34+ Must-See PA Autumn Destinations

 

An autumn view of the Lehigh Gorge from the Fireline Trail at Hickory Run State Park in the Pocono Mountains

The view from Loyalsock State Forest's High Knob Overlook at sunset

It is time to start planning some autumn adventures! Since our last fall articles, we have added a few more places that you have to check out during the fall. We have visited places all across the state during autumn, and these are some of our favorites. Whether you open your door and look outside, or if you go to your local state park, you are sure to see some beauty. The following are just a few of our absolute favorite places to check out in autumn, thanks to their exceptional beauty. 

For some bonus places, be sure to check out all of the places on our massive guide to some the state's many spectacular scenic overlooks and vistas. 

1) Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA, Fayette County

Fallingwater: One of the most famous houses in the world

This world renowned Frank Lloyd Wright architectural wonder is absolutely stunning to see in autumn. The stark beauty of Fallingwater and the falls that it was built over are highlighted with the spectacular colors of the fall trees. We highly recommend going on a tour of the grounds and the building. For more information on visiting, check out their website at www.fallingwater.org

2) Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, PA, Northumberland and Columbia County

Knoebels is always our favorite place to visit within the state. The fantastic coasters, classic rides, and overall atmosphere of the park are heightened by the crisp autumn air and vivid fall colors. 

The park, along with Columbia and Montour Counties, also holds a Covered Bridge Festival on October 7th-10th, where the local covered bridges are celebrated, including the ones located within the amusement park. The park also has Phoenix Phall Phunfest for coaster enthusiasts on October 9th as a kickoff to the Halloween season, concurrent with the annual Covered Bridge Festival. Due to the Covered Bridge Festival outgrowing the space that Knoebels has to offer, the craft vendors will now be situated at the nearby Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, and Knoebels will be a stop on the covered bridge tour. 

The park's Hallo-Fun Weekends run Fridays from 5PM-9PM, Saturdays from 2PM-9PM, and Sundays from 12PM to 5PM, running from October 8th-October 31st. We highly recommend taking in America's largest free admission, traditional amusement park as a part of your fall activities. For more information about visiting the park, check out our article and also visit www.knoebels.com

3) Hyner View State Park

We have visited this overlook in the dead of winter with fresh snowfall, and in the peak of summer. This past year we got to visit it in autumn, and as always, it was incredible. Why do you need to hear about it from me though, when you can see just how much CeCe loves it? Hyner View State Park is one of the finest scenic overlooks in Pennsylvania. You get sweeping views of the valley of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, with 1300 feet of elevation change in view from a height of 1940 feet to depths of 640 feet at river level. For more information on visiting, check out this article.

4) Allegheny Front Hawk Watch

There is something so special about being at or above the height of a flying eagle, hawk, osprey, or other majestic bird. At a height of 2780 feet on the Allegheny Front Escarpment, you will see raptors, other birds, dragonflies, monarchs, and other creatures make spectacular sliding and swooping maneuvers both above you and below you as they sweep into the valley below during their spring and fall migrations. The Allegheny Front serves as a prime migration spot, where single-day counts of hawks can measure into the hundreds, or even thousands, Bald and Golden Eagles into the dozens, and countless vultures, and other creatures. For more information about the spot, check out our article on it. Unfortunately, due to these difficult times, the hawk watch will not be open to the public this year. 

5) Tank Hollow Overlook near Mauch Chunk in the Pocono Mountains Above the Lehigh River Gorge

Tank Hollow Overlook is an incredible place to visit. It requires a short hike to get to it, but it is more than worth the effort. It gives a stunning view above a dramatic bend in the Lehigh River Gorge. For more information on visiting, check out this article

6) Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, Mauch Chunk, Pocono Mountains

The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway is absolutely incredible for taking in autumn beauty. The leaves of the Lehigh Gorge become fiery colors and the train ride on classic passenger rolling stock is great, and their restored train station is beautiful and majestic. There are also lots of boutique shops and eateries in town to do when you are not on the train. To top it all off, it is dog friendly! CeCe absolutely loved it, as you can see in the photo. For more information, check out this article. 

7) The overall Lehigh Gorge, Pocono Mountains, Carbon County, PA

Heading south from Hickory Run, along the Lehigh River, you will see many tremendous views of the Lehigh Gorge. Once you enter Mauch Chunk, you see the spectacular landscape, joined with beautiful Victorian architecture. We are amazed on our visits to the Lehigh Gorge and Pocono Mountains area. For more information, check out this article. 

8) Hickory Run State Park, Pocono Mountains, Carbon County

Our fourth stop takes us to Hickory Run State Park, one of the finest of PA's State Parks. The reds and yellows on the trees are fiery, and the contrast of them with the park's spectacular boulder field, especially in the midst of some morning fog, is nothing short of breathtaking. Terrific autumn views can be had throughout the park, especially the boulder field, and up on the Fireline Trail, looking down upon beautiful Lehigh Gorge. Seeing the autumn beauty here was well worth the four hour drive from Pittsburgh. For more information on some of the many places to see at this huge state park, check out our article about it here. 

9) Big Pocono State Park, Tannersville, PA, Monroe County

The view from Big Pocono State Park, at the top of Camelback Mountain Ski Area and Resort

There are a ton of fun sightseeing opportunities and activities going on in the Pocono region of the state. One of my favorite places to check out is Big Pocono State Park, high atop Camelback Mountain Ski Area and Resort. This overlook gives you a wide expanse of view over the Poconos, and to as far out as New Jersey and New York. There are also a ton of different activities to do at Camelback, including an alpine roller coaster, zip lining, and more. There are also a plethora of different places to see throughout the Poconos. 

10) Allegheny Reservoir and Allegheny National Forest, Warren County

Whether you are lakeside, or checking out the awesome vistas from higher up in the gorge of the Allegheny River, you are sure to see some amazing autumn views at the Allegheny Reservoir. One of the most stunning spots to visit is the Rimrock Overlook, a rock outcropping complete with a large stone stairway that takes you out to a perch high above the Allegheny Reservoir.

11) Strasburg Railroad, Strasburg, PA, Lancaster County

One of the four pristine early 20th century steam locomotives of  the Strasburg Railroad.

Hard work ethic is what makes Pennsylvania what it is. At no place is this more evident in the state than riding through Amish Country on the Strasburg Railroad in the fall. Amish farmers are tending to harvesting the crops they have worked so hard to tend to throughout the year. Around the area, you will find freshly baked goods and harvested crops. 

The ride through Amish Country

The railroad itself is also the result of very hard work. The Strasburg Railroad is part of a collaborative effort to preserve a historic short line railroad and to fully restore equipment from the golden age of railroading. Thanks to these efforts, there is a fine fleet of pristine locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses, and more, that are restored with full accuracy to their original specifications. My parents brought me here when I was little and visiting the railroad brings about great family memories that I've held on to ever since. Going back, I appreciate more and more how amazing this railroad is. This is an awesome place to visit at any time of the year, but especially during the autumn months. For more information on visiting, check out www.strasburgrailroad.com

A pumpkin patch next to the railroad.

12) The Elk Rut, Various Locations around Benezette, PA, Elk County

If the call of the wild beckons, Elk Country in the PA Great Outdoors Region in Benezette, PA is where you want to go. Autumn is the time of the rut, when the Elk practice their mating rituals. You will see male suitors duke it out, grunt, stomp, and lock antlers and compete while their potential mate watches. It is a spectacular sight. Couple that with the fall colors, especially at the nearby Marion Brooks Reserve with its amazing grove of birches, and the rest of the attractions in the PA Great Outdoors Region, and you have a terrific place to go in the fall, in addition to the nearby Kinzua Bridge. This region is perfect. Nearby Clarion also holds an Autumn Leaf Festival, complete with amusement rides, vendors, and more.

13) and 14) Worlds End State Park and Loyalsock State Forest, Sullivan County

The views afforded at Worlds End State Park and the Loyalsock State Forest in the autumn are nothing short of incredible. The colors make the trees almost appear as if they are on fire. It is incredible to see. Loyalsock Canyon Vista in Worlds End State Park and the High Knob Overlook in the adjacent Loyalsock State Forest, are stunning places to take in these fall views.

View from High Knob Overlook at sunset

View from the Loyalsock Canyon Vista at Worlds End State Park

The views at these vistas in their autumn splendor are absolutely breathtaking.

15) Ricketts Glen State Park 

Ricketts Glen State Park is a stunning place to visit in any season, but especially towards the end of autumn and the cusp of winter. The freshly fallen leaves cover the ground and the banks along the creeks and waterfalls at the park. Safety is highly recommended, with a good pair of boots, some drinks, and some snacks as the 7.2 mile loop of the main falls is rigorous and slick at times. You also need to keep up on updates from the park in regards to weather and trail conditions, for the trails close for regular hiking without proper ice hiking equipment in mid November. 

16) Steamtown: Scranton, PA

Heading out on an excursion train ride at Steamtown National Historic site in Scranton is a wonderful thing to do. Nay Aug Gorge, which is traversed on many of these excursions, is stunning to see with some fall color. For more information on visiting, check out our article on this awesome place.

17) and 18) Marie Antoinette Overlook and Wyalusing Rocks, Route 6 in Bradford County

Similar to the last two, these overlooks are within a few miles of each other. It is also easy to make a beeline 45 minutes northeast from Worlds End to hit these two overlooks. The history at both of these spots is extremely fascinating, and well worth checking out. 

The Marie Antoinette Overlook looks out over a stunning bend in the Susquehanna River. French Azilum, a place that was rumored to be an exile point for the ill-fated French Queen. In the fall, the colors in this area are extraordinary.

Just a little bit east of Marie Antoinette Overlook, is the Wyalusing Rocks Overlook, looking over an even tighter bend in the Susquehanna River. This place has been a historic spot for many generations of history in North America and is well worth checking out.  

19) Brady's Bend: Clarion County

This scenic overlook is beautiful in every season, but it is especially stunning the fall. For information on the location, check out our article.

20) Kennerdell Overlook: Venango County

 21) Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, PA, Allegheny County

If you live in Pittsburgh, a great place to go spend a weeknight or afternoon is at Schenley Park. 

Serpentine Drive in Schenley Park

As one of our nation's largest urban wooded areas, you are bound to find beautiful colors at every corner of the park and throughout the CCC, Great Depression era, infrastructure throughout the park. 

 22) Route 40 Overlook, Hopwood, PA, Laurel Highlands, Fayette County

The Route 40 Overlook in Hopwood, deep in the Laurel Highlands and near Ohiopyle State Park, Fallingwater, and Laurel Caverns. This overlook looks over a deep crevasse and Uniontown. The colors are especially vivid at this spot, in addition to Ohiopyle State Park. 

 23) Wine Country, North East, PA, Erie County

Fresh grapes? Need I say more? Between the cool colors, the smell of harvested grapes lingering through the air, and the always awesome views of Lake Erie, North East, PA is an awesome place to sit and relax. Be sure to check out the dozens of wineries and vineyards up and down the shores of Lake Erie.

There is nothing like fresh grapes!

24) Horseshoe Curve and Gallitzin Tunnels on the border of Blair and Cambria Counties

 Heading up the incline to Horseshoe Curve

 Even without trains within this shot, you can see just how beautiful

Trains heading by the historic Pennsylvania Railroad Locomotive on display.

Seeing dramatic fall colors coupled with trains traversing the mountainous terrain of Central PA is something that is awesome, even if you do not consider yourself to be a train watcher. This is an absolutely awesome place to pack up a cooler and take a picnic lunch to, especially on a pretty autumn day.

 25) Tunnelview Park, New Alexandria, PA, Westmoreland County

Tunnelview Park, Indiana County

Tunnelview Park is home to multiple generations of canal and rail history, with three transportation related tunnels, and accompanying bridges. This is a spectacular and often overlooked spot, deep in the Loyalhanna Gorge. Read more about this awesome place from this article about an autumn visit and one from a winter visit. 

 26) Mingo Creek Park, Finleyville, PA, Washington County

Mingo Creek Park in Washington County is a place that takes its covered bridges seriously. They have two beautiful covered bridges, including one that was moved and saved from demolition. The autumn colors are especially vibrant in this location. For more information on visiting, check out our article on this awesome place. 

 27) Renziehausen Park Rose Garden and Arboretum, McKeesport, PA, Allegheny County

The Renzie Park Rose Garden in McKeesport is the result of decades of hard work by community members through the Garden Club of McKeesport. The fall roses, coupled with the colors of the trees of the arboretum, make this an exceptional site to take in the sights of autumn.

28) Pittsburgh in General

The wooded nature of Pittsburgh lends itself to having awesome autumn views, and fall colors tend to hit the city much later than most of the state, meaning that the colors don't often appear until well into October. The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning is specifically awesome during this time of the year, thanks to the annual Polish and Slovak Festivals, and Pitt Homecoming, when they shoot fireworks off of the venerable skyscraper.

  29) Nockamixon State Park, Near Quakertown, PA, Bucks County

There is nothing quite like the feeling of crisp autumn air when you are out on the water. Lake Nockamixon at Nockamixon State Park is an awesome place to go during the fall months for these reasons. Additionally, the leaves seem to get exceptionally colorful in this location. Horseback riding, hiking, boating, sail boating, and more await visitors to this awesome state park. Nearby, you can also check out the funky Ringing Rocks County Park, home to an exceptional geologic wonder. For more information on visiting, check out our article on Nockamixon. 

30) Raystown Lake

While Raystown Lake is beautiful to visit at any time of the year, the Proud Mary Showboat offers special autumn cruises to see the colors on the lake. Be sure to check this out!

31) Forbes State Forest and Linn Run State Park, Westmoreland and Somerset Counties

This area has some incredible hikes and views. It is well worth checking out in the autumn. Here is a guide of the area around Linn Run State Park. 

32) Mt. Davis Natural Area

Pennsylvania's tallest point is a beautiful place to go in the fall. 

It trends a little bit earlier with color than the rest of Southwestern PA, thanks to its higher elevation and slightly cooler temperatures.

33) Go to your local orchard and get some fresh apples, pumpkins, and apple cider

Pennsylvania has so many great orchards and farm stands to get the freshest and most delicious apples and apple products. It is one of the state's best crops and having fresh apples, cider, pies, and more is one of the many blissful aspects of life in Pennsylvania in the fall. Brown's Orchard in Washington County is our favorite place to go in the Pittsburgh area for cider and apples, but there are so many great places across the state. In the eastern part of the state, we absolutely love Bobwhite Acres/Wata Farm, which is located in Lehigh County and is a full service orchard and farm, with a full Christmas Tree Farm where they sell apples and cider through the New Year and Pappy's Orchard and Lisa's Kitchen in Lehigh County, which features fantastic apples and more, coupled with tremendous baked goods. 

34) Right outside your door! 
Autumn is stunning in PA, so get out there and appreciate it!

This list is far from all encompassing, but these are places you should plan to see at least once during the fall months. Have a great time! For further suggestions on places to check out, be sure to explore our Vistas and Scenic Overlooks guide at the following link, all of which are sure to look great in the fall months.

We have released our 2022 Pennsylvania Calendar! 

It features views of: 

-Independence Hall in Philadelphia 

-Sunrise in Downtown Pittsburgh 

-Knoebels Amusement Resort 

-Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway 

-Millersburg Ferry across the Susquehanna River 

-Tank Hollow Overlook above the Lehigh Gorge in the Poconos 

-The Reading Pagoda 

-Kennywood Park 

-Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge in Chester and Lancaster Counties 

-Academia-Pomeroy Covered Bridge in Juniata County

-Ohiopyle State Park 

-A holiday scene in Pittsburgh 

The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide (8.5 by 11 pages) 

It makes for a great gift for someone or for yourself. It is available for purchase through the PayPal dropdown menus at the top of the page and the bottom of this article.

Thanks for your ongoing support over the years! 

2022 PA Calendar and PA Amusement Parks Book Purchase Options

2022 Pennsylvania Calendar $11.99 USD  PA Amusement Parks Book $21.95 USD  Book and Calendar Bundle $31.95 USD  2 Calendars $22.50 USD  3 Calendars $30.50 USD

 

PA Tourism Improvement Ideas: Preserving What We Have & Building Where Needed

This article is a grouping of ideas that I have thought of, basically since the start of this page, more than seven years ago. Some things have continually bothered me as areas in which the state needs to better realize what it has with scenic tourism opportunities, both to enrich local life within the state, and to provide more opportunities for short term and long term employment. I generally like to keep things positive on this page, but unfortunately, there are major areas in which the state can improve. I was compelled to finally post this article with the troubling developments up at Conneaut Lake Park, where the park is in the midst of being dismantled and the future of the park's most legendary ride is up in the air.

Route 22 approaching Altoona. Photo courtesy of Google Streetview, since I do not take photos while I am driving.

• Not enough promotion of scenic drives and not enough pull off areas developed for scenic overlooks. Route 22 heading out to Altoona comes to mind. You have an excellent four lane highway that traverses a series of impressive mountains, and not one scenic pull off area, when you could easily add three or four. This stretch of road could be designated a scenic drive, with a name like "Alleghenies Scenic Highway" or something like that, and you could have a place that people would seek out like a small scale version of Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

  

  A place where Route 22 and the old Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line meet near Huntingdon. I got this awesome view from pulling off of the shoulder of the road at this point. 

  
  Several ridges deserve Scenic Overlook/Vista pulloffs, in addition to the stretch leading from the Gallitizin/Altoona area, where you can see the railroad head into Horseshoe Curve.

  

  Route 22 Near Lewistown and Mifflintown, granted this is near a boat launch on the Juniata River which serves as an unofficial scenic pull off, which is the closest thing Route 22 has to a scenic overlook pull off in Pennsylvania

  
  Route 22/William Penn Highway from Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, through the Juniata River Valley, all the way through Harrisburg, is extremely scenic, yet there are no scenic overlook pulloffs on the road. Same with the PA Turnpike, I-81, 322, 22, 28, 30, and more. The stretch of 30/Lincoln Highway from Chambersburg, all the way through Breezewood, has tremendous views all along it, yet there are no officially built scenic overlook pulloffs along it. In an age of electronic distractions and fatigue on the roads, having more places to pull off and rest for a little bit are very much needed and to help cut down on distracted driving as well. You could make dozens of scenic overlook stops across the state, giving off views of mountains, valleys, rivers, and more, and maybe even create some small trails from those spots. It would promote tourism and help to bring that economic growth to the state. There are also many stretches of state forest roads that have absolutely breathtaking scenic overlooks that have almost no signage guiding people towards them. The former Colerain State Park area immediately comes to mind, with a road that features scenic overlooks off of both sides of a mountain. Scenic pull off areas have been built, but there are no signs guiding people towards them, or any promotion within tourism publications that mentions this as a place that you need to check out. The state and residents of these regions are missing out on tourism potential in these places. Especially on the highways, I find myself pulling off the side of a shoulder to take in. Pennsylvania is extremely behind when it comes to highlighting roadside scenic overlook pulloffs, especially when compared to places like West Virginia and Virginia. In a state that lends itself to scenic views, it really does not take advantage of what it has.

  

  Long abandoned oil well in the Allegheny National Forest

  
  
• Environmental remediation issues: Most of our state forest and state park system was founded with the concept of environmental remediation and rehabilitation in mind. Most of that land was covered with industrial scarring and was heavily logged and damaged. Brush fires would spark and spread uncontrollably after the branches from logged trees were strewn about the ground after the commercially usable timber was taken. Leaders like Gifford Pinchot saw this and bought the scarred land, restoring forests through strong leadership. More than a century later, these woods are mature and improve the health and recreational opportunities for all Pennsylvanians. Industrial damage of the last few decades, specifically a series of oil drilling sites strewn about Allegheny National Forest, have left us more work to do.
  
  Overhead view of the damage from the abandoned oil wells in Allegheny National Forest. Photo credit to The Allegheny Front. The derelict oil wells scar the landscape and are deteriorated and leaking into fresh water supplies. 
  
  It would be great to put people to work remediating this destruction. Abandoned oil pumps and wells dot much of the landscape of Allegheny National Forest, after the company that operated them ended up cutting and running. These wells need to be plugged and their sites need to be remediated. We need to protect our water supplies in a time where places in the west and southwest United States are burning, and reservoirs that provide key water supplies are drying up, protecting and conserving our water supplies here are important, because people are already moving to places like Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York because of their abundant water supplies. A pleasant side effect to preserving water supplies is that remediation also opens up more land for recreation. 
• Squandering of historic structures with scenic and tourism drawing resources: 
• Amusement Parks: The battles to keep Conneaut Lake Park and Lakemont Park open over the years are prime examples of how we have failed for decades to preserve and grow the tourist potential of what we have. While yes, these are privately owned places, we need to come to an understanding that preserving the historic structures at these places is something that we should all have a stake in. These places have formed what our society is, and we need to have a shared stake in preservation of these historic structures and resources. Not only for their historic value, but also for the improvement in quality of life these places have for the overall region and state. One of our other hobbies is in traveling around to amusement parks all over the place. At Midway State Park in NY, Rye Playland in NY, and Bay Beach in Wisconsin, the communities have come together to purchase and run the parks. In Indiana, an amusement park announced it was closing without warning in January of 2020. The locality offered a three million dollar grant to a new owner to keep the park going and reopen. The amusement park ended up reopening in spring of 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, and it is back full throttle. Meanwhile in Pennsylvania:
  
  Leap the Dips at Lakemont Park is the world's oldest roller coaster.
• Lakemont Park near Altoona is home to the world's oldest roller coaster, and another fantastic and classic Philadelphia Toboggan Company coaster with the Skyliner, and that park has been hanging on by a thread. A gargantuan effort and reorganization has worked to make the park more viable over the last few years, but it would be great to bolster this effort to support the park and help these efforts continue. They had to sell off the majority of the park's rides to try to raise enough funding to reorganize the park. 
  
  

  

  Conneaut Lake Park's Tumblebug in 2019. It was mercilessly ripped out and scrapped this past spring, even though it had historic protections on it and that it was the second to last ride of its kind.

  
  
• Conneaut Lake Park in Northwestern PA is in an even more precarious position, with the park's classic Tumblebug having been ripped out, which was the second to last remaining ride of its kind from manufacturer Traver, who once operated out of Beaver Falls, PA.

  

  Conneaut Lake Park's Blue Streak, operating perfectly in 2019

  The park is home to Blue Streak, one of only two wooden roller coasters that remain with its method of construction. The park is also home to the last carousel of its kind, and the second to last dark ride of its kind (Devil's Den). The park's location on the end of Conneaut Lake, the state's largest natural lake, is neat, though the new owner has cut down many of the old growth trees that were on the property, ripped out the Tumble Bug, and has left Blue Streak, the park's venerable wooden roller coaster, in limbo. The new owner is working to sell the classic flying scooters ride, and his current pattern of behavior with the park leaves Blue Streak's future, and the park itself, looking bleak. Blue Streak is the second to last coaster remaining with its style of construction, and losing it would be a tremendous loss, not just to Western Pennsylvania, but to the entire amusement park world. People have travelled from around the world to ride Blue Streak and generations of Western Pennsylvanians, Western New Yorkers, and people in Northeast Ohio have flocked to Conneaut Lake Park for more than a century. The window is rapidly closing at Conneaut Lake Park. 
• We still have ten classic amusement parks within this state, but we once had more than a hundred. How many more do we need to lose to greedy real estate development projects? How many old amusement parks, drive in theaters, and roller rinks were destroyed with shopping centers to build K-Marts, only to have those stores sitting abandoned now? 
• Roadside America, one of the most beloved model train exhibits in the country, which entertained visitors for more than a century, was recently lost. It was a family owned labor of love for generations, but time ran out on it and it was auctioned off piece by piece. With more community support, this attraction could have remained.
• 
  Dimmsville Covered Bridge in Juniata County collapsed after a private owner left it neglected. Photo from the Lewistown Sentinel
  
  
• Several covered bridges have outright collapsed over the last few decades, and a few are at risk of falling, and those are typically on private property.
  
  The bridge that immediately comes to mind is Felton's Mill and covered bridge in Breezewood. Bedford County takes great care of its covered bridge, but this one sits on private property and has been left with pretty much no maintenance and will likely collapse. The other bridge that comes to mind is the Waterford Covered Bridge in Erie County, which is state owned, but at last update appears to at least be on the docket to get repaired. Last update said it would happen in 2021. Has anyone seen wheels in motion with this bridge?
  
  The state and local governments have taken great care to preserve and protect as many covered bridges as they can, which is no small feat considering that Pennsylvania has the most covered bridges of any state. A success story with our state was in the recent full rebuild of the Dreibeblbis Station Covered Bridge, as seen above. Obviously, some places are going slip through the cracks, but I would like to see more success stories like we saw with this covered bridge restoration. 

  

  The Abandoned Turnpike

  
  
• Further underutilization of public lands that are a huge tourist draw, yet not maintained or patrolled as such, sometimes leading to vandalism and even death: Places like the Abandoned Turnpike, Glen Onoko Falls, and the Kennerdell Tract of Clear Creek State Forest, amongst many others, are all on publicly owned land, but have not been developed into state parks, which would be a huge boon to both the state and their respective regions, all of which have all dealt with economic struggles for decades.

  

  Glen Onoko Falls had to be closed off completely due to lack of infrastructure and overcrowding making a dangerous situation in which people seemingly died every few weeks. With some will power, the area could be transformed into a state park with facilities to safely accommodate visitors

  
  In the case of Glen Onoko Falls, a failure to create decent infrastructure has forced the state to close it down for the dangers it poses to people without proper development and state park infrastructure to keep people safe, such as built pathways with railings. With the Abandoned Turnpike, you have a great span of miles of historic highway construction and giant tunnels that could make for a great (official) greenway bicycle and and hiking area, though lack of infrastructure and patrols has left vandals to "leave their mark" on anything and everything. 

  

  Big Rock Park in Lehigh County. A park that would be lovely if it were not for the juvenile spray painted graffiti all over the rock outcrops. 

  There are other areas where there are lookouts with rock outcrops and scenic views that have not been adequately developed and patrolled, to the point where they have been covered in graffiti and strewn about with garbage. There is only so much you can do when visitors voluntarily vandalize and damage places, but having more development and patrols, especially state park rangers, helps prevent this sort of damage.
• Not developing recreational access in public lands, and not maintaining existing recreational access. In a state where certain areas have been largely devoid of industry for the better part of 40 years, tourism has been a primary driver of economic growth.
  
  
  The Kennerdell area is a prime example of this. Industry has largely left that region over the last 50 years. This small area has seen its economic growth come by way of tourism because of its scenic nature in the gorge of the Allegheny River. The Kennerdell Tract of Clear Creek State Forest is on the other side of the river from this spot and it is beautiful. It was supposed to be developed into a state park, but funding dried up and the development never happened. If it were to happen, I believe that the area would further prosper. As it stands now, there are only a few parking spaces to enjoy an area with about 20 miles of hiking and hundreds of scenic acres. This area has as much scenic beauty to offer as most of PA's state parks, but it stands underutilized. There are areas with overlooks, rock outcroppings, and natural beauty within the Allegheny National Forest that have been proposed to be developed for decades, but have never come to fruition. Areas in which scenic overlooks were built on 611 in the Delaware Water Gap have not been kept up and given periodic brush cutting, causing the scenic views to be lost. Put people to work by creating infrastructure projects here to capitalize on the scenic beauty and then those projects will lead toward further spending at local businesses. There are countless situations like this across the state where with bold leadership, there could be so much more growth and economic benefit for areas that really need it. 

  

  Abandoned Fire Tower at Ricketts Glen State Park

  
  
• Squandering opportunities at current State Parks and State Forests for tourism growth opportunities: The guideline I started this line of thought with was through not utilizing existing structures for attraction potential in existing state parks and forests, specifically in regards to Fire towers, lack of trails and facilities in Ricketts Glen State Park to provide access to more scenic areas within that crowded state park, trails and facilities expansion. Additionally, within PA's state parks, state forests, and state game lands, there are facilities that could be created to both attract more visitors to take in the state's scenic beauty. Scenic overlook areas could be expanded, especially in Ricketts Glen State Park, in which there is an overcrowding situation on the stunning trails of the waterfall gorges at the park. Another waterfall glen goes down from the same source on the other side of the mountain within a state game lands area. It is a nice quiet place to visit, but I would love to see more development occur to open up access to the area around Sullivan Falls and alleviate some of the pressure on the existing waterfall trails. Additionally, there is an area in the western part of the park that has a nice hike that has the potential to give views from dozens of miles away, and it even has an extant and abandoned fire tower that could be retrofitted to provide awesome views and help disperse visitors across the state park property, but no action has been taken to do this.
  
  Cook Forest Fire Tower on a chilly winter day. In the summer, lines form to climb up the tower and take in the stunning views.
  
  Cook Forest State Park, Mt. Davis Natural Area, and Kooser State Park have retrofitted their fire towers for guest access, and the fire towers at Mt. Davis and Cook Forest are open at pretty much all times.

  

  Mt Davis Fire Tower, giving views from the tallest point in Pennsylvania

  Especially at Cook Forest, the fire tower is beloved and there are many places across the state where the fire towers would be a huge draw because of their location in scenic locales. Because these fire towers were placed specifically to provide views of vast expanses of land for forest fire protection, they are strategically placed in areas to provide stunning scenic vistas. Most of them sit abandoned and boarded up. It would be awesome to see them get rehabilitated and reopened to expand tourism opportunities across the state, though with climate change and the inevitable growth of forest fires, such as the one that hit Ohiopyle this past spring, there is a strong likelihood that rehabilitation would also lead to them be staffed once again. Many towers have been replaced and staffed during the fire seasons. At this point, there are at least 38 fire towers across the state within state parks and state forests, of which, I believe only three have full or partial access for scenic tourism access, and the majority of the others sit abandoned. These extant towers could be rehabilitated to become major tourist attractions like the ones at Cook Forest and Mt. Davis, and take advantage of the scenic beauty that the state has to offer.

All of these ideas that I have mentioned would both expand tourism and scenic viewing opportunities in the state, and provide steady employment in the near term, while providing long term employment in their related maintenance and the growth of businesses related to tourism. Additionally, they would greatly improve the quality of life in these regions as well. Much of the infrastructure that we use today to enjoy our state parks system, and other spots, like the bridges in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park, and the stonework on Skyline Drive in Reading, were improved upon or built new by unemployed young men during the Great Depression. Creating a program of a similar scale could transform quality of life in Pennsylvania, both in career opportunities and in beautifying the state. At this point, tourism in Pennsylvania has so much room for growth and with bold leadership, we could do some really great things. Pennsylvania has done lots of great things for bolstering tourism, which we primarily focus upon on this page, but with some effort, the tourism industry could grow all across the state and help the people in all 67 counties within the state to prosper.

We have released our 2022 Pennsylvania Calendar! 

It features views of: 

-Independence Hall in Philadelphia 

-Sunrise in Downtown Pittsburgh 

-Knoebels Amusement Resort 

-Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway 

-Millersburg Ferry across the Susquehanna River 

-Tank Hollow Overlook above the Lehigh Gorge in the Poconos 

-The Reading Pagoda 

-Kennywood Park 

-Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge in Chester and Lancaster Counties 

-Academia-Pomeroy Covered Bridge in Juniata County

-Ohiopyle State Park 

-A holiday scene in Pittsburgh 

The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide (8.5 by 11 pages) 

It makes for a great gift for someone or for yourself. It is available for purchase through the PayPal dropdown menus at the top of the page and the bottom of this article.

Thanks for your ongoing support over the years! 

2022 PA Calendar and PA Amusement Parks Book Purchase Options

2022 Pennsylvania Calendar $11.99 USD  PA Amusement Parks Book $21.95 USD  Book and Calendar Bundle $31.95 USD  2 Calendars $22.50 USD  3 Calendars $30.50 USD

 

2022 Pennsylvania Calendar

 It is that time of the year again and we are releasing our 2022 Pennsylvania Calendar. It features views from across the state, including views of: 

-Independence Hall in Philadelphia 

-Sunrise in Downtown Pittsburgh 

-Knoebels Amusement Resort 

-Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway 

-Millersburg Ferry across the Susquehanna River 

-Tank Hollow Overlook above the Lehigh Gorge in the Poconos 

-The Reading Pagoda 

-Kennywood Park 

-Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge in Chester and Lancaster Counties 

-Academia-Pomeroy Covered Bridge in Juniata County

-Ohiopyle State Park 

-A holiday scene in Pittsburgh 

The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide (8.5 by 11 pages) 

It makes for a great gift for someone or for yourself. It is available for purchase through the PayPal dropdown menus at the top of the page and the bottom of this article.

Also available is our book on Pennsylvania's historic amusement parks, Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Road Trip. It features Knoebels, Kennywood Park, Hersheypark, Dorney Park, Waldameer, DelGrosso's, Lakemont, Dutch Wonderland, Idlewild, and Conneaut Lake Park.

Thanks for your ongoing support over the years! 

2022 PA Calendar and PA Amusement Parks Book Purchase Options

2022 Pennsylvania Calendar $11.99 USD PA Amusement Parks Book $21.95 USD Book and Calendar Bundle $31.95 USD 2 Calendars $22.50 USD 3 Calendars $30.50 USD

Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge: Before and After Rebuilding, Berks County

I will start by saying that the first time I saw the Dreibelbis Covered Bridge in Berks County, I was awe struck. It was easily my favorite covered bridge. It was huge and it still utilized its original structure, while also showing authentic weathering. The bridge looked like it had been there as long as it had, and the character looked great on it. Functionally though, the bridge needed to be redone so it could be utilized by ambulances and first responders for modern critical services within the region. So many times before, these bridges have just been torn out and replaced with a more modern span to achieve these ends. One of my favorite methods to achieve these ends is when a modern bridge crossing is built somewhere in the vicinity of the original covered bridge and the bridge itself gets converted into a pedestrian span. Instead of doing this, the community opted to create steel span and then rebuild the original structure on top of the new steel span and fully rehabilitate the bridge to look as if it were brand new. The end result looks fantastic. Part of me wishes they were able to preserve the original weight bearing structure, but aesthetically, it is very difficult to tell the difference for someone who is not a covered bridge nerd like myself. 

Before

After

The method of reconstruction that they utilized ensures that the heritage of the old bridge will never be forgotten, and it also ensures that the covered bridge will likely last forever and be suitable for modern needs. 

Before

And after....It just looks so fresh.

Before. I loved all of that weathered wood and the character it oozed.

Look at all of that fresh wood and beautiful stone pointing work. One cannot help but be impressed by meticulously beautiful work like this, especially with stone pointing. Stone and brick pointing like that is a difficult skill to master, with few people that can operate at that level. My feelings are mixed in that the classic construction of the bridge no longer remains, along with the aged character that it had before, but I am encouraged by the fact that the bridge will still be here for generations to come and that the span is now able to service the modern needs of the area it serves. Nothing lasts forever, but the work that they put in place with this rehabilitation will ensure that people will know this crossing as a covered bridge for many years to come. 

Ten minutes east of here, you can see a smaller version of this covered bridge with the Kutz Mill Covered Bridge. This stunning little covered bridge has an intact old mill along with it as well. This is beautiful countryside to drive around in and just soak in. Crystal Cave is also located within close vicinity. For more of a historic background on Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge and statistical information, check out this previous article. This bridge has also made our list of our absolute favorite covered bridges in the state. 

Schaefer's Auto Art Erie: Awesome Sculptures Made From Scrap Cars

Occasionally I find myself walking through a U-Pull parts yard in search of car parts. It is a depressing experience to see a bunch of cars that have met their fate, never to be driven again, with them often having been involved in an accident or be so far gone that their best days are clearly behind them and long gone. 

Often, the first thing you see before you get to the car yard itself is the giant electromagnetic wrecker machine, picking up a full car by the roof and then putting it into the cruncher, retrieving it, and putting it into a tractor trailer once the vehicle has been completely flattened into a foot tall object that resembles a pancake.  I do not like get sentimental about inanimate objects like this, but cannot help but do so at the same time, thinking about how many memories have been made in those vehicles, or by feeling a sense of regret in seeing a potentially drivable vehicle get crushed and hauled away to be melted down. The thing that reassures me about this process is that the once the vehicle gets melted down, it will get turned into something new and useful again, like a refrigerator, a soda can, air conditioners, or perhaps even a new car. What is discarded eventually becomes new in this process, with people like me coming to the yards to pull off reusable parts before the vehicle gets crushed. It is reassuring to me knowing that I am able to pick off some of these parts when I go because I give them another chance to ride on a vehicle again.

In Erie, one place has come up with a creative way to reuse cars and car parts in their current form and create something new at the same time. Schaefer's Auto Art in Erie is a tremendously awesome and offbeat place to checkout some awesome creativity. 

Rocket, cop car, and bumblebee. The rocket, thanks to info from the family's own website, utilizes truck leaf springs, Oldsmobile Rocket V-8 engines, and you can see the passenger seat on the upper left of this photo, which was salvaged from a Subaru Brat Truck. 

Schaefer's Auto Art is a labor of love that has saved cars that were headed to the scrap yard and turned them and other automotive components into spectacular sculptures. 

Dino sparkplug teeth aka "Two Headed Dinosaur"

Public art is something that can be expensive to make. It is tough to find material that is affordable to use in large quantities let alone the will to be able to display such pieces. Muffler Men, a once common roadside classic, are slowly disappearing because the fiberglass that was used to produce them is deteriorating and it is very difficult and expensive to repair.  Similar to the PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden, just south of here in Crawford County, this place uses vehicles that would otherwise be discarded and transforms them into sculptures of creatures that are larger than life. 

Richard "Dick" Schaefer worked at a scrap yard and felt that same urge to do something cool with cars and parts that would otherwise be crushed and melted. He started making this art in 1988 and this whole thing is a family operation. 

I think the coolest thing about this whole exhibit is that they have created something out of what would otherwise be considered nothing and discarded. Stuff that would literally be considered junk has been turned into fantastic art that attracts visitors from all over in a way that I have always contemplated but never had the wherewithal to execute. It is incredibly impressive. 

"Bumblebee," made from an upcycled old cement mixer from Warren Steel and an old Saab.

With welding skill, they have transformed scrap cars into art, while also preserving vehicles that would otherwise be gone to history. As an aficionado of old cars and hard work ethic and dedication in people, Schaefer's Auto Art is an absolutely must-see place. There is no reason to not stop by this roadside oddity if you are headed to the beautiful beaches of Presque Isle State Park, the rides and world class Ravine Flyer II wooden roller coaster at Waldameer, the Lake Shore Railway Museum and the wineries of North East and the Lake Erie coastline through Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY and the many other awesome attractions the region has to offer. Considering that this is also located along the major east-west corridor of I-90 and I-86, this is an ideal place to pull off for a rest stop for road trippers.

The Schaefer Family's website, https://www.schaefersautoart.com has a better background and rundown on their attraction and more information about visiting. Be sure to check out this awesome place. It is located at 3705 Hershey Road, Erie, PA

Cascade Park and Big Run Falls: Picnic Grounds and Amusement Park Ruins: New Castle, Lawrence County

New Castle's Cascade Park has lasted as a picnic destination for more than a century. It started off as an amusement park that was built by a local streetcar company to boost weekend ridership. People would dress in their Sunday best to go and have a relaxing day at the park's groves, take a spin on the amusement rides at the park, and socialize with people. The amusement park was opened in 1897 and hung on through 1982. After the amusement park was abandoned, efforts were made to preserve many of the structures of the old amusement park. Thanks to this effort, the park sits as one of the most intact sets of amusement park ruins, while still being used for its initial purpose, as a popular picnic area. The old carousel pavilion, ballroom, coaster station, and more remain refurbished and intact, and used as picnic groves. The centerpiece of the park is a beautiful waterfall. Just beyond the drop of the waterfall, you can see the supports from the park's old roller coaster that used to drop right into the gorge. Sadly the coaster was removed when the park closed, but the old supports leave lots to the imagination. I can only imagine how neat it would be for a coaster to drop into a chilly gorge on a hot summer day in this park. As an amusement park aficionado and someone who seeks out waterfalls, this is something I really wish I had the chance to experience. Even without the roller coaster and rides though, this park is still a lovely and lively picnic area that is well worth checking out. 

For more background on when this place was an amusement park, check out this article on our other page. 

Cascade Park is a wonderful place to explore, take in a community event, and picnic. Well worth a stop if you are in the area, or to take a picnic to for a little afternoon relaxation.