If you’re looking for the best Pennsylvania state parks for camping, scenery, and dog-friendly hiking adventures, this list is a great place to start!
Pennsylvania’s state parks are not just FREE (you read that right!) for day use, the campgrounds are also very affordable.
PA state park campgrounds are perfect for adventuring weekends because they are close to good hiking and have just the right amount of rustic.
Their RV spaces offer electricity (some have water and sewage, too) with a fire pit and picnic table at your site. Most have bathhouses with showers and running water nearby. You can even reserve them in advance (up to 11 months!) for only around $30 per night.
And after visiting close to 50 PA state parks, we’ve narrowed it down to our 5 favorites just for you…
And Now…The List!
Best for: Waterfalls, whitewater, hiking, and camping
Top trails: GAP Trail, Ferncliff, Great Gorge, Cucumber Falls, Beech Trail, Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Dog-friendly? Yes! Even most of the eateries in town are dog-friendly.
Why we love it: I’ve visited this park my entire life, and it remains my #1 pick!
To start with, the campground sites are nestled among the trees, and the shower houses don’t have timer buttons! HOORAY!
Take a short hike from the campground (or a little longer and more challenging one on the Beech Trail), and you are on the famous Great Allegheny Passage biking and hiking trail that starts in Pittsburgh and ends 150 miles later in Cumberland, Maryland.
You can take the trail into town to view the main falls, shops, and eateries, or grab a paddle…the Youghiogheny River has best white water and calm river kayaking and canoeing in the state!
At the end of town, down the side road past Wilderness Voyagers, you’ll find the starting point (or ending point, depending where you begin) of the challenging 70-mile long Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT).
Make it past milepost 2 on the LHHT for a scenic river overlook, then hike back to Falls City Pub for a cold brew on their dog-friendly deck.
Visit the entire Ohiopyle Trip Report for even more juicy details about the campground and park.
Best for: Scenic camping, wildlife spotting, challenging hiking
Top trails: Tuscarora, Lakeside, Plessinger, Standing Stone
Dog-friendly? Yes! We even attended a musical performance in the pavilion area.
Why we love it: Cowans Gap is right off the turnpike between Breezewood and Harrisburg, and has some of the most scenic campground RV spots you will ever find! There are a few really good pull-through spots along the lake, and the bath houses are very clean.
The hiking is challenging and diverse. You can create several different loops on the trails and move from tall forest to rocky field to scenic overlook in just a few miles!
Cowans Gap is also WILD. In one hike alone we saw deer, three snakes (including a copperhead!), an enormous snakeskin, and a giant pile of bear poop!
You may be lucky enough to visit on a free concert day and spend your post-hike evening relaxing along the lake with some music.
You can find more details of our experiences at the park in our Trip Report.
Best for: Scenic hiking
Top trails: Shades of Death
Dog-friendly? Yes!
Why we love it: Hickory Run in the Pocono Mountains is on our list because it was one of first dog Benjamin’s favorites!
While Benjamin has gone over the rainbow bridge, my favorite trail we ever hiked together is the Shades of Death Trail at Hickory Run.
Benjamin jumped into the rushing water, navigated the rocky terrain, ducked through the rhododendron tunnel and covered almost 6 miles in one day in this park!
Hickory Run stays on the list in his honor.
Best for: Scenic hiking, challenging trails, waterfalls, rock scrambling
Top trails: Canyon Vista, Double Run Nature, High Rock
Dog-friendly? Yes!
Why we love it: Wolrds End State Park is along beautiful Loyalsock Creek, which was the 2018 Pennsylvania River of the Year.
Driving into the area is ah-mazing -tall trees and beautiful creeks line the road. Make a quick stop at the Forksville General Store to grab a delicious sandwich and admire the covered bridge before heading into the park.
The campground is very clean, and you can even hear the river flowing from across the street- especially at night!
The best part about Worlds End is the well-marked and varied terrain trails. From the waterfalls of Double Run Nature Trail to the rock garden and lookout on Canyon Vista Trail, we think it is one the best hiking destinations in Pennsylvania.
If you are in good shape, do not miss High Rock Trail! This steep one-miler will have you trekking up and rock scrambling down.
Get more details on the campground, trails and a historic stop for your way home in our Trip Report.
Best for: Rolling open trails, comfortable campground, old growth forest
Top trails: Ridge, Curdoroy, North Country, Toms Run, Birch
Dog-friendly? Yes!
Why we love it: Cook Forest has one of our favorite loops through the Forest Cathedral, including rock outcroppings, swinging bridges, swimmable creeks, and the tallest white pine north of the Smokies!
You can float down the Clarion River when the weather is warm (this year I did a sojourn with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy), and there are some fun (and even dog-friendly!) wineries in the area.
Before you go home, save some energy to stop at Clear Creek, just 11 miles east of Cook Forest. Take a walk along the Ox Shoe Trail to learn the logging history of the area.
Read the entire Trip Report here to get more details for your trip!
Pennsylvania is packed with incredible state parks, and narrowing it down to just five wasn’t easy! You can find a complete breakdown of the PA state parks located in each region here, totaling 124 Pennsylvania State Parks in 62 of 67 counties with over 300,000 acres to enjoy!
Whether you’re looking for waterfalls, scenic overlooks, or dog-friendly trails, these parks are some of the best places to start exploring.
Do you recommend any PA State Parks we haven’t visited yet?
Please share your recommendations in the comments below and tell us why you think we should visit! We can’t wait to continue exploring and sharing.
