Pennsylvania, a state covering 44,816 square miles, is home to an award winning system of state parks. In 2009, the state received the National Gold Medal Award for its exceptional park and recreation management. Offering healthy outdoor activities to kids of all ages, the system provides an array of child-friendly choices to residents and visitors alike in every corner of the state.
Camping
Kids will appreciate a camping experience where they can picnic, hike, fish, mountain bike and view one of Pennsylvania's most spectacular sights. Located between Leonard Harrison and Colton State Parks, Pine Creek Gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is 10 miles from the town of Wellsboro. At its greatest depth, the canyon is 1,450 feet deep and expands almost a mile wide. Campgrounds at the gorge are open from April through October.
Mountain Biking
With hundreds of miles of bike trails throughout the state, Pennsylvania offers options to mountain bikers of all skill levels. At Blue Knob State Park, a 6,128-acre woodland, located in Bedford County near Altoona, beginners will be challenged on Chappells Farm Trail, which can also be used for cross-country skiing in winter. More seasoned bikers can use Springs Trail, Crist Ridge or Mountain View Trail.
Raptor Migration Viewing
Funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary provides visitors with unmatched views of migratory birds of prey as they travel south from August through December. The terrain is challenging, but with the right footwear, children and adults can hike to North Lookout, at an elevation of 1,521 feet, and view the Appalachian Ridge and watch the flight of up to 20,000 raptors, including falcons, hawks and eagles.
Swimming
Presque Isle, a sandy peninsula jutting into Lake Erie, attracts swimmers of all ages because it is the only shoreline in the state that resembles an ocean beach. Among the variety of beaches on the Isle, kids can wind surf and fly kites at Bundy Beach, or picnic and use playground facilities at Waterworks Beach. The park is open from 10 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Whitewater Boating
A number of state parks offer whitewater rafting guided tours at different skill levels. Rafting ranges in difficulty from Class I, the easiest, to Class VI, the most challenging. Lehigh Gorge, located in northeastern Pennsylvania, is most suited to children and beginners, offering Class II and III rapids along the Lehigh River. The best times to ride the rapids at Lehigh are in March, April and May, when the river water is high.
Member Comments