The best camping in Ricketts Glen State Park, PA

Ricketts Glen State Park offers some of the best hiking in Pennsylvania, especially if you like waterfalls and old-growth forest. It’s a designated National Natural Landmark and features 24 named waterfalls plus plenty more smaller cascades, connected by miles of hiking trails. Other popular activities include horseback riding, fishing, and boating on Lake Jean. Winter activities include snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.  The Ricketts Glen Park Campground offers five cottages, 10 cabins, and 120 tent and trailer sites, most of which close for the winter (though a few campsites and all cabins stay available for winter stays). Campground amenities include hot showers, restrooms with flush toilets, and a dump station.

1. You can reserve a spot at Ricketts Glen by calling Pennsylvania State Parks or via their website.
2. Reservations for campsites, cabins, and cottages open 11 months in advance and remain open until three days in advance.
3. Campsites may be available on a first-come, first-served basis through the park office. If you don’t have a reservation, it’s wise to come in the morning to increase your chances of getting a spot.
4. Large groups can reserve the organized group camping area with room for 240 campers, available from mid-April to mid-October.

Ricketts Glen is open year-round, and while many people come here for winter sports and ice fishing, the summer is the best time to visit, especially if you want to see the waterfalls. The Falls Trail system closes annually for safety reasons usually in late November and reopens again once the ice has melted and park staff have had the chance to clear hazards, usually by mid-to-late April.

• You can pick up gas, groceries, firewood, and other supplies in Hunlock Creek, about a 20-minute drive from the park.
• Alcohol is prohibited in Ricketts Glen and all other Pennsylvania state parks.
• Kayaks and boat rentals are available during the summer months.
• Pets are welcome in select cabins and cottages and at some campsites, for a fee.
• Cabins F and H, all of the cottages, and many of the campsites are ADA accessible.
• Cabins and cottages have a two-night minimum stay in the off-season and can only be rented by the week in summer.