For those who want to experience Shavertown, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. Glamping near Shavertown is especially popular among campers who enjoy beds and electricity. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a site closer to all the action, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect glamping spot.
Boasting 22 named waterfalls amid old-growth forest and deeply-incised canyons, Rickett’s Glen State Park encompasses more than 13,000 acres around a high bluff known as the Allegheny Front. On top of the bluff, several lakes—Lake Jean being the largest—are the source of the many creeks that tumble down the canyons and create the spectacular falls. The area was mostly logged out in the early 1900s by the landowner, R. Bruce Ricketts, before he decided to preserve the woodlands in the falls’ three glens. Following efforts to turn the area into a national park in the 1930s failed, he began selling the land to the state of Pennsylvania, who turned the area into a state park in 1944. The park is now a year-round destination for camping, hiking, fishing, bird-watching, paddling, skiing and ice climbing. Just an hour’s drive west of Scranton, the campground at Rickett’s Glen offers 120 drive-in campsites in two areas near the shore of Lake Jean. Sites can accommodate trailers and RVs up to 40 feet; some sites are ADA accessible, and a few group camps are available. Hookups are not available, but there is a dump station outside the camping area. Facilities in the campgrounds include restrooms with showers, drinking water, an amphitheater, a trail to the lake’s beach, and a designated dog area. The Big Loop campground also has five deluxe cottages available to rent. In a separate area, there are 10 cabins available, as well as a boat ramp (rentals available) and snack bar. Campsite rates range from $15–$20/night; cabins and cottages range from $60–$115/night. The most popular activity at Rickett’s Glen is to hike through the three waterfall glens. This can be done via several looping trails ranging from 3.4 miles to 7.2 miles. Two trailheads are located above the falls, from the lakes area, and one is located below the falls, from PA Route 118. Other summer activities in the park include paddling and fishing on Lake Jean, or just soaking up the sun at the beach. An onsite naturalist offers guided walks, nature activities and interpretive programs. There are also limited hunting opportunities. If visiting during the winter season, many of the trails are open for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Ice fishing is popular, as is ice climbing on the waterfalls. Check the park’s website for off-season services, accessibility, and ice climbing requirements.
$15 - $150 / night
Are you daring enough to hike the Shades of Death Trail? This is just one of the hiking trails available to visitors at Hickory Run State Park. Not to worry though, the trail is not nearly as ominous as its name. Hickory Run was established as a state park in 1945 following a long and storied history of devastation and restoration. The first settlements in the area occurred following the American Revolution, when landowners began building mills on the local creeks. By the mid-1800s, the area was clearcut, then experienced several incidents of fire and flooding. In 1935 the area was purchased by the National Park Service (NPS) for use as a recreation area, and many of the roads, campgrounds and trails were developed. Ten years later, the NPS transferred the land to the state of Pennsylvania for use as a state park. Just 30 miles south of Scranton, Hickory Run State Park is a 16,000-acre natural area in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains. The area features numerous trout streams, boulder fields, wetlands and restored forests. The area is also home to a variety of wildlife, from birds to black bears. The park’s large campground features more than 300 tent, trailer and RV sites, as well as a few walk-in sites and camping cottages. Some campsites are ADA accessible. Park facilities include restrooms with showers, drinking water, two playgrounds, amphitheater, fishing pier, dog-walking area, and a camp store. There’s also recycling and dump stations. The Shades of Death and Beach trails are accessible right from the campground. Campsite rates range from $15–$40/night; cabins and cottages range from $38–$105/night. There is no shortage of outdoor play to be enjoyed on your visit to Hickory Run. On warm days, cool off with a dip in Sand Spring Lake, or go wading below Hawk Falls; cast a line for brook and brown trout in Hickory Run or Mud Run; or test your precision at the park’s disc golf course. There are also several geocaches hidden in the park if you’re up for a little treasure hunting. If you’re packing hiking boots, you have 44 miles of trails to wander. Choose from short, family-friendly nature and wildlife-watching trails, to the more strenuous Boulder Field Trail, which traverses a 16.5-acre field of sandstone boulders that predate several of North America’s ice ages. In winter, many of the park’s trails are open for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.
Keen Lake Camping and Cottage Resort is a privately owned 90-acre spring fed mountain lake, located in the scenic northern Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania just off Route 6. Our campgound offers a variety of accommodations available for you and your family ranging from Seasonal Camping, RV Camping, Popup Camping, Tent Camping, and Seasonal Cottage Rentals. Our serene natural setting provides fresh, clean country air, a variety of amenities to fit your needs while on your vacation, a complete activities program for the young and young at heart, excellent fishing (large mouth bass, perch, walleye, crappies and more) and the opportunity to relax with your family and friends - to read, to boat, to swim, to walk, to think, to play, and mostly to create precious memories with those you best love.
Turn your Knoebels visit into a family vacation by staying at the Knoebels Park Campground! After a long day of riding, playing, swimming and eating at Knoebel’s, you’ll be just steps away from the crackling campfire and your pillow. Our family campground is tucked away in a quiet forest setting, so you can get away from it all and awake refreshed and ready for more fun! Pitch your tent, park your RV or camper, or stay in one of our rustic log cabins.
$59 - $160 / night
$20 / night
Guide
My girlfriends and I just stayed in the yurts for annual glamping trip. We reserved 3 of 4 yurts for first weekend in June...non peak season. Peak season requires minimum 5 day reservation, I believe. Yurts have 2 sets of bunk beds with one set having full size mattress on bottom. Yurts have heat and fans. Full size refrigerator, stove and microwave. No water but directly across from facilities with basin sinks outside for cleaning dishes, etc. Each yurt has a huge deck, 2 picnic tables and fire pit. Restrooms and showers are a hop, skip and jump from yurts and well maintained. Also each yurt comes with a moor skip to keep kayaks, paddleboards or canoes at lake. Beautiful lake surrounded by trails and includes beach area and playground. Dogs are allowed in the park but not in campgrounds (yurts and cabins). There is no tent camping here but is available at Locust Lake State Park, just a few miles away. Alcohol is prohibited. Must park in overnight lot after unloading.
Traveler
We enjoyed staying at Keen lake resort. Loved the lake and glamping.
TravelerKeen lake is the most cleanest friendliest family environment campsite you will ever find. Beautiful lake great fishing. Activities all day long for the children. Great general store that has everything in it that is open from sun up to sundown. The nachos and ice cream are the best. Super friendly staff. It's big they have tent sites right along the lake the lake is huge there's so much I could say but I would run out of room. I started coming here when I was four and I am now 46 years old and it is just the best place ever. It will always have a special place in our heart. Look forward every year to coming here no matter what age my kids are they all have a blast. From tent sites to RVs to cottages to glamping you name it they have it highly recommend it. Recently went camping to somewhere a little bit closer to home and it's nothing compared to here. It's like comparing Macy's to Walmart. You will never regret coming here. So pack your family up and have a great time.
Traveler
My experience here was most enjoyable. I stayed in a yurt for the first time and it was also my first time camping since my teenage years. The yurt was most comfortable and the park is beautiful in the spring. Went hiking and was sure to bring my camera along. Got some beautiful shots too. Would highly recommend visiting and/or camping here!
GuideThis park has no tent camping. They offer cabins and yurts, but have no sites for people to set up tents. The main attraction for this park is their lake, which you can swim in, fish, kayak or drop in a boat. There is a playground for kids to play in that is well maintained. There are hiking trails in the back side of the park, from the main entrance. The visitor center is only open during the week. The cabins and yurts have electricity and running water. They are great if you want the outdoor experience while getting the option of a bed. If you want tent camping, check out locust lake state park which isn't far away.
TravelerCampground has cabins and yurts, pull in sites for RV’s and strictly walk in tent sites. There is a beautiful lake and a very large pool. We went in early spring midweek, it was very quiet and exactly the get away we wanted.
LegendThis is an amazing state park that has something for everyone. There is an environmental education center with programs, there is fishing and boating, and an amazing network if hiking and horse riding trails. There are several campgrounds, with tremendous variety for every camping style. There are standard car camping tent sites, RV sites, and yurts and camper cabins. For those who like more rustic options, there are hike-in sites that are beautiful and not far from the parking area. The campsites are nestled in a deep shady mature forest, and peaceful and quiet due to the wooded aspect and spacing of sites (at least for me, in September in a hike-in site not far from the regular campground). It is nice to have such a fine camping and outdoor recreation opportunity within an easy drive of the city of Clarks Summit, so probably a great weekend getaway for local folks, but a wonderful stopover for anyone on a road trip through northern PA as it is not far off Interstate 81. I was there only one day, but would like to be back to explore the trails!
Traveler
This campground is nestled in rhe mountains of Pennsylvania. This campgound is family oriented, it has a pool, a store, a game room. They also do things for different holidays. There is showers and bathrooms a crick goes through the campground. Therebis pull thru sites, tent sites and cabins.
Guide
Mt. Pocono Campground in the Poconos, Pennsylvania is a very active and fun vacation vacation destination! There are lots of amenities for every family member and the staff is friendly and welcoming. There is a huge swimming pool and a toddler’s pool. There is an on-site store with everything you need to make your stay comfortable. The game room has pool tables, ping pong, arcade games, library, gym, and so much more! The location is lovely and you are surrounded by the forests of the Poconos. The campground is adjacent to a nature preserve which has beautiful hikes, a river, and lake. The park has FHU 30/50 amp sites with gravel sites. We have really enjoyed our stay here. 👍🏻😉
For videos on this campground and others, check out our YouTube channel: Jeff & Steff’s Excellent Adventure.
Legend
The biggest draw to this state park (which no one in Pennsylvania I spoke with seemed to know about) is the 22 waterfalls! We saw 18 of them on a four-mile moderate hike, but if you want to see the additional four, you could make it a seven-mile hike. The trails are very well marked.
We stayed in the large loop, which is a peninsula on Lake Jean. Many of the sites have lake views. The bathhouse was clean but not adequate for 73 sites. The campground was about ¾ full and there was often a wait in the bathroom. Showers looked reasonable but I did not use them.
There were many tent campers in this loop, which does not allow pets (the other, smaller loop does allow pets). There are no hookups at all in the park. The water had been tested earlier in the season and unsafe levels of manganese were detected. All water spigots were shut off and covered but we were told it was safe to wash our dishes and brush our teeth. However, the water for the dishwashing sink was turned off as well as the water in the restroom at the trailhead. Since we had a reservation, we received a phone call in advance of our stay letting us know about this.
There are trails to the beach, but we woke to rain the next morning, so we did not explore this.
One trash/recycle area a distance away from the campsites which seems typical for PA state parks. Alcohol is strictly forbidden– we were warned that if a ranger saw any alcohol outside of our vehicle, we would be cited. Quiet hours are 9 pm– 8 am, which is more restrictive than other state parks, however, some did not observe these quiet hours (a guitar-playing singing camper thought he was talented, but I disagree!)
Guide
This is a gated campground that we stayed at 6/30/19-7/04/19. We are NOT an RV. We own a Napier tent that hooks to our truck so that we can sleep up in the bed. However, due to it being a holiday week, the tent sites were completely booked and they only have 4(which also have water& electric). The tent sites are located in the back of the campground behind the sports field within the trees. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to see them but they have them pictured on their website. They let us book an RV site and it was rough setting up on a gravel RV site but we understood that we were not within a normal tent element and placed an extra tarp under the tent. The campground is located at the top of some beautiful and scenic driving through farmland in Pennsylvania and you will be 30 minutes from anything like shopping or small town amenities(we drove to Walmart after setting up to get our perishables since we drive up from Virginia). Our site had water and electric, was a drive through spot for a typical RV with a section to the side of the drive through for the fire pit and picnic table. We were located right next to the shower/bathrooms/playground and had some tree coverage and shade. A lot of the RVs in the campground are permanent sites and our neighbors never showed so we had a quiet buffer but it was not a noisy campground. It appeared that they cleaned the bathrooms twice daily and we were impressed with the cleanliness of the bathroom/showers. There were 4 in the building so we never had to wait. The staff were friendly and helpful. They had a store right next to the pool area that offered common items and RV'er might need with a small grocery area as well which included bundles of wood($6 honor system after hours) and Ice($1.78 per bag). We were allowed to run an account which we paid at the end of our stay. Our campsite was required to be paid at check in. The campground is 18 acres with gravel roads, a sports field, fishing, horse shoes, bocce ball, multiple playgrounds, a rec center with some games, claw machines etc. a splash pad and salt water pool. You will be doing a lot of walking or bring your bicycles like we did. They offer scheduled activities for holidays etc and various weekend activities. You can rent non electric boats and they offer catch& release fishing without a PA license in the lake. My son caught 2 sunfish :) They have guidelines for visitors and quiet hours(my cousin came to visit us in the evenings as she lived close by). We enjoyed camping here even if we were on an RV site. We booked site 211 which had the little bit of tree coverage and was located right next to the showers/bathrooms/playground with a quick walk to the lake for fishing. Most of the other available sites in the road ahead of us had no tree coverage but closer to the lake had more trees and shade. OR, just get an actual tent site :) but they are all the way at the back of the campground, furthest from the lake so I actually preferred our site.
Guide
Campground Review:
This was our first visit to [Hickory Run State Park](http://Hickory Run State Park ) & we loved it. Hickory Run is in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. We had a full hook-up site in the back loop, pet friendly part of the campground. The sites in this loop were spacious and more in an open area, but we were along a wooded area which gave us some shade. It was a very quiet weekend for us as our loop was not crowded. The bath houses in this loop are non-flush/pit toilets. However, the other camping loops had shower houses and flush toilet restrooms. The other camping loops were located within the wooded areas and the sites appears closer together. There are pet friendly sites in the other loops as well. Even though it was a very hot weekend and our site was in an open area, we had a nice breeze and shade from the wooded area behind our site. The late afternoon sun did hit the front of our trailer, but we used this time for a nap or a went for a drive to explore the area.
There is a lot to do in the state park. Many hiking trails (44 miles of trails). They are rated from easy to difficult. We found the 2 trails we hiked - Hawk Falls and Shades of Death trails - where were rated "more difficult" were not bad to hike at all. We hiked both with your 2 large dogs. Both of these trails had a creek and waterfalls.
There was a large open field in the loop we camped in with a swing set on it. This was nice for families with children. There is a camp store which was loaded with anything you may need from grocery items, equipment, pans, and toys. One thing of note - if you require firewood, look for local sellers in the area rather than the camp store. It was $4.50 for a very small bundle of what we would use for kindling. Park Staff were very friendly.
We took a drive on 2 afternoons on a stone road through the woods to see the Boulder Field. It was a beautiful drive. We were on the lookout for bear, but only saw 3 deer. There is also a lake for swimming. Be aware that this area has a high bear population and all campers are required to keep food items in their vehicles or trailers when not at the site.
We would definitely recommend Hickory Run for all types of campers - RV, tent, pop-up campers. Lots to do for families. Or if you are like us and want to just kick back and relax, you can't go wrong.
Product Review: As a Ranger for the Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time - today we tested [Red Ledge Free Rein Jacket](http://Red Ledge Free Rein Jacket) We chose to review this jacket because our first two camping trips this season, it poured!! My husband got soaked while closing down outside and getting the trailer hooked up to head home. But... as Murphy's Law goes, we haven't had rain while camping since receiving the jacket. My husband was a good sport and "modeled" this jacket for me during a heat wave of over 90°. My husband normally wears a 2XL, which is what we ordered. It appears to be true to size as the jacket fits him well, even in the length of the sleeves.
The day after we got home... we got our rain! While my husband was not available, I decided to put the jacket on and go outside and test the jacket during a heavy down pour and stormy afternoon.
PROs: The jacket is well made, but not heavy or bulky. It has adjustable velcro cuffs on the sleeves so you can tighten the cuffs if you need. It has 2 front zippered pockets with a mess lining. It also has 2 zippered vents at the sides of the jacket. The hood has a cord on either side for adjustments.
Even though this jacket was 2 or 3 sizes too big for me, I was able to adjust the cuffs on the sleeves as well as the hood to give me a better fit. I stayed dry! The rain literally beaded up on the jacket, therefore the jacket did not get soaked through. Once I came inside, I could shake out the jacket and the water drops would just fall off the jacket. It dried quickly afterwards, but honestly because the rain never really saturated the jacket, "dried" may not be the correct word. Overall I was impressed with the quality of the jacket and how the water just rolled off it. I would recommend Red Ledge to anyone looking for rain gear that is lightweight, durable and, most of all, Works!!
CONs: At this point, I really can't say I could find anything wrong with this jacket.
TravelerOver Labor Day Weekend, September 2-5, 2016, Scott and I traveled to Ricketts Glen State Park which is part of the Pennsylvania State Park System.
Ricketts Glen is off of Interstate 80 between Williamsport and Bloomsburg, PA. Off of Interstate 80, if you take the Bloomsburg exit, it is only two turns to the park. On our way there (traveling from Pittsburgh, PA) we followed Google Maps directions and it took us off an earlier exit (exit 212B) and through the back country. It was a nice drive through the middle of nowhere, but there were several turns and the turns were not clearly marked. On our return, we stayed on 487 and picked up 80 in Bloomsburg (exit 232). Whichever route you travel I suggest having it planned in advanced, or carry a hard old school map as cell phone reception is very spotty once you get off of 80 and once you are in the park area there is very little reception. At least for AT&T. The entranced to the park is off of 487.
Ricketts Glen State Park includes the Glens Natural Area which is designated as a National Natural Landmark. Although this is a wonderful designation and the area deserves it, this designation makes the area a tourist attraction with international interest. Being we were there over a 4-day weekend it was VERY crowded.
The Highlight of the Park is the Glens Natural area that is home to over 21 named waterfalls ranging in height 11 feet to 94 feet and they are quite spectacular. There are several hiking trails located within the Glens Natural area (26 miles) ranging from the easiest 1 mile hike The Bear Walk Trail to the most difficult, The Falls Trail System which is a 7.2 mile loop trail. Hike this trail and you will get to view all 21 waterfalls. This is the trail we hiked on Saturday.
We are early risers and knew it was going to be hot and crowded so we were on the trail by 8:00am. Good thing because by 11:00am it was a packed house. If you stay at the campground, drive over to the Lake Rose Trail Head. If you are early enough you will have no problem parking there. The campground is about a mile from the trail head and believe me, if you do the entire 7.2 mile loop you will not want to hike back the 1 mile to the campground. We witnessed several grounds doing this and they looked completely miserable.
The trail starts off as a nice wide graveled trail….do not let this fool you. If you read the park brochure, believe what it says and be prepared for the hike. When the trail to the falls actually starts it is very steep and very rocky, and remember if you go down, you must come back up. You basically hike down the falls and hike back up them. IF you have trekking poles, take them, your knees and back will thank you.
That being said, as I mentioned earlier, it was very crowded for Labor Day. Lots of international travelers and many, many people that did not know the first thing about hiking. It had to be in the uppers 80s the day we hiked and most people were not even carrying water. Very few had the proper footwear on (hiking boots are a must), some were in flip flops. This is not a trail to hike in flip flops. As well, many people were carrying babies and had children under 5 on the trail. Again, really not a good idea. The rocks are wet and slippery. A park ranger we spoke to said they had done 12 rescues this year. I can see why.
If you are properly outfitted you will have an amazing time on this trail. The waterfalls are beautiful and you can get right up close to them and in them. The sign at the trail says no swimming, but you can wade in the water and stand under the falls.
The other highlight to this park is Lake Jean. This is a beautiful lake that sits next to the campground. The campground has a few sites where you can put your boat right in from. There is a beach and a picnic area located at Lake Jean as well as a boat rental place and concession stand. There are 2 boat launches on the lake and Motorboats and non-powered boats are permitted. We had our kayaks with us and fished from those. Lake Jean is very clean for a lake. This is due to the fact that the lake was drained in 2015 and refilled and restocked. Although this has cleaned the lake, the fishing has been affected. The lake is stocked very well. We got a ton of fish in all parts of the lake, but they were all very small. I would think in five years this lake will produce some great fishing opportunities.
Our accommodations for the weekend were at the parks campground. We had spot 35 and it was a great spot. As far as PA State Park Campgrounds go, this site was very spacious. We had a nice flat area for our tent and our pop up tent. We also had a grassy area were another tent could have been placed as well as a shaded area where we hung our hammocks. The best part was that we could put our kayaks in the lake right from our camping spot. If you are looking for this type of site, look at sites 32-37. These sites are also located on a dead end so car traffic is light.
The Campground was clean and the bath house was clean as well. Scott did mention that the men’s room was not so pleasant, but we chalked that up to teenage boys (there were a lot of them there). The showers were clean and did produce hot water if you let it run for a little while.
Prior to staying at the campground, we had heard that the Park Rangers were very strict. I didn’t see any issues with them and I felt that their presence was similar to all the other state parks we have visits. I would say the standard rule is that if you act like an idiot, you will be treated as such.
You can check out Ricketts Glen State Park through the PA State Park website www.dcnr.state.pa.us or check out their app, PA Pocket Ranger. I have found the app to be very helpful, however, I do not get reception at most of the parks.
http://www.sanddtravelingdinks.com/2016/09/12/camping-and-hiking-at-ricketts-glen-state-park/
GuideThis spot, although charming, is in the middle of nowhere. Come prepared with your firewood and supplies ahead of time. Strict rules posted say no drinking on premise? Lots of familes here. OK facilities. It rained overnight during our stay, but not a problem. We woke up the next to to hike the waterfall trail nearby. Worth it, even if you just do a short leg of the hike.
RangerI picked a horrible day to stay here: it was at the peak of the wind pollution from the Canadian wild fires. The sky was filled with eye-burning smoke, it was totally overcast, cold and very windy.
I STILL HAD A WONDERFUL TIME!
Even though it hadn't rained for awhile, the hiking along the waterfalls trail was wonderful. I also saw several people kayaking at the campsite next to mine (our campsites were directly at the shore)and others were biking.
The park is well maintained and very clean and pretty.
GuideExcellent views and the ability to explore and experience the waterfalls areas. Beach and lake activities are available as well.
GuideNo hook ups and bathrooms can get dirty. Sites are fairly private. Lake is great for kayaks and the falls hiking trail is amazing.
ScoutGreat place To camp and hike. Camp site was in great shape people were friendly and the hike was amazing
ScoutRicketts Glen has beautiful scenery. We were in the big loop. Many of the sites looked close to the road and not very private but we were in site 63 which was pretty private(though we were lucky neighboring site 62 was empty). Had beautiful lake views from multiple directions and short distance to lake. A couple minutes from the bathroom and even closer to nearest water pump. Site 65 looked nice as well- but closer to path to lake so might have more foot traffic going by. 61 and 62 were right next to each other and not so wooded in between. I wouldn't recommend either unless get both (but 63 is larger and more private than either 61 or 62)
The bathrooms were ok. The floors were pretty dirty but other than that were decently clean and were stocked with toilet paper and hand soap (no paper towels, only hand dryers). The showers were really nice: free, hot water- each shower had a door and then an area with bench and hooks and then the shower with a curtain. There wasn't a place to put soap in shower though unless you put it on the floor.
The campground was pretty full when we were there but it wasn't loud and nights were quiet.
The falls trail was beautiful. We started from route 118 and from there to waters meet wasn't too bad (especially if take moderate upper trail at split) but after that it did get more challenging and the Ganoga Glen section was scary-(we did it going down)- especially Mohawk fall area which was incredibly steep!
The visitors center is quite nice and the rangers were very nice and helpful there.
We had a wonderful time at Ricketts Glen - it is really a beautiful place.
GuideBeautiful waterfalls surrounded by autumn color.
This campground offers full-hookup sites on the small loop section. You may also bring dogs to the small loop section. The Large Loop section is more geared for boondocking smaller trailers and tent campers. No dogs are allowed in that area.
Dogs are allowed on the trail, but are required to be on 6-foot leashes at all times.
The restrooms were clean and convenient. I found the hot water in both the small and large loops to be tepid at best.
Site 135 was perfectly level which made setting up camp easily. The water spigot was hard to operate as it was stiff. So bring along some WD 40 just in case.
The Falls trail is a hard/difficult trail. Although the loop is just 4.1 miles around, there are many stone steps and steep inclines. Bring hiking poles to help with the descent and ascent, along with snacks and water.
GuideTent camping in the large loop area.
Escaping the Maryland summer heat, the cooler temperatures in Ricketts Glen State Park was perfect. This park offers a variety of activities. Hiking along the Falls Trail being a highlight. The Large Loop is closer and banks along the lake, where there are two separate beach areas perfect for swimming. Kayak rentals, fishing are some of the great water things you can enjoy.
The campsite was perfectly sized for us - tent campers and close but not too close to the clean restrooms. A water spigot was handy across the road. Behind the restroom building is a dishwashing station. While there are showers there, the hot water was actually...cold.
There is a great small camp store if you need last minute items, and the concession stands at the furthest beach sells firewood and ice cream.
There are cabins available to rent, which looked really comfy. All linens, etc need to be brought along though.
ScoutI visited Ricketts Glen State Park last year, and it was an incredible experience! The natural beauty of the park is breathtaking, especially with the waterfalls along the Falls Trail– a must-do hike for anyone visiting. The trail is challenging but so worth it; the views are unmatched. I stayed in one of the campsites, which offered a nice level of privacy and had clean facilities, including showers and well-maintained restrooms. Lake Jean was also a highlight, with opportunities for kayaking and swimming, perfect for cooling off after a day of hiking. I'd recommend visiting during the week to avoid the crowds. Truly a perfect spot for anyone looking to escape into nature!
TravelerSpent 3 nights at Ricketts Glen with my partner.
We took Falls Trail on a Monday morning around 9:30am and there were a few people on the trail already. By the time we finished the trail around noon, the entire parking lot was full. Definitely recommend an early start!
The beach is a one mile walk from the Big Loop, but very doable in flip flops. Nice and clean with rentals available.
Grandview trail was our last trail of the trip. A quick two miler that’s well marked and a fun quick hike.
Note to any campers: the turf at the campsite is HARD. If you’re trying to put stakes in the ground to secure your tent, you’ll need heavy duty stakes. We bent a few of our metal stakes and had to buy a rubber mallet to get anywhere (and still struggled).
Red Rock Corner Store is at the “base” of the park is a nice go-to for ice, soda, or last minute camp needs.
No cell service for me or my partner at the site (T-Mobile and Verizon), which we loved, but isn’t for everyone.
GuideWe were there for our 30th wedding anniversary on June 20th and were lucky the Mountain Laurel were in bloom on the Grand View trail. It was an easy 2 mile hike. It was raining so we couldn’t do the falls trail, we must go back. That’s why the easier Grand view trail saved the day. Absolutely gorgeous!!! Everything else about the park was lovely and we had lake views and watched the sun set on the lake each day . It was just a short walk from our site. We are already planning for next year!! Only the small loop is dog friendly. All trails are dog friendly but we won’t take her on the Falls trail as it’s steep and can be slippery and is two long for our little Havanese.
GuideThe campground at Ricketts Glen is really nice. The sites are HUGE and level, it’s easy to maneuver your rig through the campground area, and most of the RV sites have water, sewer, and electric. Not all of the sites have shade. The hookups are well placed, and the sewer is set into a concrete bowl and level with the ground so a slinky type hose support is all you need.
Getting to this campground you have to up and down a LOT of hills, and the last one is a doozy! It is a 2 mile climb on an 18% grade, but take it slow going up and down and you should be fine.
NO cell service whatsoever, even using a booster I only got two bars. But the lack of trees in our area made it a good place to use Starlink.
Come prepared to this campground, as the closest grocery store is about 30 minutes away, but there is a Dollar General near the entrance to the park for incidentals and snacks. There is a nice sandy swimming beach about 5 minutes drive from the campground, boat launches, and a kayak rental. If you like to stargaze, it is pretty amazing here! Very little light pollution and a great view of the sky from the campground! The attached star photos were from my campsite!
The rangers patrol regularly, but being a state park in a pretty remote area I wouldn’t worry too much. Dumpsters and a dump station are conveniently located on the way out, and it’s a big area so it would be easy to dump if needed.
TravelerThe campground has spacious sites, and is very busy with lots of families coming and going in our two day stay. People were very respectful of quiet hours at night, and in the morning it was loud with playing children as people woke up. Our site was near to the bathrooms, which are decent and similar to a gym bathroom - main critique is that the showers were hard to use and always a little wet.
There are a lot of trails within walking distance of the campground; we did the short Highlands Trail which was easy, and stopped by one of the waterfalls on the Falls Trail. I think the Falls Trail is pretty long and steep, so be prepared for a long time out. We finally stopped by the beach which was lovely and had bathrooms + showers.
Good hiking and swimming, would come again.
TravelerSites have great shade and are kept far enough apart in most places that even if your neighboring sites are making some noise, the noise doesn't really carry. Beautiful place. Easy access to lake, beach, falls trail, and surrounding areas. Only problem is knucklehead RVs running generators since there are no electric hookups here.
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