I've now hiked Pine Grove Furnace twice -- once on a warm February Saturday morning just to get out…read moreand move, and once specifically to check out the Appalachian Trail Midway Point marker. Both visits delivered exactly what I was looking for: quiet, well-maintained woods and a chance to disappear for a bit. Parking was easy both times. I found spots right near the trailheads without circling or waiting, which immediately set the tone for a low-stress hike. Even better? Across both visits, I saw a grand total of three other people. Three. If you're looking for seclusion and space to think, this is a solid choice. The trails themselves are clearly cared for. They were well-maintained, free of trash and debris, and the recent tree work was evident in the best way -- cleaned up, safe, and thoughtfully handled. Blazes were easy to follow and intersections were clearly marked, so navigation on the ground wasn't an issue at all. One important heads-up: I had zero cell service with Verizon either time I was there. None. Plan ahead. Download your maps, save your trail info offline, and don't rely on pulling anything up once you're in the woods. It's peaceful... but it's disconnected. Beyond the trails themselves, there's a lot to appreciate in the area -- from Appalachian Trail landmarks like the Midway Point marker to the surrounding natural beauty that makes this part of Pennsylvania so special. It's one of those places that feels quietly significant without being overrun. If you're looking for a quiet hike, a reset, or just some time in well-kept woods without crowds, Pine Grove Furnace is an excellent option. Peaceful, scenic, and exactly what it should be.

Charged us $34 for Pine Grove group camping even though I said twice we didn't stay in the group…read morecamping area and that it was a Michaux site, the worker didn't believe me I guess. The physical sign next to my site said $10 per night for PA residents, $15 out of state, the employee told me "No none of our sites would be that cheap". No intentions on returning which is unfortunate because the site was very nice and spacious and had a small fire pit. Don't charge us for Pine Grove Furnace State Park Organized Group Camping when we stayed in the Michaux State Forest campground just a tad further down the exact same camping road.

We rented a cottage for like $150 a night and got a huge place for ourselves. It was 3 bedroom…read morewith bunk beds in two of the rooms. Large sun room, living room and a big kitchen. We went hiking during the day time and covered a couple of trails, played board games in the evening and campfire at night. The trails were well marked. Appalachian Trail(AT marked in white) goes right through the park. There was a shelter. It was the cleanest and best shelter I have seen in a state park. Well maintained. The side trails are marked in blue. You can book the cottages for daily or weekly rental on the website of The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ( or search for pennsylvaniastateparks) General information: 717-787-2869 We stayed at Caledonia House #2 Located along US 30, Caledonia Lodge is a two-story frame house available for rent year round. The lodge has: Modern kitchen Closed-in porch One and one half baths Dining room Living room Central heat Three bedrooms that sleep ten people

Beautiful nature less than two miles from home has freshwater springs and lots of opportunities.read more

(This is for the Speedwell Forge Lake which is right next door to the actual park itself.)…read more If you are so inclined for a little light reading and/or mapery, see the below for all of the technical necessaries regarding the lake. pfbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c3a9b1eef46b4ebe85bf2c883fa7f73e&center=-76.30666700%2c40.20333300&level=13 co.lancaster.pa.us/DocumentCenter/View/521/Speedwell-Forge-Park-Location-Map?bidId= www.fishandboat.com/About-Us/PFBC-by-Region/PFBC-Lakes/Pages/SpeedwellForgeLake.aspx Looking for a new place put the kayaks in the water is what led us here. Why? To me, the lake is big enough to give you some interesting things to see and explore, but not too big that you can't see it all in a few hours. There are two docks you can launch from - one on either side of Brubaker Valley Road. It was mid-morning on a weekday and there were seven or eight other kayaks out there (mostly people fishing) and a few small boats that were also fishing. Plenty of wildlife with a Bald Eagle, a deer, a few Blue Heron and fish constantly jumping out of the water. At the far west end of the lake, where it gets shallow and you come to where it gets fed by the Hammer Creek, you expect to see a lot of ducks, turtles, frogs and since you're at the side of the Speedwell Forge Wolf Sanctuary - you can hear some barking & howling and even catch a few glimpses through the trees of a few of the residents running around. Fwiw, I can imagine that on weekends, this place getting very crowded and while it does have some size to it, compared to some other county/state parks, it's not that big. But for a weekday, it was more than fine. Beautiful. Peaceful. What more could you want?

This is a great place to go kayaking and fishing. Looks easy enough to navigate putting in even if…read moreyou are a beginner. First time here, apparently it's been recently drained and restocked. Lots of kayaks and canoes laying in the grassy areas, leading to a sense of serenity and safety, which is refreshing. Beautiful views & lots of wildlife all leading to a peaceful relaxing experience.

There's a lot to explore along this tiny lake. There are memorials, paths, art, and places to fish…read more If you enjoy history, the lake has deep connections to the Underground Railroad.

Children's Lake is not only a great place to walk, but it's also a lovely historic area in…read moreCumberland County. I was familiar with Children's Lake and the closed Boiling Springs Tavern, but not with the landmark Carlisle Iron Works Furnace, the ironmaster's mansion, and the artesian well spring that "Bubbles."

The Canadian Geese are not the only ones delighting in the quiet, manicured beauty offered by the…read morelake/park. I enjoyed a walk around the lake on this last full day of winter 2025. Italian Lake is a wonderful outdoor space for observing waterfowl, as well as for walking, sitting, dog walking, or even picnicking in summer.

4/30/26 Beautiful views all around--gorgeous lake w/fountain sculpture on 1 side & spray fountains…read moreon the other. Azaleas & flowering princess trees in bloom. Docile Canada Geese feeding lakeside. Picturesque neighborhood of lake-facing homes 1 street over w/many English style cottages w/stone or brick facades & shaker shingle roofs. Covered concert stage & uncovered bench seating is ready for summer concert season. Center bridge could use new paint on rails. Picnic tables would be nice addition, but then it might require more maintenance to keep area trash-free. Street parking is available on either side of lake.

This is a decent size park! You can rent a canoe, row boat or a motored one but those go very quick…read moreas there are not many! We saw a few people kayaking there. The lake is pretty huge for you to go around. It was well kept when we went during the fall! Such a pretty view and place to get away from the hustle and bustle of life if needed. Can go fising here and they give life vests for when you rent a boat if you dont have your own. But no littles under 3 can ride on their boats if you rent. Cant wait to go back when it is warmer.

A beautiful park my old church has been coming to for summer picnics for years! $12 admission for…read moreout of county residents, free for seniors. They only take card. You can reserve pavilions and they come by and help with trash. There is a dock where you can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boats & row boats. Paddle boats are $30 an hour, the other ones are $17 I believe. Beautiful tucked away location. So soothing to sit near the water. I recommend letting a senior drive so you can get in free, or drive with a Carroll county resident.

The place was over price and never open to public when we wanted to go will not waste my timeread more

Rebuild the dam and bring it back. Generations of Americans…read moreof all backgrounds have made memories m at cascade lake, it's such a shame to see it dried up and reduced to a concrete pond!!

We had a wonderful stay at Gifford Pinchot State Park!…read more The camping area at GP is separated into A loop and B loops with approximately 300 sites. All sites had a paved pad, varying in size depending on the location, with tent site being smaller. Most sites have electric and there are 22 full hookup sites in the camping area. Both loops are peninsulas into the lake, which is convenient to launching boats directly from many sites. Loop A is closer to the designated swimming area with a sandy beach and playground. B loop is closer to many of the hiking trails and also several boat launch areas. It is nice that the camping area and amenities are separated from the public day use area. At the entrance to the camping area there are three dump stations. During our stay we were at a full hookup site which was very spacious and often hard to find in PA State Parks. Our site was #299 and for some reason the entire site was paved/blacktop, which was different than all the other sites where the pad was paved and the picnic table area was gravel/grass. While this site made it easy to level our camper, it became quite hot in the afternoon/evening after the sun had baked it all day. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed GP and couldn't believe we hadn't visited before because it is a great state park. Wood is available for purchase at the campground hosts' sites and ice at the park office. As with most PA state parks, quiet hours are at 9:00PM, which is a bit early, and there is no alcohol allowed in the park. We look forward to returning to GP in the future.

Pretty to hike but *Do Not swim Here!** locals know that, my dad always told me that as a kid also…read moreand he's pretty lenient and a nature guy so if that tells u anything. I've hiked here a bunch though.