Longing for Plenty of Parks & Rest? Head to Pennsylvania

124 state parks. 12,000 miles of trails. 86,000 miles of rivers and streams. If it's the outdoors you're looking for, you've found the right place.

By Cary Estes on May 24, 2023

Peggy Eppig

After around two years of being indoors more than outdoors, the world is getting out and about again. People are reconnecting to what’s important to them inside, and part of the way to do that is by getting outside.

There are ample opportunities for enjoyable and therapeutic outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania. The state is filled with an abundance of natural beauty, stretching from the Delaware River to Lake Erie, with a wide array of mountains, forests, trails and waterways in between.

“It’s become clear during the pandemic that one of the things we need for our well-being is access to the outdoors and nature,” says Christina Novak, director of communications with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “We have a seen a gigantic jump in the number of visitors to our parks, forests and trails. People have really recognized the importance of being able to get outside, while still staying close to home.”

There are now a total of 124 state parks in Pennsylvania, along with approximately 6,200 local parks, more than 12,000 miles of trails, 86,000 miles of rivers and streams, and a total of nearly 3 million acres of parkland and forests.

“Pennsylvania definitely is an outdoor recreation state,” Novak says. “We have large expanses of state and local parks and state forests available for public use. People want a trail nearby where they can take a walk or ride a bike, or a park where the kids can play. Having the opportunity to be in a natural setting is definitely an option available in Pennsylvania. It’s something that adds a great deal of livability to all our communities.”

ANF Visitors Bureau

Four Corners of Fun

Picturesque outdoor recreation can be found throughout the state. On the eastern border with New Jersey, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area has 40 miles of river and more than 100 miles of hiking trails. To the north, the legendary Pocono Mountains offer breathtaking beauty and 150 lakes spread out over 2,400 square miles.

The central part of the state is dominated by the Pennsylvania Wilds, more than 2 million acres of public land that includes the Allegheny National Forest. To the south, the 21-mile Heritage Rail Trail Park winds through scenic areas of York County. And tucked into the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania are 77 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, highlighted by Presque Isle State Park, a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula.

All these natural attractions can be enjoyed throughout Pennsylvania’s four distinct seasons. The warmer months bring out the swimmers, golfers and kayakers, while winter enthusiasts are able to go skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. And there are few things quite as relaxing as a hike or bike ride when the flowers are blooming during the spring or the leaves are changing color in the fall.

“If there is an outdoor recreation activity you want to do in any season, it’s pretty much available in Pennsylvania,” Novak says.

Pennsylvania Tourism Office

Promoting ‘Mindfuless’

While visitors flock to Pennsylvania to enjoy this wide variety of outdoor recreation, these spaces also provide valuable benefits to locals.

For example, Valley Forge National Park is a 3,500-acre, history-filled oasis that attracted more than 2 million visitors in 2021. But recently, park officials began a “mindfulness walking series” directed more toward the local populace, in which a certified therapist strolls the grounds with a small group of people and discusses any issues or concerns they might have.

“During the pandemic, we noticed a lot more people walking the park alone, and some of them were crying,” says Amy Johnson, chair of the board for the Valley Forge Park Alliance. “Who knows what their story was, but it obviously was a story of sadness.

“We wanted to reach out to our community. So through a grant from (retailer) REI, we started this program. It’s sort of like small-group therapy. People go out and they’re in nature with a therapist, and they’re walking and talking and engaging. Just working through whatever it is they’re facing.”

And Pennsylvania provides plenty of nature for people to find their inner peace again.

Investing in a Bright Future

The abundant outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania not only enhances quality of life, but it also bolsters the economies of local communities, creates jobs, and attracts businesses and talented workers looking for the perfect place to build their future.

“In talent and business attractions, our outdoor offerings are always part of the conversation,” says Carrie Fischer Lepore, deputy secretary for the state’s Office of Marketing, Tourism and Film.

“Incentives are still an important part of the equation, but more and more we’re seeing businesses say that quality of life is just as important, if not more so. And access to outdoor recreation is a big part of that,” she says. “Outdoor recreation is viewed as a natural resource. It is a right, just like access to a quality education. We truly believe in making access fair and equitable,” she says.

A historic investment in late 2022 is strengthening Pennsylvania’s outdoor assets. A commitment of $90 million for more than 330 projects will create new recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources and help revitalize local communities throughout Pennsylvania.

Nick Gould

Investments are being made in trail projects, the protection of thousands of acres of open space and river conservation. There are plans to plant streamside forest buffers, including some that could produce a harvest and a profit for the landowner, and projects to develop or rehabilitate recreation, park and conservation areas and facilities.

Other projects include:

• Rehabilitation and development of sports courts and walkways in Huidekoper Park, Meadville and Crawford County in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
• Construction of 1.5 miles of the Ghost Town Trail to help complete a 32-mile loop rail trail in Indiana and Cambria counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
• Acquisition of about 916 acres of the Camp Tuckahoe Boy Scout Camp in York and Cumberland counties in South Central Pennsylvania.
• Improvement of water access in locations in Allegheny, Cambria, Erie and Fayette counties in Western Pennsylvania.
• Development of 32 loop trails and 15 pickleball courts.
• Creation of three new state parks, which include Susquehanna Riverlands in York County, Big Elk Creek in Chester County and Vosburg Neck in Wyoming County – all in Eastern Pennsylvania.

The funding also makes it possible for Friends of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in Philadelphia to implement a pilot project centered on diversity, equity and inclusion in nature and outdoor recreation. Meanwhile, Southern Alleghenies and North Central Pennsylvania planning commissions will receive support for mini-grant programs targeting high-need rural areas.

Nick Gould

“With this data, we are able to see the big picture of the economic impact outdoor recreation is bringing to the commonwealth. Digging deeper, we can follow the trail of the dollars from outdoor recreation to Pennsylvania’s manufacturing, retail, tourism, information and service sectors,” says Nathan Reigner, Pennsylvania director of outdoor recreation.

Outdoor recreation benefits everyone’s quality of life.

“The importance and benefit of being outside and interacting with nature have really become mainstream around the idea of self-care and overall quality of life,” Lepore says.

– Writer Bill Lewis contributed to this article.