A Hiker’s Guide to the Most Beautiful Trails in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s trails are all about quiet discovery: forested ridgelines, hidden waterfalls, and rocky paths that echo with history. It’s the kind of place where I lace up my boots in the morning and come home with muddy ankles and a full heart.

I’m under a canopy of oaks, sunlight flickering through the leaves, the sound of a distant stream drawing me deeper—right in the heart of Pennsylvania’s vast wilderness. Who knew this state held so many miles of magic?

Ricketts Glen State Park stuns with its waterfall trail—21 cascades along mossy, fern-lined paths. For dramatic mountain views, The Pinnacle and Pulpit Rock Loop along the Appalachian Trail delivers sweeping panoramas and a solid challenge. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary offers birdwatching bliss and peaceful forest routes. And for something truly remote, the Black Forest Trail winds through deep gorges and wild solitude in the Pennsylvania Wilds.

"Fresh air, ancient rock, and trails that lead to awe? This is Pennsylvania!"