I like this park. It is peaceful and there is plenty of parking. There is a monster hill. So beware…read moreif you are not in shape. My only issue with this park is that it prohibits dogs. It isn't just dogs not on leashes. I was so sad to read the signs for no dogs at all. I also read that there have been some geese that are very territorial at this park. That is a more recent situation.

This place is a hidden gem. Birding, Hiking and Fishing is great here…read more Have nothing negative to say.

We loved our stay here. The site was quiet, clean, functional, and everyone was super friendly.read more

REVIEW FOR CABINS: Decided to rent out some of the cabins with friends during THE YEAR OF THE…read morePANDEMIC. We were really happy with the cabins - we stayed in the Chestnut cabin. Here are the pluses: Price - under $50 a night. Bargain! Inside cabin: Electricity - bring a long extension cord with multi plugs. Heat - Such a plus since we were in the fall. Fan - Very useful for the summer. Two bunkbeds with bottom bunks that are either a full or queen. Long table with seating Plenty of lighting Cleaning materials - they provide a broom to keep the floor clean. Outside cabin: Outdoor plug for electricity Two picnic tables - one under shelter (so so nice!) / also next to fire ring Overhang is excellent for keeping things dry and sheltered Fire ring Due to COVID, check in is not until 5 PM. Ugh, what a drag. They did let us get in finally at 4:00 PM - after all, it was a Sunday and hardly anyone was around. Check out is 9 AM. Stay for at least 2 nights. Firewood is $7 for a small bundle. Drive around - you might find better deals from locals. Bathrooms were toasty warm and cleaned daily. We didn't use showers, but other people said the hot water was plentiful and it was cleaned well. Utility sinks are behind the bathrooms and extremely useful for dishes and other cleaning.

The park is beautiful. You can take a hike, sit on a bench and chill or drive by the covered…read morebridge. There are activities for people who have energy. Golfing was nearby. The grass was damp. I wore my beach shoes so I wouldn't have soggy sneakers.

I went camping here for Memorial Day and had a great time. There are five camping sites available,…read moreand booking was done by phone. I had site five, which was by the river, but there is a bit of a hill to climb to get to/from the site, so if you have accessibility issues or a lot of heavy gear, stick to sites one or two. The bathroom situation is only okay. There is a building with flush toilets nearby, but it is only open from 7:30am-9pm each day, and those times aren't set in stone. Other than that, there is one port-a-potty that could stand to be serviced more frequently than is currently scheduled. Each camping site has a water spigot, a picnic table, and a fire pit, but you need to buy firewood off-site; we found some at Lowe's. You are close to a lot of scenic drives through farm country, and we saw a lot of Amish traveling by horse and buggy on our drives. Also nearby is the city of Lancaster, which is beautiful, way bigger than anticipated, and surprisingly had several Puerto Rican restaurants. All in all this park is a great home base for a trip to Lancaster, and the camping facilities are great.

This park is a gem if you are looking to escape deep into the woods. The trails are steep in some…read moreareas and you have to watch you don't stumble. It is nice to get away from it all in nature. I gave it only four stars because the trails are not marked well in places. I did get confused and two very nice people helped me back to where my car was parked. So for those that are directionally challenged, be careful or go with another person that knows the park.

Drove past the park many times, never realized this gem was here. Many mature trees, well-…read moremaintained and interconnecting trails. Good place for a stroll, though the trails are confusing at first. Lots of usual woodland birds. Informative signs along the way. Nice nature walk so close to residential areas.

First stay here while traveling and it is a fine spot to stay while passing through. They did have…read morea camp host in our area, A, though we never saw them even when we went looking b/c of a question we had. Never saw them the entire time we were there. The park is fine, needs a little TLC which the volunteers are doing a great job taking care of.

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.

Nice little park access area. You can park and walk right up to the boardwalk in seconds. The…read moreboardwalk gives a nice view of the water and there are a large variety of birds to be seen. Ducks, geese and song birds etc you can also spot snakes and frogs. There is a trail which leads thru the woods to another parking area about 1/2 mile away.

Let me tell you something. During this time of Covidiousness, we've certainly done our fair share…read moreof outdoorsy types of things. While coming to a state park like this in York County may not seem like an obvious choice, it's actually been the perfect place. I'm not going to go in to any history or backstory (I covered that in my initial musings several years ago) but what sets this park apart from most PA state parks is its size. While the park is only 85 acres (PA has 121 state parks and some of them clock in at north of 15K acres just for a sense of scope) it's layout allows for things to feel more spread out than you would assume. The main road that wraps around the park is great for walking but there are also two miles of trails which if done in a clockwise direction are actually somewhat challenging with how it'll be mostly uphill. There is also a disc gold course, a rock formation that kids will love to climb on, a few small swing sets placed at different spots and a large open field at the top of hill with one hell of a view towards the Susquehanna River, Wrightsville and Columbia. The best part about this place is that it's rural enough so that it's never too busy. We've made trips to some state parks closer to us (Jacobsburg-Nockamixon-Lehigh Gorge) recently and they have been consistently packed. Here, not so much. The drive here is easy. There is an amazing view. There is usually more than enough space for everyone to spread out and do whatever they want. Sounds perfect to me and we'll be back this weekend.

Samuel S. Lewis State Park does not offer you a bunch of amenities. There's no amazing new…read moreplayground for the kiddies (although there are some swings and such throughout). There's very few short trails around the park (but enough to satisfy my dogs and if you go the "right" way, you get quite a workout hiking uphill). However, what you DO get is gorgeous views of the river and landscape from atop Mt. Pisgah. You also get open space to roam and run around. And my son's favorite part are the rocks! He loves to climb and explore. It's almost possible for me to give any park less than five stars--especially one with such a beautiful view. You won't regret the trip to visit this park. I'm just lucky that it's only 15 minutes from home. P.S. Go read Christopher C.'s review--it's very thorough and well-written.

This is a straightforward hiking path - pretty much straight and up to be rewarded with a beautiful…read moreview of the Susquehanna River. If you are lucky, like we were, you will see a low flying plane from the nearby military base. We stopped during the week, but I could imagine the parking at this area could get filled and you may have to wait for a spot. I'm seeing from other reviews that there are other parking spots and entrances, but the one we were at seemed fairly direct to the overlook. It was a beautiful quick hike to see some impressive views.

This was stop #2 on a beautiful late-September Sunday adventure. I'd done my homework ahead of time…read moreand planned to tackle the Chickie's Rock Overlook Trail first, then swing by the nearby Breezyview Overlook (just a 4-minute drive away). Chickie's Rock Overlook Trail: Parking was plentiful, and I appreciated the history sign at the trailhead--it turns out this path was once a trolley line leading to an amusement park near Chickie's Rock. So you're not just walking, you're walking through history. The trail itself is wide, relatively flat, and about a 20-minute walk to the overlook if you're taking your time (we were chatting the whole way--it was Sunday morning, not a cardio day). Pro Tip: Not far from the parking lot, the trail forks. Go LEFT for the easy stroll. Go RIGHT if you want a steeper climb and some cardio. Either way, the two trails meet up again before the overlook. When you arrive, the payoff is worth it: a panoramic view of the Susquehanna River and classic Central PA scenery--rolling hills, farmland, distant ridges, train tracks running at the base, and acorns plinking down around you. Pure magic. Just note: the overlook itself requires scrambling over some big rocks to get to the railing. Sneakers or boots are a must, and it's not super friendly for little kids or anyone with mobility challenges. Bonus history fact: Chickie's Rock was actually used as a Union lookout post during the Civil War in 1863, when Confederate troops invaded PA. That blew my mind. Breezyview Overlook: From Chickie's Rock, it's a quick 4-minute drive to Breezyview Overlook. This one's a lot easier--park, take a few steps on grass, and you're there. You even get the fun perspective of looking back at Chickie's Rock and seeing where you'd just been. Parking was easy, and they had a port-a-john if needed. The view is nice, but not nearly as epic as Chickie's Rock. Then again, the best things usually require a little extra effort. Overall, this was the perfect low-impact Sunday adventure. Bring water, pack out your trash, and don't forget to smile and say hi to fellow hikers along the way. If you're looking for an accessible trail with a stunning payoff, Chickie's Rock is a must.