakes, waterfalls (Bushkill Falls, the “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” and Dingmans Falls are the most dramatic), ski areas (Camelback, Jack Frost, Big Boulder), and the resort communities that have served the region’s population since the 19th century. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, at the Poconos’ southern edge, provides 70,000 acres of hiking, paddling, and wildlife habitat in a National Recreation Area accessible from the New York City metro in under two hours. The Appalachian Trail enters the Delaware Water Gap from New Jersey and climbs the Kittatinny Ridge through the Recreation Area — one of the most accessible sections of the trail from a major population center in the entire 2,190-mile route.
Laurel Highlands: Pittsburgh’s Outdoor Backyard
The Laurel Highlands, two hours southeast of Pittsburgh along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, provide the Pittsburgh metro’s primary outdoor recreation corridor — the Youghiogheny River Gorge’s class IV–V whitewater (Ohiopyle State Park, the most visited state park in Pennsylvania), Fallingwater (Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, cantilevered over Bear Run in a setting of forested ridges), the Forbes State Forest’s 58,000 acres of hiking and backpacking terrain, and the Seven Springs and Hidden Valley ski areas. Ohiopyle State Park’s Youghiogheny River whitewater is among the finest accessible whitewater in the eastern United States, drawing paddlers from across the Mid-Atlantic for the loop section’s technical rapids.
Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s 229-mile section of the Appalachian Trail is among the most well-known stretches of the entire 2,190-mile trail — and among the most challenging for foot conditions. The trail enters Pennsylvania from Maryland at the Mason-Dixon Line and traverses the state’s Ridge and Valley province, crossing numerous quartzite ridges whose rocky tread earns Pennsylvania the semi-affectionate nickname “Rocksylvania” among thru-hikers. The compensating views are excellent — the Pinnacle in Hamburg offers one of the finest panoramic views of any trail section in Pennsylvania, looking out over the Lebanon Valley — and the trail’s passage through Delaware Water Gap, Caledonia State Park, and Pine Grove Furnace State Park (the traditional AT “half-way point”) provides strong section hiking options accessible from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Pine Grove Furnace State Park’s “Half Gallon Club” ice cream challenge (eat a half gallon of ice cream at the halfway point) is an AT tradition since the 1970s.
Philadelphia’s Urban Outdoors
Philadelphia’s outdoor recreation deserves attention beyond the day-trip destinations — the city’s Fairmount Park system (one of the largest urban park systems in the United States at 9,200 acres) contains the Wissahickon Creek gorge (10 miles of hiking trails through a forested ravine accessible by foot from Northwest Philadelphia neighborhoods), Forbidden Drive (a 5.5-mile unpaved path along the Wissahickon Creek closed to motor vehicles), and the Schuylkill River Trail (30+ miles of paved trail connecting the city to Valley Forge National Historical Park). The Schuylkill Navy boathouses — the cluster of rowing clubs along Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River, lit at night in a famous Philadelphia tableau — represent the city’s oldest continuous athletic tradition, and the Schuylkill’s regatta season provides one of the finest spectator sports experiences in Philadelphia free of charge.
Pennsylvania’s state park system — 121 parks managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources — provides outdoor infrastructure distributed across the state that allows outdoor recreation without long drives from any major population center. Ricketts Glen State Park (northern tier) protects a spectacular waterfall canyon with 21 named waterfalls along the Falls Trail, one of the most photogenic hikes in the eastern United States. Presque Isle State Park, a sand spit peninsula extending into Lake Erie near Erie, provides swimming beaches, birding (Presque Isle is one of the finest warbler migration hotspots in the northeast during May), and paddling in the protected inner bay. The state’s hunting and fishing infrastructure — 20 state game lands covering 1.4 million acres, stocked trout streams across most counties — reflects the deep outdoor recreation culture that has characterized Pennsylvania since the early 20th century.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pine Creek Gorge (“Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon”) and what can you do there?
Pine Creek Gorge in Tioga State Forest is Pennsylvania’s most dramatic natural landscape — a 47-mile gorge cut 1,000 feet deep through the Allegheny Plateau by Pine Creek. Leonard Harrison State Park (east rim) and Colton Point State Park (west rim) provide overlook access, hiking trails, and campgrounds. The Pine Creek Rail Trail (62 miles along the former Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway corridor) provides hiking and cycling through the gorge at creek level — one of the finest rail trail experiences in the eastern United States. The Susquehannock Trail System (85 miles in the surrounding State Forest) provides multi-day backpacking in a wilderness character rare in the densely populated Mid-Atlantic. Fall foliage in October makes the gorge one of the most spectacular landscapes in Pennsylvania.
What outdoor recreation does the Pocono Mountains and Delaware Water Gap offer?
The Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania provide the most accessible resort recreation for the Philadelphia, New York City, and New Jersey markets — glacially carved lakes, Bushkill Falls (the “Niagara of Pennsylvania”) and Dingmans Falls among the most dramatic waterfalls, and ski areas including Camelback, Jack Frost, and Big Boulder. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area at the Poconos’ southern edge provides 70,000 acres of hiking, paddling, and wildlife habitat accessible from New York City in under 2 hours. The Appalachian Trail enters the Delaware Water Gap from New Jersey and climbs the Kittatinny Ridge through the Recreation Area — one of the most accessible AT sections from a major population center on the entire 2,190-mile route.
What is Ohiopyle State Park and the Laurel Highlands?
Ohiopyle State Park, in the Laurel Highlands 2 hours southeast of Pittsburgh, is the most visited state park in Pennsylvania — the Youghiogheny River Gorge’s Class IV–V whitewater through the park provides some of the finest accessible whitewater in the eastern United States, drawing paddlers from across the Mid-Atlantic for the loop section’s technical rapids. The Forbes State Forest (58,000 acres) provides extensive hiking and backpacking terrain in the surrounding highlands. Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece cantilevered over Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands forest (7 miles from Ohiopyle), is one of the most famous buildings in the United States and a natural companion to Ohiopyle for a Laurel Highlands day. Seven Springs and Hidden Valley ski areas provide winter recreation.
What does Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Trail section offer?
Pennsylvania’s 229-mile Appalachian Trail section is among the most distinctive — and for thru-hikers, the most demanding for foot conditions — of the entire 2,190-mile route. The quartzite tread of the Ridge and Valley province earns Pennsylvania the nickname “Rocksylvania” among AT thru-hikers. The Pinnacle near Hamburg offers one of the finest panoramic views of any AT section in Pennsylvania, looking over the Lebanon Valley. Pine Grove Furnace State Park marks the traditional halfway point with the “Half Gallon Club” ice cream challenge (eat a half gallon at the general store, an AT tradition since the 1970s). The AT passes through Delaware Water Gap, Caledonia State Park, and multiple shelters providing excellent section hiking options accessible from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
What are the best state parks for outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks provide outdoor infrastructure across the entire state. Ricketts Glen State Park (northern tier) protects 21 named waterfalls along the Falls Trail — one of the most photogenic hikes in the eastern United States, particularly in fall foliage season and when waterfalls freeze in winter. Presque Isle State Park (a sand spit peninsula extending into Lake Erie near Erie) provides swimming beaches, one of the finest warbler migration hotspots in the northeast during May, and paddling in the protected inner bay. The Wissahickon Creek gorge in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park (10 miles of hiking trails accessible by foot from Northwest Philadelphia neighborhoods) and the Schuylkill River Trail (30+ miles connecting the city to Valley Forge National Historical Park) provide Philadelphia residents remarkable urban outdoor access.
