I've now hiked Pine Grove Furnace twice -- once on a warm February Saturday morning just to get out and 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. read more

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Charged us $34 for Pine Grove group camping even though I said twice we didn't stay in the group camping 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. read more

A+ park!! Offers swimming, beach, biking, hiking, BBQ, camping, museum, AT, bathroom (flush toilets), concession stands, rental of kayak/canoe/fishing boat and/or paddle boats. What more could a girl ask for! There are no life guards at these lakes, but it's safe to swim. It's roped off at 5', so kids know where to stop. You're own registered kayaks, canoe and fishing boats are allowed. If you don't have any of those then rent them at Laurel Lake. Fuller lake doesn't allow any water crafts. Fuller and Laurel lake do not connect. Very limited to no cell phone reception in this area. read more

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Cute little campsites. Has everything you need. With tall tall tall tall trees. Very green. We really enjoyed it here. It's perfect for families with kids and there are little playground areas to enjoy. The bathrooms were overrun and dirty so a head's up on that. The lakes and beach areas were cute and very kidsy for the little ones. I found the waters way too murky for my preference but if you love bullfrogs and lily pads in black water then this is the spot for you. I just can't do too much algae overload. read more

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(This review is for the Fall Furnace Fest that takes place here annually at the end of October and by no means implies that this stuff is going on here daily.) We've got a thing for National Parks but every now and then when perving the reviews of my Yelp friends for ideas (Dan R. Holla!) I'll remember that yes indeed in PA we also have an awesome state park system with a website that is super easy to navigate so I decided to hit it up. When I did I found out about PGFSP and about the Fall Furnace Fest that happens there every October. Both sounded like Charlie Sheen type Winning! so we made the two hour trip to the badlands of Gardners Pennsylvania to see what the festival had to offer. Upon entering the grounds and getting our map & guide the first thing I noticed is that damn, this place is big but also damn, this festival really brings out a lot of people. Here's a basic idea of what's going on: - Free Parking - Free Shuttle Bus between different parts of the park on Saturday - Free musical entertainment - Free tours of the Ironmaster's Mansion - Free demonstrations pertaining to charcoal making, blacksmithing, antique tools, candle dipping, apple cider making, beekeeping, pumpkin carving, gourd painting, scarecrow making, hay rides and a Bird of Prey Program from a guy who works at Hershey Park with their Falconry Experience. That doesn't cover all of the craft and food vendors that are selling their wares or if you stick around until seven on Saturday night when you can take part in the Hairy Hand Pumpkin Float (that's too much to explain-Google it if you want more info). This park looks beautiful even without all of the hubbub going on and would be a great place to visit year round with lakes, camping, a small sandy beach and part of the Appalachian Trail cutting right through the park. We had a blast at the Fest and hopefully at the very least we'll be back next year if not sooner to enjoy everything that PGFSP has to offer. read more

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What a great place. Trails lakes trees camping and historical area. Lived here my entire life and learn something about the area every time I visit. read more

My husband and I were in Carlisle, Pa visiting my sister in law and were looking for things to do with our nephews. We came across Pine Grove Fall Festival which was perfect for a Fall Saturday afternoon and Only 20 minutes away from town. For the kids: There was no cost to enter the fall Festival which was great since we weren't sure how long we were going to stay. Surprisingly there were plenty of things to do for the kids. Right when you walk in they had 2 stations set up for pumpkin carving and to make your own scarecrow. I loved how the kids were stuffing nude nylon stockings with hay and dressing them in donated cloths to create a real life scarecrow. The park also had complimentary hayrides that circled around log cabins located in the park. The owners of the log cabins decorated their home and yards making the ride a viewing pleasure for both the kids and adults. For the adults: The park has a beautiful trail that overlooks a lake. The views really allow you to enjoy this time of year since you are surrounded by trees changing color. Along the path many vendors have tables set up selling an array of items From baked goods to homemade decor. Even if you don't plan on making a purchase just walking around to view the merchandise is entertaining. The food: Now most importantly what is there to eat while you are enjoying the festival! When you first enter the park there are multiple food trucks offering various types of food. Naturally I spot local barbecue and all other options became a blur. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with fries from Redds Smokehouse. The fries were delicious... crispy, thin, perfectly salted. The pulled pork was good but not overly flavorful. The sauces made the sandwich. Redds offered various bbq sauces which is great if you love to dip like me. My favorite was the spicy bbq and once added the sandwich was great. The park also had homemade apple cider that they pressed right in front of you! Talk about fresh... we also purchased homemade kettle corn which was a great snack for the kids since they were able to munch while we spent time looking at the merchandise. read more

Pine Grove Furnace State Park - Pine grove furnace - Parks Near Me - Gardners, Pennsylvania

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Yeah I was forced to come here one day because it's the only park in a 25 mile radius of Harrisburg I havent visited. It turned out to be pretty cool. there are two lakes (named Laurel & Fuller) on either side of the park, and it has a paved road that does a loop around both of them, so you can drive / bike or walk around. Be careful though, these are mostly back roads and are narrow and slope and could be bad in the winter. They've got picnicking, boating, hiking fishing and a whole lot of other things to do. They do have some decent nature trails (Pole Steeple) , the last time my wife and I went there we saw some exotic birds. its nearly 700 acres and is considered the "midway" point on the Appalachian Trail. For years, hikers would stop by and down a half-gallon of ice cream. read more

Pine Grove Furnace State Parks is one of my favorite places to visit with my family. We love Laurel and Fuller Lake, especially when the fall foliage is on point. As an Appalachian Trail nerd, I love visiting the museum or seeing thru hikers get their ice cream fix at the general store. There are trails for people of all hiking levels. My sister and I prefer the views from Pole Steeple Vista. There are great picnic spots all around, and the park is surrounded by the beautiful Micheaux State Forest. read more

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This is an amazing place to relax and hiking. For those who love hiking, you will love Pole steeple trail! There are two awesome look outs at the end of Pole Steeple trail. I take my friends and family here all the time and everybody love it! read more

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I just returned from a weekend spent at Pine Grove with my fella, and we had a great time! We wanted a campground halfway between Pittsburgh (where he lives) and Philadelphia (where I live) and this was it (found by the amazing website www.meetways.com). Nice light hikes, cute lakes for swimming, great huge pine trees, interesting wild mushrooms (but don't eat them), pleasant people and clean bathrooms. Perfect little weekend getaway! We had the best tent site by far! For couples out there - if you want a site that's large, wooded and much more 'private' then the others ask for #74 (and check out the amphitheater late at night!) Have a great time and don't step on any of the little frogs hopping around! read more

Pine grove is problem the best kept park in this area, they have a great general store on site with any camping must you may have forgotten to grab as well as ice cream. There is a hostel in pine grove and one of things I like to do when I am up there is to go to the hostel for chess...they have a large scale chess set on the grounds read more

When it comes to campgrounds Pine Grove Furnace is my favorite in the area. Its clean, the camping lots are quite roomie and they have preserved the trees and beauty (aka no concrete). The bathrooms are out houses but its part of the charm. Renting a row boat on the smaller lake is very romatic... aye that was a hint for the fellas and there are loads of group areas for activities. What I love most is that its open all year round and autumn is a wonderful time to camp out (we did thanksgiving at the campground last year), just pack lots of blankets :) The A. Trail is very gentle through Pine Grove Furnace as well if you are looking for a nice hike. read more

My mom told me about this lake because I was looking for a free place to swim during the summer. We packed for a day of swimming and headed there. The kids were excited about the beach front and enjoyed playing in the sand. Then we ran for the water and stopped dead in our tracks. IT'S FREEZING COLD!!! It's not like a cold pool where you get use to it and then take off swimming. We never got to fully dip ourselves into the water because it was just way too cold. Our teeth were chattering and we sat where the sand and water meet because since it was so shallow, the sun warmed it. It's always packed and people run in and out of the water like it's nothing. We tried it again more into the middle of summer thinking the water would be not as cold, but it was still freezing cold. It looks like a very nice place to camp, have BBQ's and even fish, but we just couldn't deal with the freezing water. We'll be heading to another state park this summer. read more

Lake fuller is the most beautiful lake with an amazing story behind it! Being some bug spray and bathing suite! read more

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I grew up going here regularly and also raised my children spending much time at this absolutely beautiful Park. And making plans to take an early spring hike and revisit all my favorite spots read more

Had a great experience camping here with my family. A few key pointers, make sure you bring kindling or buy wood from locals. We had a hard time finding some around the camp and the host only sold logs so we had to use lighter fluid to really get it going. The weekends must be busy but on Monday everyone cleared out and it was soooo quiet! We heard owls at night and loved the wildlife. Some sites are close together but overall not too bad. The bathrooms were clean and the showers were clean as well. Saw many DNR officers roll through and everyone was friendly. We love the tent pads and we will be back here! Make sure to check out the camp office, you can check out backpacks for nature related activities and we were going to do the Appalachian trail museum but it was closed:( 30 min drive to Gettysburg and the orchard stores along the way have amazing food! One thing to keep in mind, the cell service is super spotty and almost non existent data service. If you are looking to disconnect it is awesome. read more

Pine Grove Furnace State Park - Our campsite, awesome thing is you can see pictures of each campsite when you are reserving! - Parks Near Me - Gardners, Pennsylvania

One of my favorite State Parks in Pennsylvania. Pine Grove Furnace is beautiful in all Seasons, and great for Family getaways. Pine Grove Furnace is also the Half Way Point on the Appalachian Trail that spans from Maine to Georgia. On Spring, and Summer Days the park is full of Hikers. The Park also plays host to the Appalachian Trail Museum which has a lot of information, and interesting exhibits on the trail. Iron Masters Mansion is another great place to check out while exploring the park. Along with a 70 site campground, The Paymasters Cabin, Picnicking, Hiking, and beautiful scenery Pine Grove Furnace is a unique, and great Pennsylvania State Park. read more

I visited the park with my wife for a day just to hike a little bit and see the outdoors. We have both wanted to hike on the Appalachian Trail for a long time, and even though we only did a few miles, it was nice to see part of it. The park is very nice, well taken care of, and seems quite safe. If you're looking for something to do outside, check it out! read more

I took a day trip from Carlisle out to the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. I am so sorry I didn't discover this place sooner! Two cool lakes where you could rent canoes or fish - and there was a nice beach area for swimmers. the AT passes through the park. I visited the AT Museum where the volunteers told me how to get to the half-way point on the trail. You also pass an old POW camp on the way up the road. It was a lovely place and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in the fall. I'm sorry I did not have more time to explore. A MUST see if you are in the area. read more

Clean. Close by. We had spot 31 across from the bathrooms which was great with our two kids. We could wash the dishes and take the dog. Nice general store when we needed stuff, like in our first 15 minutes trying to light a fire! read more

Hiked this yesterday with my 6,5 and 2 year old kids (2 year old rode my shoulders most of the way). From the parking lot behind Lake Laurel, it is 3/4 up and same on the return. At the steeper points, they have up/backs to ease your ascent. We took these on the return. It was a fairly simple hike, with the reward of some amazing views. Though it was simple, we definitely felt as though we got a work-out. There were many other hikers and many people brought dogs. The trail is well marked with blue blazes. All 3 of my kids loved it. We will go again. read more

This place had been a part of my life as long as I can remember. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is only one aspect. There are 2 lakes to swim in, one in which you can rent paddle boats and fish. There is plenty of history for the history bufgs as the Ironmaster's Mansion is in the park. On those grounds are numerous other buildings, including a small Appalachian Trail museum and a general store. The general store provides the ice cream for the AT hikers. You can also see the old iron furnace. Nature is bountiful amd abundant. Watch for rattlesnakes and copperheads in the summer. The Polesteeple is an excellant, and somewhat challenging path but the views are worthwhile. read more