Hey everyone! Recently I have been exploring different hiking trails near Bear Creek PA as my family bought a house there. I have not explored every trail or even close, but I have recently hiked some amazing trails that I just had to share!
1. World's End State Park
Situated around 1 hour outside of Bear Creek, this location is pretty perfect. Even without hiking, the views are already incredible in this area. It features a large campground and cabins you can rent. I'm also partial to the snack bar as they have legitimate food like chicken fingers and burgers in addition to the usual ice cream most other places offer. Right across the road from the snack bar is a nice swimming area that is absolutely freezing but fun. If you take a thirty second stroll you reach the other side of a few trees and see a rock beach. The beach is against a strong creek which is inside a gorge. This is possibly where the name world's end comes from. I do not have a recent picture from this spot, but I attached one from when I was a lot younger camping here as well. Up the road from this spot is the ranger station, bathrooms (accessible from the outside as well for when the station is closed, and a nice shop. The rangers have great recommendations for trails, but every trail in this park is beautiful. The shop has some cute items you can claim as yours for reasonable prices. I personally love the baseball caps.
Then we have the amazing hikes. Some are definitely more challenging than others but if you have enough water, they are doable. I like to hike but I am in no way an avid hiker. I have to take breaks, but I can do all of the hikes they offer. Another nice part to this park is that it bumps against another hiking trail known as the loyalsock trail which you can add to make your hike a little longer if you want. To pick you hike, I recommend asking the rangers what hikes currently are open, which have trails that are paved (and avoid them), and which hikes offer the best vistas based on the weather. Some of the trails also feature some rock scrambles which I love. The bridges are made right on sight from fallen trees which is always unique! I love these trails because on many of them, you actually have to pay attention to the blazes to know that you are still on the trail! At one point, the blaze is suddenly on the other side of the creek and you have to cross! They keep the trails clean and crossable but you definitely have to pay attention to where you are going!
2.Ricketts Glenn
About 40 minutes from Bear Creek and 30ish minutes from World's End is the much more popular Ricketts Glenn State park. Avoid this one during the holiday season as the trails will be very crowded which just is not as fun! However, if you find a good time to go, Ricketts Glenn has great camping options as well as a few fun hikes. Unlike world's end, the trails at Ricketts Glenn (RG) tend to be a lot more defined and trail blazes are not really necessary. There are many areas that show the trail very clearly as man man/ man carved. However, the views itself are worth it. If you walk the entirety of the one trail (which really isn't that long about 6-8 miles), you can see around 17 waterfalls. One even is around 90 feet high! Its a fun trail that can be slippery and therefore difficult at times and the way up will make you want to stop to catch your breath but its great for families! I did this trail for the first time when I was only five years old. My mom might have been panicking that I would fall to my death the entire time, but I loved it and we still go back to hike there occasionally. I have always loved that the trail follows the water almost the entire time!
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