8 Fun Things to Do in Ricketts Glen State Park

In the calming mountains of Pennsylvania sits Ricketts Glen State Park, a scenic region only a short drive from my home state of Maryland. It has over twenty stunning waterfalls, family-friendly hiking trails, and jaw-dropping beauty around every corner.

In addition to its gorgeous waterfalls and scenic trails, it’s also home to Lake Jean, the perfect spot to cool off during the summer. If you want to add some laid-back and refreshing activities to your itinerary, you’ll love the list I’ve compiled below!

Hike the Falls Trail

As soon as we arrived at the park, we started along on foot through the Falls Trail, which we knew would lead us to one of many waterfalls (I’ll get into that next). Twenty-one waterfalls sit along this trail, and although we didn’t complete the entire hike, which is 7 miles long, we did get to see a few of them.

This trail has a reputation as a moderate trail, depending on weather conditions, so you’ll want to ensure you have proper footwear. I was worried I’d struggle with this one, but I managed pretty well, considering there were some slippery areas that day. Even so, this trail has many rocks and steep drop-offs, so use caution when hiking.

Pro Tip: When I spoke to a park employee, they said during the winter, they require hikers to bring an ice axe, rope, and crampons.

Visit the Waterfalls

Now, to my favorite part about hiking the Falls Trail – seeing the waterfalls! As we made our way through, we came to Ganoga Falls, a ninety-four-foot waterfall that is the tallest waterfall within Ricketts Glen State Park. The views were beautiful and something you’d see out of a movie.

Even with its beautiful scenery, the surrounding areas were a bit challenging with slippery rocks, and if I hadn’t worn the right pair of hiking boots, I wouldn’t have been able to finish the hike.

As we looked up at the waterfall, the stream seemed smaller than the waterfall hovering above. In addition to this waterfall, the park also has Ganoga Lake, which provides water for Kitchen Creek.

Take in Scenic Views of Valley View Vista

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Valley View is one of the newer trails of this state park, so after the waterfalls, we decided to take a look for ourselves. As an overlook just off the Old Bulldozer Road Trail, the Valley View Vista has scenic views that span over 40 miles, giving you beautiful views of the mountain ridges.

To reach this scenic spot, there’s a steep path with an elevation gain of around 900 feet. We took the shorter route by parking at Glens Lot, going straight up to Old Bulldozer. There, we saw a sign that led us to Valley View, which was only a short quarter-mile walk.

Take a Fishing Lesson

Having grown up in Pennsylvania, my husband did a lot of fishing as a child and still does. This area is known for its fishing, and as I’ve only been fishing a handful of times, I knew it wouldn’t hurt to have more knowledge under my belt from an expert.

Here, we spent a couple of hours learning the standards of fishing, like casting, presentation, and shooting lines. While we had no luck catching fish that day, it was still nice to experience with an expert fishing guide.

Visit Lake Jean

If you’re looking for a peaceful park area, Lake Jean is a great spot, as you can only access it by kayak, paddle boat, or other motorboats. After kayaking at the lake, we went to the shoreline, where we sat at a picnic table to have some snacks and regroup.

Since we visited during the summer, the lake was very relaxing as the cool mountain air came down, and the water was refreshing. Since this is a more relaxed area, it can become busy during the summer, so I suggest coming here early.

Pro Tip: Make sure you have cash on hand. During the summer, there’s a snack shack open for visitors near the picnic tables.

Visit a Distillery

After spending time on the water, we decided to head ten minutes down the road to Ricketts Cidery. This is a family-owned Business that offers hard ciders that are made using local apples aged in whiskey barrels. We went to their tasting room, where we tasted different ciders ranging from dry to fruity flavors.

This was a unique spot because you could enjoy your cider at the distillery or take it to go, which isn’t offered in many places in Pennsylvania. After cider tasting, I decided to purchase an unbelievably delicious cider slushie!

Eat Authentic Mexican Food

Near Ricketts Glen, there are many small restaurants and diners, but with the state park a bit isolated, you’ll need to find good restaurants around the Wilkes-Barre area. One of our favorite restaurants in the area was El Rey Azteca, an authentic Mexican restaurant that is hard to come by in Pennsylvania.

Though it was our first time here, the ambiance and their steak tacos were delicious. The place was well-decorated, fun, and the margaritas will make you want more than one!

Pro Tip: If you’re in a hurry, you don’t need to dine inside. They offer online ordering with curbside pickup.

Stay at the Campgrounds

Ricketts Glen was one of the parks with fewer attractions and was more about trails and views. When our kids are a little older, I’d like to go back to stay at their campground. Since the park is secluded, it would be the perfect location for camping and to experience nature and appreciate the beauty of the mountains.

Friends of mine have stayed in their deluxe cottages on the lake and had a great view of the sunrise. The cottages also have full kitchens, perfect for larger families like ours.

Pro Tip: Close friends have said the weekends have kid-friendly crafts and many other activities for visitors, so if you’re Traveling with children, weekends seem to be the best time to visit.