Three cheers for spring! Most of us will likely be taking advantage of the warmer weather and the longer days by spending more time outdoors. Of course, that does present something of a challenge. There’s just so much to do in Pennsylvania. However, here are 10 free outdoor activities in Pennsylvania you can’t afford to miss.
- Dig for fossils at Montour Preserve.
Facebook/Montour Preserve Bring your bucket, geologist’s hammer, and googles to Montour Preserve’s fossil pit. The one acre-fossil pit is home to fossils that are nearly 400 million years old. What kind of fossils will you find at the fossil pit that’s open daily from sunrise to sunset? Click here to read more.
Montour Nature Preserve: 700 Preserve Road, Danville, PA 17821.
- Hike to abandoned ruins.
Flickr/hounddiggity Hike to abandoned ruins at Rolling Hill Park. Follow the Blue Trail, which will take you to a former mill and a house where mill workers once lived. Pay attention to the signs along the way on this 3.5 mile trail loop. Read more here.
Rolling Hill Park: 1301 Rose Glen Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035.
- Spend the day at a sandy beach.
DCNR The long, lazy days of summer will be here before you know it! Spend your spring and summer days lounging on the sandy beach at Bald Eagle State Park. The 1,200 foot beach leads to a 1,700 lake where you can swim, kayak, or go boating. Keep reading here.
Bald Eagle State Park: 149 Main Park Road, Howard, PA 16841.
- Admire 21 waterfalls on this epic hike.
Flickr/Colin Gallagher Embark on the epic Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park. The 7.2 mile trail passes 21 spectacular waterfalls, including the 94 foot Ganoga Falls. The picturesque hike also features foot bridges and towering trees. Click here for more.
Ricketts Glen State Park: 695 State Route 487, Benton, PA 17814.
- Explore Austin Dam Memorial Park
Facebook/Austin Dam Discover the tragic history behind Austin Dam Memorial Park at the Welcome Center and Gift Shop. See the remnants of the failed dam during your visit. Other park activities include picnicking and fishing. The park also hosts an annual Dam Show every summer. Learn more here.
Austin Dam Memorial Park: PA-872, Austin, PA 16720.
- Spend the day at Salt Springs State Park.
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli Stroll along a wooden boardwalk at the lush Salt Springs State Park. The sprawling park boasts 16 miles of trails, many of which pass 300-year-old hemlock trees. Picnicking, wildlife watching, and camping are also popular activities. Read more.
Salt Springs State Park: 2305 Salt Springs Road, Montrose, PA 18801.
- Ride Meadow Run Natural Waterslide.
Flickr/Don Burkett Get ready for the slide of a lifetime at Ohiopyle State Park. Zip down Meadow Run Natural Waterslide on sandstone sheets that are more than 300 million years old. Be aware that some people do suffer bumps and bruises on the natural waterslide. Keep reading.
Ohiopyle State Park: 124 Main Street, Ohiopyle, PA 15470.
- Drink in spectacular views from Erie Bluffs State Park.
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli Escape the craziness of everyday life at Erie Bluffs State Park, where the majority of the park remains untouched. Stand atop 90 foot bluffs for endless views of Lake Erie. The only developed part of the park, Elk Creek, features fishing, a boat launch, and picnic tables. Click here for more.
Erie Bluffs State Park: 11100 W Lake Road, Lake City, PA 16423.
- Stroll along the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk.
Flickr/Andy Arthur Drink in sprawling views of Kinzua Bridge State Park from the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk. The skywalk stretches 600 feet and culminates with a glass floor. Stand on the glass floor, if you dare, and look straight down 301 feet to the forest floor below. Read more.
Kinzua Bridge Skywalk: 296 Viaduct Road, Mt Jewett, PA 16740.
- Escape to French Creek State Park.
Facebook/French Creek State Park French Creek State Park, which spans 7,000 acres, promises plenty to do for outdoor lovers. View the wildlife, including deer, squirrels, and birds. Popular warm weather activities range from mountain biking to horseback riding. Keeping reading.
French Creek State Park: 843 Park Road, Elverson, PA 19520.
What are some of your favorite outdoor activities in Pennsylvania? Click here to read about the 10 very best things to do in Pennsylvania this spring.
Facebook/Montour Preserve
Bring your bucket, geologist’s hammer, and googles to Montour Preserve’s fossil pit. The one acre-fossil pit is home to fossils that are nearly 400 million years old. What kind of fossils will you find at the fossil pit that’s open daily from sunrise to sunset? Click here to read more.
Montour Nature Preserve: 700 Preserve Road, Danville, PA 17821.
Flickr/hounddiggity
Hike to abandoned ruins at Rolling Hill Park. Follow the Blue Trail, which will take you to a former mill and a house where mill workers once lived. Pay attention to the signs along the way on this 3.5 mile trail loop. Read more here.
Rolling Hill Park: 1301 Rose Glen Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035.
DCNR
The long, lazy days of summer will be here before you know it! Spend your spring and summer days lounging on the sandy beach at Bald Eagle State Park. The 1,200 foot beach leads to a 1,700 lake where you can swim, kayak, or go boating. Keep reading here.
Bald Eagle State Park: 149 Main Park Road, Howard, PA 16841.
Flickr/Colin Gallagher
Embark on the epic Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park. The 7.2 mile trail passes 21 spectacular waterfalls, including the 94 foot Ganoga Falls. The picturesque hike also features foot bridges and towering trees. Click here for more.
Ricketts Glen State Park: 695 State Route 487, Benton, PA 17814.
Facebook/Austin Dam
Discover the tragic history behind Austin Dam Memorial Park at the Welcome Center and Gift Shop. See the remnants of the failed dam during your visit. Other park activities include picnicking and fishing. The park also hosts an annual Dam Show every summer. Learn more here.
Austin Dam Memorial Park: PA-872, Austin, PA 16720.
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
Stroll along a wooden boardwalk at the lush Salt Springs State Park. The sprawling park boasts 16 miles of trails, many of which pass 300-year-old hemlock trees. Picnicking, wildlife watching, and camping are also popular activities. Read more.
Salt Springs State Park: 2305 Salt Springs Road, Montrose, PA 18801.
Flickr/Don Burkett
Get ready for the slide of a lifetime at Ohiopyle State Park. Zip down Meadow Run Natural Waterslide on sandstone sheets that are more than 300 million years old. Be aware that some people do suffer bumps and bruises on the natural waterslide. Keep reading.
Ohiopyle State Park: 124 Main Street, Ohiopyle, PA 15470.
Escape the craziness of everyday life at Erie Bluffs State Park, where the majority of the park remains untouched. Stand atop 90 foot bluffs for endless views of Lake Erie. The only developed part of the park, Elk Creek, features fishing, a boat launch, and picnic tables. Click here for more.
Erie Bluffs State Park: 11100 W Lake Road, Lake City, PA 16423.
Flickr/Andy Arthur
Drink in sprawling views of Kinzua Bridge State Park from the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk. The skywalk stretches 600 feet and culminates with a glass floor. Stand on the glass floor, if you dare, and look straight down 301 feet to the forest floor below. Read more.
Kinzua Bridge Skywalk: 296 Viaduct Road, Mt Jewett, PA 16740.
Facebook/French Creek State Park
French Creek State Park, which spans 7,000 acres, promises plenty to do for outdoor lovers. View the wildlife, including deer, squirrels, and birds. Popular warm weather activities range from mountain biking to horseback riding. Keeping reading.
French Creek State Park: 843 Park Road, Elverson, PA 19520.
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