Erie Falls in May 2009

I haven’t posted in a while, and I also haven’t posted about one of the Ricketts Glen waterfalls in a while…So now’s the time! If you’re in north central Pennsylvania, then Ricketts Glen is the premier place to find waterfalls. There are 20+ in this park, and they are almost all easily accessed along a single loop trail. One, Adams Falls, is further down along the same river. I visited in late May 2009, and it was a truly beautiful time to visit. The spring wildflowers were still present, the temperature was just right, and the weather beautiful. (Storms would arrive the next day, though.)

Ganoga Falls is the tallest of the falls in the park. Erie Falls is pretty tall, too. The falls in the park have a tendency to look “shorter” in photographs. In the photo for Erie Falls, though, there is a hiker in the upper left corner that provides some perspective. There is a trail that leads to the base of the falls. Many of the falls are easy to view.

As with any waterfall, there are dangers, but Ricketts Glen poses more if you aren’t careful. A number of people have died while hiking. At a few select points, the trail narrows while maneuvering down stairs, and there is a 20’+ drop to the river below. This shouldn’t deter you, but be cautious. If at any point I felt like I was in a precarious position, I made sure to slow down and tried to hold onto anything that could steady me. It is by no means the hardest hike I have been on, even though it is approximately 4 miles round trip.

Directions:

1. From your starting point, get to the area around Red Rock, PA.
2. Turn onto PA-487, heading north. Go to the entrance to Ricketts Glen and turn right into the entrance.
3. Follow the signs to the Falls Trail. You can access the Falls Trail using the Lake Rose parking area or Beach Lot #2 parking area, though you’ll be starting on different creeks. Start your hike on the loop by connecting into the Falls Trail.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 47′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Erie Falls?