Snowy Drive Part 5: Homewood Falls, Buttermilk Falls Park, Beaver County, PA

Here is Homewood Falls at Buttermilk Falls Park. It is paralleled by the Norfolk Southern/Old PRR Main Line.

This was referred to as Buttermilk Falls by Civil War soldiers that drank Buttermilk while they relaxed near the falls. 

Here is the railway.

This is a cool waterfall in a community park right off of the road. Be sure to check it out sometime!

Raccoon Creek State Park Part 2: Frankfort Mineral Springs

In part one of our exploration of Raccoon Creek State Park, we visited the park's lake. Last year I showed you some photos of Raccoon Creek from a warmer time of the year. Today we are going to look at the site of the former Frankfort Mineral Springs with a wintry touch. For an overview of the resort from that previous post, here is what I wrote about the old resort:

Frankfort Mineral Springs was once a thriving resort based around a mid nineteenth century idea that these mineral springs had healing powers. Folks from far and wide would go visit these mineral springs to cure them from their different ailments. A similar resort still remains in Bedford at the Bedford Springs Resort, the summer resort for the only president to ever come from Pennsylvania, James Buchanan, the man who oversaw the splintering of the union and uprising of the Civil War, but I digress.  

These mineral springs resorts were very popular in the Victorian era, but tastes changed in the early to mid 20th century. There are a few things remaining from the resort including this cut out area where the mineral springs were located and the shells/foundations of a few buildings. The resort used to have things like a dance hall, hotel building, stables and more. The remains of the resort are pretty cool to check out. The state park is very beautiful. The place is wooded, has a wonderful campground and a nice little lake. It is a great place to lose yourself for a day or two and just relax. 

It takes a very short hike to get to the site, but it is well worth it.

 It amazes me when a large tree just uproots in this manner.

 Now for

Now for the main sight, a cut out made by the resort for the mineral springs. In the summer a little waterfall pours out from where the thickest ice is in this photo. 

 Hemlock Trees, the state tree, flourish in this state park.

 The icicles are breathtaking.

 In the summer this is a very gentle waterfall.

 The bright orange on the rocks shows the mineral/iron action in the water. 

A spring pours out into a little stone bowl.

 Inside the cave...

 This place is so peculiar and awesome

Be sure to venture out to this peculiar place at some point. I highly recommend it. Raccoon Creek State Park is also very beautiful.

Snowy Drive Part 4: Quakertown Falls, Lawrence County

My next stop after Moraine and McConnell's Mill State Parks was Quakertown Falls in Lawrence County. This fifty foot waterfall is located on Falling Spring Creek. It is crossed by an abandoned span of railroad bridge from the Pennsylvania and Lake Erie Railroad. 

I apologize in advance for turning the camera.

Raccoon Creek State Park Part 1: Frozen Lake

Last weekend we decided to go out for a drive in the afternoon to the beautiful Raccoon Creek State Park. We were there for sightseeing, but if you are planning to do anything on the ice, I would highly advise against that for there is not full ice coverage. Multiple holes like this were present throughout the lake.

Yeah, no boat rentals today...

Here you can see the lakeside lodge. This place has accommodations that can house a large family.

Very serene

It looks like someone was attempting to make a snowman out on the lake

I can't tell what this thing is. Is it a beehive or some sort of spiderweb thing?

Tomorrow we will talk about the reason we made the journey, checking out the Frankfort Mineral Springs.

Winter Drive Part 7: Wisp Mountain, McHenry, Maryland

Today we finish our winter drive from last weekend that was compromised of stops at Seven Springs, Trenthouse Inn and Laurel Hill State Park, Somerset's Wind Country and Mount Davis (parts one and two) and Ohiopyle State Park (parts 1 and two) 

The last stop on our winter drive was to go to Wisp Mountain at Deep Creek Lake, McHenry, Maryland. It sounds like it is pretty far away, but it is pretty close to the border of Pennsylvania. As with our stop at Seven Springs earlier in the day, we did not end up skiing, though I did snag a ride on their mountain coaster, something that I would like to see built at other local ski resorts. 

These mountain coaster contraptions operate year-round and provide quite the thrill in the winter weather.

 Nobody was showboating on the snowboarding jumps when I was there, darn...

The snow looked like it was in pretty decent shape. 

These are fun shots to take.

This is a really nice ski resort, with decent facilities, decent looking trails, and a wide variety of activities. I really want to ski again, but a health condition with my foot may prevent me from doing so again. I want to push through it, but I feel that it might be foolish. I have the ski bug in me though and that is pretty tough to shake. Anyways, definitely check out Wisp!

Winter Drive Part 6: Ohiopyle Cucumber Falls

So far we have visited Seven Springs, Trenthouse Inn and Laurel Hill State Park, Somerset's Wind Country and Mount Davis (parts one and two) and part one of Ohiopyle State Park. Today we complete our exploration of Ohiopyle State park at Cucumber Falls.

It is sunset time and we are approaching Cucumber Falls:

Here is the top of Cucumber Falls.

Looks like just any old creek.

Frozen Cucumber Falls! 

Last year it completely froze over and it was the site of some ice climbing.

Here is some video of the falls in action!

We have one more stop on this road trip which will dip down into northern Maryland!