Visiting my brother and his family over the Labor Day Weekend, my parents rented a camper for the drive to Butler County, northern Pennsylvania. They parked the RV at a campsite near Moraine State Park for afternoon hikes and fishing.
The Saturday before the holiday, we decided to hike the Sunken Garden Trail at the nearby state park. The hike is located on the southern side of Lake Arthur, one of the largest man-made lakes in Pennsylvania. Marked with blue blazes, there are three different trail options ranging between 2 to 3 1/2 miles.
The children were more excited about the hike than the adults, but their energy made it just as fun for us. Pointing out cattails, tiny orange flower and tall trees, no one was in a hurry to complete the easy nature walk.
After a short distance, we crossed over a small bridge.
We were surrounded by thick trees enjoying the shade.
On a few occasions we would catch a glimpse of the lake.
Colorful flowers bloomed along small sections of sand where the waves from the lake lapped the shoreline. A man and his two children had brought fishing poles in hopes of catching Walleye, Crappie and Largemouth Bass.
From here we noticed Pleasant Valley Beach on the opposite side of the lake. A family or two had set up blankets and lounge chairs as a couple of children were wading in the shallow end.
We approached the marshy area and heard a couple of frogs croaking under the vegetation. Just across the marsh, we could see the boat dock and parking areas so we knew it wouldn’t be long until we had finished the hike.
Overall, we had a wonderful hike at the Sunken Garden Trail with the children and had worked up an appetite, so it was time to return to the campground to make some lunch.
Have you visited Moraine State Park and hiked the trails? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about our family day at the park and wishing you many Happy Travels!
What to See and What to Do:
Moraine State Park
225 Pleasant Valley Road
Portersville, PA 16051
Telephone: 724 368 8811
Where to Stay
Smith Grove Camp Grounds
1085 Herman Road
Butler, PA 16002
Telephone: 724 285 3600
Where to Eat:
Reclamation Brewing Company
221 South Main Street
Butler, PA 16001
Telephone: 724 790 4370
Loved their pizza and beer mac-n-cheese!
What to Eat:
- Pierogie Pizza
