Ricketts Glen State Park

About Ricketts Glen State Park

Explore Glens, where wild, free-flowing waterfalls fall from the rocks and scattered crevices of ancient hills. Take the Waterfall Trail and hike to the 94 foot Ganoga Falls, the highest of the 22 waterworks of the same name.

Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the most scenic areas in Pennsylvania and the largest park covers more than 2,000 acres (1,500 square miles). Old timber and a diverse wildlife contribute to the landscape, as do a diverse animal world such as deer, elk, coyotes, foxes, wild boars, wolves, squirrels, rabbits, birds, turtles and much more.

When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Robert Bruce Ricketts enlisted as a private in the US Army. He fought with the Potomac Army and led the Battery F at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Ricketts moved quickly through the ranks and was dismissed as a colonel after the war, but his heirs sold 48,000 acres to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Colonel Ricketts once owned more than 1.5 million acres of land in Pennsylvania, most of it in Rickets Glen State Park.

Although the area was recognized as a national park in the 1930s, World War II ended development plans, and in 1942 his heirs sold 1,261 acres of the Falls of Glens to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a state park. Left: Rickets Glen State Park, the largest park of its kind in Pennsylvania, is still standing.

Through additional purchases from other individuals, the park has reached its current size, with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchasing more than 2,000 acres of land in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Recreational facilities were first opened in 1944 and ten modern cottages are available throughout the year. In the 1950s, the former Office of Forest and Water replaced the Jean Dam with a large, earthbound dam that connected Lake Jean to a mud pond, creating a lake of today's 245 hectares.

Over the years, further improvements and construction measures have been carried out.

Bed linen and crockery are not provided, but the cabins are furnished and behave well, with plenty of space for a family of four or five or a small group of friends.

Each campsite has a shaded area and there is a picnic area with picnic tables, picnic benches, a fireplace and picnic tables, and a fountain.

All six campsites are adapted for disabled people, and qualified groups of adults and young people can use one or more of the two - day and night campsites.

The 600-foot long beach is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the area is also open during the summer months from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Swim at your own risk and be available at any time except weekends for up to 600 feet long beach.

Lake Jean, which covers 245 hectares, has dry berths and a jetty, and nearby is the Lake Jean State Park boat ramp and boat parking. Boat rentals and concessions are valid during the summer season and offer a variety of activities such as kayaking, fishing, canoeing, boating and rowing boats, as well as fishing and kayaking rentals.

All non-motorized boats must have one of the following boat licenses of the state: All motor boats must have a boat license and license plate in that state.

The picnic area is located on the east side of the park, south of a small stream at the northern end of Ricketts Glen.

There are a limited number of charcoal barbecues in the area, but you are welcome to bring your own. In this area there is no hot charcoal and there is only a limited number of charcoal for barbecues.

Call us to create a program that will enrich your classroom or group study, and an environmental education specialist will guide you on a guided walk. Ricketts Glen State Park is made up of 21 beautiful waterfalls that have helped create one of the most scenic waterways in the state in the United States.

The park is located in Dushore, Pa., south of Dusseldorf, Pa., about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh. It is a very steep road and heavy trailers should avoid the hills and reach the park on PA 487 south of Dushingore.