Ricketts Glen State Park is home to some beautiful waterfalls in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It’s not too far away from Worlds End State Park from one of my previous posts.
I used the AllTrails app to pick and plan the hike. There were two options on the app for the Falls trail. One was longer than the other and I think it depended on where you parked. The trail I did was Ricketts Glen Falls via Lake Rose. It is a three and a half mile hike, took about 2 hours to complete. The trail is pretty heavily trafficked and dogs are allowed, which is nice. I did see a lot of cute pups along the trail.
As soon as I entered the park I lost all cell service and the AllTrails app wouldn’t even let me see the map. The trail had some signs throughout and some maps here and there that pinned where you were. I had done this hike before years ago so I remembered most of the trail.
The trail isn’t too difficult but does have quiet a few steps that vary in size and width/depth since they are stones. Some of them are small and narrow while others need a bigger step but have a lot of room. Some parts were also kind of steep. Definitely take your time going up and down, especially if it’s wet. The day I hiked it rained on the way there and some of the rocks were very slippery.
The waterfalls on this hike were breathtaking. I believe there are 17 different waterfalls along the trail I did. If you choose to do the other longer hike there is 21 waterfalls. There’s something so calming about water. I love the sound of running water whether it be rain, rivers, creeks, waterfalls. The sound is just relaxing to me. It could be that I just love the water from being a swimmer for most of my life.
There were some spots to sit and enjoy the scenery and peaceful sounds of nature. There were a few groups who packed lunch and sat on some rocks enjoying the sights. I also saw a few photographers with people taking their portraits and some nature photographers set up taking pictures of the falls. There wasn’t much wildlife on the trail. The first time I hiked here there was a black bear on the trail. It wasn’t the first time I saw a bear while out in the woods, but I definitely became more aware after that.
Ricketts Glen is in my top 5 favorite places to hike in PA. If you plan on hiking to see these beautiful waterfalls some things definitely wear hiking boots. Some spots are slippery. The first time I did this hike I wore water shoes / sandals and I stubbed my toes a lot and the traction wasn’t the greatest. I was glad I wore boots this time around. Also, it would be a good idea to bring a jacket or dress in layers. At first it was chilly and it rained a little bit, but as the hike went on I was starting to get sweaty.
Also, make sure you bring your camera! The falls are so pretty. If you have an iphone, you can turn on live photos and after taking the picture you can swipe up on the picture and see different options for the photo. Most of these shots are with live photos and the long exposure option.
Since service was pretty bad (for me), I would say look at a map or download the map in case you need it at any point on the trail. Don’t forget to bring water! Going up and down stairs on top of walking through rocky terrain can take a lot out of you. I had my usual purple Yeti bottle and it was just enough to get me thru the hike. The first time I hiked here it was the middle of summer and it was very hot and humid on top of working up a sweat hiking.
The DCNR website does say this trail is open year round but in the winter it is only open for hikers properly equipped for snow and ice. If you are into that maybe this would be a cool place to check out. I’m personally not a fan of the cold / snow but I’m sure it would still be pretty neat.
Get outside and take an adventure!
The Venturesome Introvert 