This makes an absolutely beautiful unspoiled walk along the Little Juniata River. Go to the end of…read moreMountain Road, park your car and walk as far as you feel like. I usually do about a 45 minute to one hour walk one way. This is a favorite with fly fishermen which can often be seen in the river here.

One of my favorite parts about hiking is talking to other hikers! A few weeks ago, while wrapping…read moreup a different trail, another hiker asked where else I liked to hike. When I admitted I'd never been to Opossum Lake, she looked at me like I was missing out and told me I needed to check it out. Well...challenge accepted! When I got home, I looked it up and discovered it was only about 25 minutes from my house. Somehow, yet again, I had managed to overlook another great outdoor spot practically in my own backyard. A beautiful four-mile trail around a lake? Count me in! I headed out early on a mid-July Sunday morning, hoping to beat both the heat and the crowds. GPS brought me right to the parking area without any trouble, and even though there were already quite a few people there fishing, I had no problem finding a parking spot. The trail itself was fantastic! One of the things I appreciated most was how much the terrain changed throughout the loop. Parts of the trail were covered with crushed stone, others with pine needles, tanbark or natural dirt. It kept the hike interesting without ever becoming difficult. The entire four-mile loop is well-marked, easy to follow and beautifully shaded, making it an excellent summer hike even when temperatures start creeping up. The recent rain left a few muddy spots along the trail, but nothing that slowed me down. PRO TIP: If you're hiking after a rainstorm, use a little extra caution on the wooden footbridges. They can get a bit slick. The trail offered plenty to see along the way. I spotted birds, turtles and beautiful views across the lake and I found myself stopping more than once simply to enjoy the peaceful scenery. One unexpected highlight came when I crossed the spillway bridge. The interpretive signs explaining the history of the dam, the high-water markers and why the bridge was built so high above the creek added a neat educational element to the hike that I wasn't expecting. I always appreciate when a place teaches me something while I'm out exploring. Beyond hiking, it's easy to see why Opossum Lake has become such a popular recreation area. Throughout my visit I saw anglers casting from the shoreline, boats out enjoying the water and families making use of the many picnic areas scattered around the lake. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, paddle or simply enjoy a peaceful picnic, there's plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the scenery. I can already tell Opossum Lake is going to earn a permanent spot on my short list of local hikes. It's close to home. It's easy enough to enjoy without needing to mentally prepare for a mountain expedition. And it's beautiful enough that it never feels like "just another walk." Sometimes you want a huge adventure. Sometimes you just want to lace up your hiking boots, get a few peaceful miles under your belt and spend some time outside. Opossum Lake is absolutely perfect for those days!

'Possum Lake is a great place to go for a quick hike or paddle. My favorite thing is to hike…read morearound the lake in the evening then head out in the kayak. The distance around the lake is, I think, about 3 or 3 1/2 miles and there are some small hills, steps, and mostly dirt or pine-needle-covered terrain. In terms of kayaking, I can paddle around all areas in about an hour. It's a convenient, easy-to-get-to location and it's open until 10pm.

Yeah. A snotty fly-guide culture might be taking over here. Jonas has always been good to me in…read morethe shop, and my 2021 stay at the B&B was pretty great. I fish midges in the winter. The last time I stopped by was probably November or December 2023, and the attitude was just not right. Jonas was not in town. Whatever. My flies aren't as beautiful as theirs, but the fish don't care, and I know where the spots are. Eh.

Excellent, friendly interaction with staff for both purchases and local fly fishing info!read more

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.

It was easy to catch fish and they will clean it for you and you can bring it home and eat it. It…read morewas an awesome experience.

People were nice & knowledgeable. There were plenty of trout to catch. They had everything that you…read moreneeded to fish.

Fishing is pretty fun, you can catch a lot of trouts if you stand at the right spot. You can also…read morerent the paddle boat. I rented the boat with 3 other friends and thought it was pretty fun. It just gets stuck sometimes. Good for a relaxing weekend. Great family activity if you want to learn/teach how to fish.

(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.

This park is a very nice area but does not accept pets told me I had to leave campground because…read morethey were not pet friendly told them that I had a service dog they said that was irrelevant not cool I'll give this place a two-star review.

Lyman Run is one of my favorite places to visit in Potter County. It has something for everyone…read morewhether you like camping, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, swimming, hiking, ATV trails. The campground has added a play area with equipment. There are bathrooms/showers. It is very picturesque and great for those interested in photography. There is abundant wildlife. I personally have seen owls, black bear, eagles, bobcats, deer, snakes, porcupine, raccoon, and more. Even if you can't physically hike, I love that this park has some dirt roads that contain two outlooks, one with a view of the lake and the other with rolling mountains. I highly recommend.

Moon Lake is so beautiful and peaceful. I spent the summer going up here when I needed to be alone…read morewith my thoughts. It's usually really quiet. The geese, however, are nosy as hell, and will try to steal your food and get into your business.

Favorite mountain biking in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Extensive, singletrack trail system…read more Dedicated volunteers quickly remove fallen trees, blow leaves off the trails. Super popular place to ride.