The 8 most underrated state parks in Pennsylvania

These hidden gems among the 124 state parks in Pennsylvania feature breathtaking scenic views, quiet hiking trails, or unique, lesser-known attractions.

With 124 state parks in Pennsylvania, it might be difficult to wrap your head around the variety of parks you can visit across the commonwealth. You can traverse mountains, hike through gorges, engage with pieces of history, and admire the stunning scenery around you. Plus, unlike parks in many other states, state parks in Pennsylvania are completely free to enter. Yet with so many incredible parks where you can spend your weekend, it’s not hard to overlook some gems. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite parks that, for whatever reason, are seriously underrated. 

State parks in Eastern Pennsylvania

Salt Springs State Park – Montrose (Susquehanna County)

Salt Springs State Park is a secluded gem of a park in northeastern Pennsylvania, featuring an old-growth forest dotted with three waterfalls. While much of Pennsylvania’s forests were cleared in the state’s early days, Salt Springs’ stately hemlock trees are thought to be at least 300 years old. The park offers a handful of short trails that meander through meadows, wildflowers, historical ruins, and a scenic gorge. The popular Fall Brook Trail provides lovely views of the gorge’s waterfalls.

Salt Springs State Park boasts cascading waterfalls. (Nicholas_T/CC BY 2.0)

French Creek State Park – Elverson (Chester and Berks Counties)

Located just over an hour from Philadelphia, French Creek State Park is more well-known than many of the state parks on our list. But with its 8,000 acres—making it the largest state park in southeastern Pennsylvania—French Creek offers a diverse landscape of forested hills, two lakes, nearly 40 miles of trails, historical sites, and more. Yet its rich variety of activities is often overlooked! Highlights include a large campground as well as modern cabins and yurts, an orienteering course, a disc golf course, a warm water lake as well as a cold water lake, and trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The park also surrounds Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, which tells the story of early ironmaking and features a restored blast furnace. 

Visitors to French Creek State Park can explore Hopewell Lake by kayak or canoe. (jmdelacy/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

State parks in Central Pennsylvania

Susquehanna Riverlands State Park – York (York County)

Susquehanna Riverlands State Park is one of the newest state parks in Pennsylvania, announced in 2022. The day-use park is still flying under the radar for most, and though it’s still developing basic facilities, Susquehanna Riverlands is already a fantastic spot for birdwatching and spending some quiet time in nature. The park’s rocky outcroppings above the riverfront also offer visitors stellar scenic views of Codorus Creek flowing into the Susquehanna River.

Susquehanna Riverlands State Park, depicted on the bottom left, is one of the newest state parks in the commonwealth. (Chesapeake Bay Program/CC BY-NC 2.0)

Hyner View State Park – North Bend (Clinton County)

One of the best scenic vistas in all of Pennsylvania is located at Hyner View State Park in Clinton County. From an elevation of 1,300 feet, the day-use park’s overlook displays impressive views of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, which is cradled by mountains of the surrounding Sproul State Forest. Hyner View is also a popular spot for hang gliding, so you may get to see some folks launch their gliders and soar over the river! And if you’d like to swim, hike, or camp, you can do so at nearby Hyner Run State Park.

Sinnemahoning State Park – Austin (Cameron and Potter Counties)

You have a good chance to see diverse wildlife at Sinnemahoning State Park, as the park, located in the center of the Pennsylvania Wilds region, truly earns the “wild” in Pennsylvania Wilds. You might see bald eagles, bears, bobcats, and even members of Pennsylvania’s famous elk herd, and not merely at the park’s wildlife viewing platform. Sinnemahoning State Park is also home to a wildlife center where you and your family can learn more about the animals and conservation efforts of the Wilds. In addition, Sinnemahoning Creek is a stunningly scenic waterway that offers boating and fishing opportunities.

Sinnemahoning Creek flows within Sinnemahoning State Park in the Pennsylvania Wilds. (Nicholas_T/CC BY 2.0)

State parks in Western Pennsylvania

Laurel Hill State Park – Somerset (Somerset County)

Adventurers who consistently trek to (rightfully) popular Ohiopyle State Park without sparing a weekend for nearby Laurel Hill State Park are missing out. The Somerset County state park, not far from Pittsburgh, offers a bevy of activities for fans of scenic forests, mountains, and lakes—without the crowds of Ohiopyle. Hike the Hemlock Trail through old-growth forest, relax by Laurel Hill Lake, or plan a scenic drive in the fall to see the park’s dramatic foliage. Plus, according to a historical marker at the park, Laurel Hill has the most original Civilian Conservation Corps structures, built by the corps in the 1930s and 1940s, still remaining of any park in the state.

Oil Creek State Park – Oil City (Venango County)

Oil Creek State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania is not only a beautiful natural area with opportunities for hiking, kayaking, canoeing, cycling, waterfall viewing, and camping, but it’s also rich in history. The state park is tucked into the Oil Creek Valley, which was the site of the world’s first commercial oil well. Oil Creek State Park chronicles the state’s oil boom—and its rapid bust. (Did you know, after all, that the first commercial oil well was in Pennsylvania?) You can learn about Pennsylvania’s petroleum history, and the way oil changed the landscape, via the park’s museum and its replica buildings and machinery.

Oil Creek State Park, near the site of the world’s first commercial oil well, is home to historic replicas of oil machinery and equipment like this oil derrick. (Jason Pratt/CC BY 2.0)

Erie Bluffs State Park – Lake City (Erie County)

Though it’s often overlooked in favor of nearby Presque Isle State Park (one of the most-visited state parks in Pennsylvania), Erie Bluffs State Park provides unspoiled views of Lake Erie—without the crowds. The day-use park is mostly undeveloped, which translates to a peaceful experience of woods and the waterfront. While you can’t swim at Erie Bluffs, you can admire the lake: along a mile of shoreline, the namesake bluffs rise 90 feet above Lake Erie for brilliant views of the water. Wooded trails, perfect for birding, lead to the edge of the water while other trails skirt along old farming roads, a relic dune, and a fishing creek.

Erie Bluffs State Park offers a less-traveled Lake Erie experience. (Nicholas_T/CC BY 2.0)

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.