Tag Archives: white-tailed deer

A Hike of Waterfalls: Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania

What if you learned you could hike a trail with over 20 waterfalls?  Not just small ones but several falls with a drop of nearly 100 feet?  When I heard about the spectacular scenery at Ricketts Glen State Park, I quickly planned a road trip to see the beauty of the park for myself.DSC_1473 - F.L. Ricketts Falls

The 15-foot Onondaga Waterfall

I started my hike at the Lake Rose Parking Lot and took the Highland Trail, passing the Midway Crevasse.   Ricketts Glen is located in Benton, Pennsylvania and is so large that it covers three counties, Columbia, Luzerne and Sullivan.  This state park, over 13,000 acres, was once privately owned by Robert Bruce Ricketts, who had once planned to build a hotel here.

Shortly into my hike, I approached the 15-foot Onondaga Waterfall, but more impressive was the F.L. Ricketts Falls which is the magnificent 380-foot “wedding cake” waterfall named after Robert’s brother Frank.

Most of the waterfalls throughout the trail range from 11 to 94 foot drops.   Harrison Wright Falls is another one of the beautiful waterfalls at Ricketts Glen State Park, falling 27 feet.

The park was founded in 1942 and approximately 500,000  visitors hike the trail each year.  The journey totals 7.2 miles starting at PA 118, but there is a somewhat shorter trek starting at Lake Rose. The Falls Trail has been categorized as difficult due to its steepness and slippery conditions from the mist of the waterfalls.

Within Ricketts Glen, there have been sightings of black bear, white-tailed deer, squirrels, porcupine and raccoon.  Animals not often seen include beaver, the river otter, bobcat, coyote, red fox and mink. The park is also a popular birding location and wild turkeys during the fall season.

While the hike of waterfalls is the main draw to the park, there are also ten cabins, two camping areas, horseback riding, hunting, swimming, fishing as well as boating.  As of 1997, ice climbing was permitted.  Other winter activities include cross country skiing and ice fishing, but the park is closed to hiking during the winter months.

I completed the trail in two and a half hours with plenty of stops to stand amazed at the falls. The park was busy with visitors and it was fun to watch the young children enjoy the views as well.  The day was cool and perfect to explore the park and I was excited to end my hike with a picnic lunch, surrounded by nature and the sound of the falls.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Ricketts Glen?  What other parks can you suggest for hiking?  I would love to hear about your visit and other hiking suggestions if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for your interest in my experience at Ricketts Glen!  Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Ricketts Glen State Park
695 State Route 487
Benton, PA  17814
Telephone: 570 477 5675

  • Admission Fee:  There is no fee for visiting Ricketts Glen State Park
  • Hours:  Open daily from dawn to dusk;
  • Amenities:  Hiking, cabins, beach, concessions at the beach, wildlife viewing,
  • Scenic View:  The 21 waterfalls on the hike are breathtaking.
  • Length of Visit:  2 – 3 hours
  • Tips for Your Visit:  The hike can be slippery and the steps can be steep at times so be prepared.  Pack water and snacks for the hike.  During the wintertime, trails may be closed, so check the state park website for any updates.

Where to Stay:

Mattress & Muffin Inn
240 S. Main Street, Benton, PA  17814
Phone:  570.925.5466

This beautiful home in historic Benton offers affordable, quaint accommodations and complimentary breakfast in the morning.

Where to Eat:

Hobokon Sub Shop
Main Street, Benton, PA  17814
Phone:  570.925.2100

I picked up a sub sandwich to enjoy after hiking Ricketts Glen.  The staff were very friendly and my meal was perfect for my picnic lunch!

What to Eat: 

  • Pretzels were brought to Pennsylvania by the German settlers.
  • Philly Cheesesteaks are sandwiches made of strips of steak topped with Cheez Whiz and onion.
  • The Banana Split is said to have been invented in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
  • Hershey’s Kisses
  • Lebanon Bologna made by the Pennsylvania Dutch
  • Apple Butter produced by the Pennsylvania Dutch
  • Utz potato chips
  • Tastycakes
  • Heinz Ketchup
  • Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
  • Twizzlers
  • Chocolate
  • Scrapple is a meat loaf made of pork scraps and cornmeal.
  • The Arnold Palmer is a drink made of half tea and half lemonade.
  • Pot Pie is another contribution by the Pennsylvania Dutch.
  • Root Beer was invented by Charles Elmer Hires of Philadelphia, PA.
  • Philadelphia Pepper Pot Soup was served at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War.
  • Funnel cakes
  • Stromboli
  • Shoofly Pie is a pie with the main ingredient of molasses
  • Whoopie Pies are cake cookies with a cream filling
  • Peeps

What to Read:

  • Ricketts Glen State Park by Tim Shirey
  • Ricketts Glen State Park by Jesse Russell

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DSC_1464 - Harrison Wright Falls

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Summer’s End at Custer State Park: The Wildlife Drive

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Dark clouds appeared overhead as a storm began to roll in at Custer State Park. Uncertain if the weather would put a damper on my afternoon, I continued on with my plans to explore the Wildlife Drive.  Known for its amazing animal sightings, I was looking forward to seeing bison, burros or even a mountain goat.

Custer State Park is both a state park and wildlife reserve.  Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, it is named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer providing a home to many wild animals on its 71,000 acres.  The park is most known for its large Bison population of 1500, its prairie dog towns and burros.   Other animals residing in the park include elk, mule deer, white tailed deer, mountain goats, big horn sheep, pronghorn and mountain lions.

Here are some of the amazing sites I had the opportunity to see while exploring the Wildlife Drive at Custer State Park.

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Fisherman Ponds

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Views from the Lookout

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Groundhog

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American Bison

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Prairie Dog Town

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White-Tailed Deer

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Wild Burro

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Spectacular Landscape

Nearby attractions I was not able to visit included the Crazy Horse Memorial, Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park, but one day, I hope to make it here.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Custer State Park?  Did you drive the Wildlife Loop Road?  I would love to hear about your adventure if you kindly leave a message in the comments section below!  Many thanks for reading my post and Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Custer State Park
13329 US Highway 16A
Custer, SD  57730
Telephone:  605 255 4515

Don’t miss the Wildlife Loop Drive for the opportunity to see the park’s wildlife up close in their natural habitat.

  • Admission Fee:   Weekly Park License:  $20 per vehicle, $10 per motorcycle, motorcoach license: $3 per person per visit.
  • Hours:  Open daily, 24 hours;  Visit the website for the hours of the Visitor’s Centers.
  • Amenities:  Hiking, biking, bird watching, camping, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, cross country skiing, horseback riding, rock climbing, swimming, scenic drives; buffalo auction and buffalo roundup
  • Scenic View:  The Wildlife Drive provides opportunities to see a wide variety of animals in their natural habitat.
  • Length of Visit:  1 – 2 hours
  • Tips for Your Visit:  Drive slowly through the Wildlife Loop and be cautious of animals crossing the road.  Take the drive early in the morning in the late afternoon for best viewing opportunities.  Do not feed the animals and maintain a safe space between yourself and the animals.

Where to Stay:

Custer State Park Resort
The Blue Bell Lodge
Telephone for Reservations: 888 875 0001

While I spent the night at the Blue Bell Lodge, there are several other properties around the park to book as well.

Where to Eat:

Ruby House Restaurant
124 Winter Street
Keystone, SD 57751
Telephone: 605 666 4404

I wanted to visit a place with an Old West feel that served steak and I came to the right place! The Bourbon Ribeye was fantastic!

So many other options along Mt. Rushmore Road.

What to Eat: 

  • Buffalo:  A meat substitute for beef which is much healthier to eat.
  • Chokecherries are a Native American cherry that is made into jam, preserves, butter, wine, jelly and sauce.  Wojapi is a chokecherry sauce.
  • Dakota Martini is made of three-fourths beer and one-fourth tomato juice
  • Fleisch Kuchele is a meat pie originating from Germans who lived in Russia.  The dough is filled with meat and onions, then deep fried until the pastry is hot and flaky.
  • Hot Beef Commercial, also known as hot beef sandwich, beef combination, hot beef combo and hot beef combination.  This is a sandwich made of real mashed potatoes and chunks of seasoned roast beef sandwiched between two pieces of white bread and smothered with homemade gravy until it floods the plate.
  • Indian Fry Bread is the state bread of South Dakota, a recipe of the local Indians.
  • Indian Tacos are made with a specially spiced beef and beans, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, onion, black olives and house made picante sauce on the top.
  • Kolache is an amazing Czech dessert made from pastry and filled with fruit filling such as apple, cherry, lemon, apricot, prune and strawberry.
  • Kuchen is German for cake and in South Dakota, visitors can enjoy this pastry filled with custard and fruit.
  • Lefse is a flat potato bread coming from Norwegian-American origin and served with butter
  • Mocha Cakes, also known as Blarney stones, are square or rectangular blocks of light and airy white cake.  Frosted on all sides with vanilla buttercream, they are rolled in lightly salted crushed peanuts for ideal flavor and texture.
  • Pasties are savory hand pies.
  • Tiger Meat is South Dakota’s answer to steak tartare.
  • Wasna is a buffalo and berry dish passed down by the Lakota Indians.
  • Zebra Donuts are marbled chocolate and vanilla donuts that is fried, dunked in sweet glaze and hand-dipped in homemade chocolate frosting which feeds 15.

Photo Guide for Custer State Park, South Dakota: 

  • Use a telephoto lens for capturing animals far away in the distance.
  • Explore the Wildlife Drive for opportunities to see wildlife
  • Take a Jeep Safari tour to gain closer to access to the amazing wildlife in the park
  • Take your photos at dawn and dusk for excellent time to see wildlife.

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