Pennsylvania's Best Waterfalls To Escape To This Summer

PENNSYLVANIA — Pennsylvania is a vast state, and its many wooded valleys and rolling rivers lead to more than a few stunning waterfall vistas.

Falls Trail

One of the most majestic trails in the state is the 7.2-mile Falls Trail in Rickets Glen State Park.

The area includes 22 waterfalls that are significant enough to be named. The highlight is the 94-foot Ganoga Falls, which tumbles down a staircase of rocks into a deep, woody gorge of old-growth forest.

You don't need to hike seven miles to get to a waterfall; there is parking access and numerous trailheads with short hikes to some of the falls. The closest is the Lake Rose Trailhead, near the state park's campground. This map of the Glens Natural Area is helpful for visitors to orient themselves.

Rickets Glen spans three counties, Columbia, Luzerne, and Sullivan, about an hour west of Scranton.

Dingman's

One of the gems of the Poconos, Dingman's Falls is among the state's most popular and well-known waterfalls, within 90 minutes of both Philadelphia and New York City. At 130 feet high, the falls are the second tallest in all of Pennsylvania.

The falls are accessed by Dingman's Creek Trail, which is a boardwalk path offering hikers a round trip of just over a quarter-mile. Other waterfalls are visible along the short trail, including a unique, thin, 80-foot falls called Silverthread.

The falls are located within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Park Service and covers miles of wilderness on either side of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Access the trail via the Dingman's Falls Visitor Center.

Raymondskill

The tallest waterfall in all of Pennsylvania is just a short trip away, still within the Water Gap. At a towering 150 feet, Raymondskill Falls is one of the largest falls in the eastern United States.

Although set in a very different environment, with water dropping down to successive tiers, it is only slightly shorter than Niagara Falls (167 feet) in total height.

The access trail to the falls is also short — about a quarter-mile in length — but it is fairly steep and uneven, and a notably more physical experience than Dingman's. A spur off the main trail drops another quarter mile down to the base of the falls.

The trailhead is accessible via a parking lot just off Raymondskill Road.

Buttermilk

Heading out into the western part of the state, Buttermilk Falls County Park in Indiana County offers a different waterfall experience.

The 45-foot waterfall, a tributary of the Conemaugh River, is located with a 48-acre protected natural area. A staircase on a wooden boardwalk takes visitors down to the mid-level of the falls, and they walk in the cavernous rocks behind the water to watch it rushing down.

A fun fact: the county parks association explains that the land was previously owned by the family of Fred Rogers (AKA, Mr. Rogers), and he often spent summers at Buttermilk.

Reach the area by heading to 570 Valley Brook Road in New Florence.

Middle Branch

Deep in Loyalsock State Forest in Sullivan County, the waterfall known as Middle Branch — the Middle Branch of Mill Creek — is one of the state's hidden gems.

The approach to the falls is more inconspicuous than others on this list. It's accessed via a parking lot on Camels Road, which is situated by Mill Creek. From there, it's a short walk down the trail to the falls.

About 20 feet in height, Middle Branch is also located near a series of other similar falls, called East and Upper Middle Branch.

The falls run near the 59-mile long Loyalsock Trail, one of the state's more notable long-distance hiking routes.

Wissahickon

For residents of southeastern Pennsylvania, a piece of majestic wilderness is within reach of a few SEPTA stops.

The Wissahickon Valley gorge runs through the northwest section of the city, separating the Roxborough-Manayunk area from Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, and Germantown.

The rocky, winding, gurgling Wissahickon Creek has waterfalls tumbling into it at several points. The most (in)famous spot is Devil's Pool, a haven of bedlam on warm summer days and quiet majesty after a rainy winter night. This is where the tiny tributary of Cresheim Creek runs into the main creek.

But a walk through any given side trail, particularly after a recent rainfall, is likely to lead to a seasonal brook that runs down the valley to the water.