Ricketts Glen State Park

Seneca Falls, Pennsylvania

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I’ve published over 800 posts about waterfalls, and this past year I realized that I probably should have combined some of the waterfalls together as they can be viewed together. It becomes a bit tedious to write about these when I come back to some waterfalls 10 or 12 years later, and I could have just combined some into one.

The waterfalls in Ricketts Glen are tricky, though. There’s a trail and it leads you past 20+ waterfalls. So I now have written about a significant number of individual waterfalls in Ricketts Glen. I guess that indicates that Ricketts Glen is a spectacular place to visit to see waterfalls. There are only a few other locations…Silver Falls State Park in Oregon pops into my head…where you can see so many waterfalls at once.

So here’s Seneca Falls. It’s really impressive that so many different types/shapes of waterfalls can be found in Ricketts Glen State Park. This one isn’t tall, but it has two distinct drops: a cascade and then a wide plunge falls. So if you haven’t visited Ricketts Glen, head out there. Bring bug/tick spray since this seems to be where I’ve run into most of the ticks (in eastern Pennsylvania).

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 12′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Seneca Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Seneca Falls?

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Tuscarora Falls, Pennsylvania

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Tuscarora Falls in May 2009

Instead of viewing some waterfalls as isolated, you have to think of the whole. If Tuscarora Falls were all by itself, it would be a very nice waterfall. It’s 47′ tall, it isn’t a skimpy little waterfall, but it’s also not extremely tall.

And yet it’s one of the 20+ waterfalls found in Ricketts Glen State Park. As a whole, this is one amazing set of waterfalls. If you decide to take the 4 mile round trip journey, you won’t see the same waterfall, and that’s what makes it great! Some of them are smaller but wider, while others are tall and narrow. You won’t keep thinking you’ve seen this before!

You should exercise caution as you go on this 4 mile + hike. I didn’t find it to be extremely strenuous from a energy/fitness standpoint. While you will be climbing uphill for a portion, it’s punctuated by stops along the way to view each fall. The caution really comes from the narrow paths that sometimes show up right next to a significant drop. This would be very stupid to do in flip-flops. You want good hiking shoes, water, bug spray, and common sense. With those things, you should be fine.

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 Tuscarora Falls?

Erie Falls, Pennsylvania

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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?

Oneida Falls, Pennsylvania

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted about the waterfalls at Ricketts Glen, so I figure I’ll give a recap of sorts. If you’re in the northwest region of Pennsylvania (rather close to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre), you can find one of the best sets of waterfalls in the region. There are an advertised 22 waterfalls in Ricketts Glen State Park, though depending on the definition, there are more than 22 drops. It’s really a great place to spend a day exploring.

Oneida Falls is just one of the many falls you’ll be able to see. Most of the falls, including Oneida Falls, are very intimate, and you can get relatively up close and personal with the falls. A few are a little bit more difficult to photograph, but nonetheless, it is still a completely enjoyable time!

Be careful, though! It is not a simple hike to view the falls. There are some steeper portions along the trail, though I wasn’t really terrified at any point, and heights/extreme steepness can make me hesitate. The trails are very well taken care of, and this makes the journey less of a hassle. Still, there are a number of injuries and accidents that occur each year because people don’t heed the appropriate warnings. Also, bring along something to drink and eat! In order to see 22 waterfalls, you’re not taking a short hike! If you follow the guidelines, though, you will be greatly rewarded with a seemingly never-ending supply of waterfalls!

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: 13′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Oneida Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Oneida Falls?

Cayuga Falls, Pennsylvania

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Cayuga Falls is not the most memorable waterfalls in Ricketts Glen, though it is still very scenic. It is a great waterfall to get long exposure shots. It is only about 11′ tall, and is wider than it is tall. Looking at other pictures online, the log in the photo no longer seems to be there. I know logs bother some people in waterfall photos, but I always like them because it reminds us that nature is constantly changing. A tree can be there one day, and gone the next, though who knows if humans were the cause of that change!?

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 11′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Cayuga Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Cayuga Falls?

Onondaga Falls, Pennsylvania

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about Ricketts Glen State Park, so maybe I’ll re-summarize this great park. Ricketts Glen has 20+ waterfalls on approximately 4 miles of trail. I have to admit that it seemed very manageable, at least compared to other hikes I’ve been on. I visited in late May during Memorial Day weekend (actually just before), and it was really the perfect time to visit. The temperature was very comfortable, the spring wildflowers were in full bloom, as were the trees.

Onondaga Falls is not particularly memorable. Ganoga Falls is the tallest. Some are plain more scenic. The falls might actually be taller than appears in the picture.

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Onondaga Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Onondaga Falls?

Upper Delaware Falls, Pennsylvania

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I’m not sure that Upper Delaware Falls is actually an officially named waterfall in Ricketts Glen State Park. I have a feeling it’s not, but that I just called it Upper Delaware Falls since it was a short distance upstream from Delaware Falls. Ricketts Glen has multiple drops that are unnamed, but are often just as significant as the named falls. If we named every drop in the park, though, we’d have hundreds of names for significant and insignificant falls!

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 20′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Upper Delaware Falls in Ricketts Glen State Park, May 2009

Where in the World is Upper Delaware Falls?

Conestoga Falls, Pennsylvania

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Of the many falls in Ricketts Glen State Park, Conestoga Falls is one of the waterfalls with a more interesting name. I remember that it was in the park, though after looking at the pictures, I realized that it isn’t one of the more memorable falls in the park in terms of size or distinctiveness. Actually, it seems like it might be one of the smallest in the park, at least of the named falls. Some of the other unnamed falls in the park seem to me to be even bigger, I guess.

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 17′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Conestoga Falls in Ricketts Glen State Park (May 2009)

Where in the World is Conestoga Falls?

Wyandot Falls, Pennsylvania

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I have to admit that when I tried to remember where I had visited Wyandot Falls, I couldn’t really remember. There are many waterfalls in Ricketts Glen that I clearly remember, but I guess Wyandot Falls isn’t one of them. I don’t even remember the name.

That’s not to say that it isn’t a pretty waterfall, it just might not be the most memorable of the waterfalls in the park. There are others that are smaller that are more memorable for one reason or another. There are also much bigger waterfalls in the park, such as Ganoga Falls. Still, Wyandot Falls is unavoidable, and that is a good thing in my book.

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Wyandot Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Wyandot Falls?

Murray Reynolds Falls, Pennsylvania

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Murray Reynolds Falls in May 2009

When I saw Murray Reynolds Falls in the picture just now, my first thought was that Murray Reynolds Falls is one of the more distinct waterfalls in Ricketts Glen State Park. Many of the waterfalls in the park have a very cascade-like feel to them, whereas this waterfall seems to have a sharper drop to it. That’s not to say that many of the other waterfalls don’t have larger single drops, but they don’t always stand out very well, at least not compared to waterfalls elsewhere.

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.

Check out my note from Sheldon Reynolds Falls about precautions to take in Ricketts Glen.

Accessibility: 5/10 (moderate)
Height: 16′
Length of Hike: 4 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Murray Reynolds Falls?