My Favorite Things to Do in the PA Wilds: Exploring Pennsylvania’s Northern Wilderness

Stargaze at one of the first International Dark Sky Parks

This is one of the prettiest ways to stargaze and I can’t believe it’s right here in Pennsylvania. Cherry Springs State Park has one of the darkest night skies in the world due to so little light pollution. The park has a huge open meadow where you can lay out a blanket and take in nearly 360° views of the sparkling night sky.

Bring a blanket to lay back and take in the views, and if possible a red flashlight or headlamp, so you don’t disturb other stargazers.

There are rustic campgrounds at the park, but plenty of nearby state parks and campgrounds. We stayed about half an hour away at Route 6 Campground, where you can rent cabins with your own private hot tub.

It’s best to plan 2-3 nights to stargaze, just in case the weather doesn’t cooperate your first night.

See fall colors with 360 Views at Kinzua Bridge State Park

Walk along the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk to enjoy sweeping 360 views of fall colors overlooking the decimated 6 million lb steel bridge rebuilt in 1900 that was wrecked by a tornado in 2003.

The 600 feet of the bridge that remains standing has been reinforced and was repurposed as a pedestrian walkway in 2011.

The visitors center is a great place to start, where you can get your PA Parks passport stamped, grab a map, and browse an incredible display to learn more about the history of the bridge.

I also really like the gift shop downstairs, which is run by PA Wilds and hosts artwork and souvenirs made by local artists across Pennsylvania’s wild north.

The skywalk is at the end of Kane Rail Trail, which runs for miles through several neighboring towns and forests. While parking fills up fast during peak season, especially in fall, visitors can park in town and take the free shuttle trolley or bike 4 miles on the rail trail into the park.

There are two hiking trails in the park.

The Kinzua Creek Trail – also known as the bridge trail – is the most difficult, and starts from the viewing platform entrance just to the right of the bridge. 

This trail is short but incredibly steep at only .8 miles out and back, and with over 10 sections of steep boulder steps with slippery gravel. At the bottom of the descent, the trail meanders out into the valley beneath the bridge, where you can cross Kinzua Creek and see the fallen towers up close.

General Kane Trail is a much easier, flat trail that’s about a mile loop through hardwood forests with black cherry and maple trees on the other side of the parking lot from the bridge. While it’s a nice walk, you won’t have any views of the bridge.

The park is free to visit, open from 8 am to sunset, and the skywalk and trail will be open until October 31, 2026, when it will close again for final work on the rehabilitation project until fall of 2027.

Visit the CCC Museum at Parker Dam State Park

I recently camped at this park that is well known for its calm wading beach and paddling opportunities around the pond, but I was really impressed by the small museum, and learned a lot about the organization’s history in Pennsylvania.

The Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, was a government-funded project set to fix two key issues: the logging boom and the Great Depression.

In the 1930s, with the help of PA governor Gifford Pinchot, the government began the long process of “rewilding” the woods through conservation programs like the CCC.  After the Great Depression, men looking for work could participate in building natural recreation areas and replanting trees. 

The CCC was structured a lot like the military, and initially organized by the Army Corps of Engineers, with lodging akin to barracks and even food hall meals. Men who joined the program were able to learn skills, complete their education, and support family back home with their income. It was tough work, though.

The logging industry nearly left Penn’s Woods pretty much woodless, and the CCC set up camps all around the state to build dams, trails, cabins, and replant, setting the stage for some of the state’s earliest state parks that still exist today.

The whole story is fascinating, and I love that this free museum is accessible to anyone visiting the park by request, or on summer days from 1-3.

Learn about the elk at Keystone Elk Country Alliance’s visitors center

Another really cool conservation project in the PA Wilds is the Keystone Elk Country Alliance, who have worked together with the PA Game Commission and DCNR to repopulate the wild elk herd that once roamed the hills and meadows of Pennsylvania.

The alliance has a visitor’s center that is a great jumping-off point to seeing these majestic creatures in the wild. September and October are the most popular months to see the elk, when they come out in droves for the “rut” or mating season. 

If you’re visiting during another time of the year, the visitors center has a lot of fun, interactive exhibits to learn about the elk, how the alliance works to protect them, and where you might have a chance of spotting them off-season.

If you have kids with you, they will especially love the interactive film that plays once every half-hour (hint: they make it “snow!”)

Shop local artisans at Cameron County Artisan Center

This Artisan Center is like a hidden gem in the tiny town of Emporium, just at the junction of the PA Wilds Dark Skies, and Elk Country.

The center operates as a visitor’s center that also allows local artists from around the county to showcase their handmade art. Everything from pottery, to spice blends, serene paintings, and hand carved wood is available for purchase – and at a steal of a price.

Aside from the PA Wilds Conservation Shop, this is my favorite spot to grab a unique and thoughtful souvenir for my adventures.

See Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon at Pine Creek Gorge

Did you know Pennsylvania had its own Grand Canyon? That’s what many locals call Pine Creek Gorge, a 47-mile canyon stretched across northern PA that is as deep as 1450 feet.

There are a few ways to experience the canyon, starting with the two state parks on either side of the gorge. Leonard Harrison is the best place to start, with a robust visitors center and PA Wilds Conservation gift shop. You can get a stamp in your PA State Parks Passport, and walk out onto the viewing deck to see Pine Creek River cutting through the tall cliffs.

There are several benches and viewfinders, including an EnChroma viewfinder that helps people with color blindness enjoy the foliage too!

There are two hikes from here, but the Turkey Trail is especially steep, so you shouldn’t head that way unless you are prepared to hike safely down to the bottom.

Pine Creek Rail Trail runs along an old railroad line, where you can hike or bike along the river. Another unique way to experience the gorge from below is via covered wagon tours!

Tour one of the oldest independent breweries in the country at Straub Brewing

A free tour of an independent brewery with free beer from an eternal tap?? Sign me up!

This was a fun peek into Pennsylvania’s brewery history, with a fun quirk! Straub Brewery has an “eternal tap” right in their brewery warehouse, and anyone can come for a glass. I’m still not really sure why they’re giving away beer for free, but it must have worked because it started in 1947 they are still alive and kicking today!

The brewery was founded in 1872, but was started in an old brewery that is even older than the company itself. Next to the brewery warehouse is a tasting room and restaurant where you can grab a flight and bavarian-inspired fare.

Come during the summer to sit outside by a firepit and enjoy spring-fed fresh brews with friends.

Hike in Pennsylvania’s only national forest

Allegeny National Forest is Pennsylvania’s only designated National Forest, and it’s not too far from Kinzua State Park. Stop by the visitor’s center to get your National Parks Passport stamped and talk to a ranger for suggestions.

Then head out on a trail to explore this pristine wilderness. You can also camp in the forest, and there are several campground options to choose from.

Shop the gas lantern-lined streets of Wellsboro

This adorable historic town has quite a few lovely shops and is not too far from the Pine Creek Gorge state parks. 

A few that I recommend are: Pop’s Culture Shoppe, where you will find rows upon rows of board games and other fun things to do. It’s such a cool shop to find in such a rural area. Around the corner is a used bookstore with, of course, a shop cat that you must visit called ‘From My Shelf.’

Along the street is also Highlands Chocolate Shop, a nonprofit confectionary run by an organization that employs people with disabilities. The chocolate is rich and delicious.

I was recommended to eat at The Roost but be aware they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Instead we ate at Beck’s Bistro which was also a nice option.

Hike the boardwalk among wild blueberries in Black Moshannon State Park

When was the last time you walks among carnivorous plants and wild berries in a bog? Black Moshannon, located in Central PA just at the bottom of the PA Wilds, has two trails with just that – the Boardwalk trail in the main area of the park, and the Blueberry Trail in a more remote section.

The bog trail is flat and ADA-accessible, starting in a wooded area on the edge of the lake, and then weaving through the vegetation of the bog along a wide boardwalk. 

I also love the Moss-Hanna trail, which continues on from the end of the boardwalk through changing environments for several miles.

Black Moshannon State Park has campsites and cabins available for lodging as well. I’ve also stayed at the Cramer Family Mountain bed and breakfast in Snowshoe, which was simple but nice; and this Airbnb in Julian, both a short drive away from the park.

Be aware that cell phone signal is not available in the park, so you’ll want to download your maps ahead of time.

The park is only a short drive away from Happy Valley, one of my favorite places in Pennsylvania to explore, especially in fall!

Learn fun new hobbies with tons of other women at PA Women in the Wilds

I drove all the way from Philadelphia for this, and it was one-hundred percent worth it!

Each year, the PA Women in the Wilds event is held at Black Moshannon National Park, where woman come together for a fun outdoorsy field day! You can sign up for up to 4 classes and learn skills on anything from backpacking, to stained glass, to orienteering! (Those are the classes I did, lol!)

Keep an eye on the Black Moshannon State Park Facebook page for updates – they tend to sell out pretty quickly once spots open each winter for the May weekend event.

Browse the shelves at the oldest independent bookstore in the country

The Otto Bookstore in Williamsport is one of, if not the oldest, independently run bookstores in the state and even the country. The bookshop originally opened as a variety goods shop selling classic novels among other odds and ends in 1941. 

Though it has changed names, owners, and even locations, the business has continued operating for nearly two centuries, providing the community with a space to come and enjoy stories.

Stop by to browse the shelves, grab a coffee at nearby Alabaster, or a beer at the Brickyard, and enjoy this little piece of literary history in the PA Wilds.

Map of my favorite things to do in the PA Wilds

Ready to plan your adventure through the wilds? 

Don’t forget to save your maps offline, and pick up a Purple Lizards map to guide you. I love these because they have hidden gems and little known finds, and the maps prioritize outdoor locations, trails, campsites, etc over other things so you are sure to find something fun to see.

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