Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, so start thinking about which of Pennsylvania’s 124 state parks you’d like to visit this year.
Do you know which one is the busiest? Press Secretary Wesley Robinson Pennsylvania Department of ConservationAccording to , the state park will be able to monitor the number of visitors by installing traffic counters on the road at the entrance gate.
Looking at that data, he was able to provide the top 10 most visited state parks in 2023.
The expansion of the numbers is as follows:
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No. 10 Ohiopyle State Park
Located in Fayette County, ohiopyle state park It encompasses approximately 20,500 acres of rugged natural beauty and serves as the gateway to the Laurel Highlands. DCNR estimates that 890,000 people visited Ohiopyle last year. It has waterfalls, some of the Great Allegheny Passage hiking and biking trails, and the Youghiogheny River offers some of the best whitewater rafting in the eastern United States.
When conditions permit in winter, adventurous people enjoy ice climbing around the falls.
The town of Ohiopyle is part of the park community and offers a variety of restaurants and lodging options.
No. 9 Marsh Creek State Park
Marsh Creek State Park The event welcomed 938,000 visitors to the rolling hills of north central Chester County in the Downingtown area. The 1,784-acre park includes 535 acres of Marsh Creek Lake, a great place for fishing, sailing, and viewing migratory waterfowl.
No. 8 Tyler State Park
tyler state park This Bucks County hotel offers a peaceful respite from the nearby city of Philadelphia.
Last year, 1 million people visited the 1,711-acre state park and spent time in natural areas like forests and farms.
Neshaminy Creek flows through the park, and visitors enjoy boating on electric-only personal watercraft. The area also has 40 miles of trails to explore.
No. 7 Moraine State Park
Last year, 1.1 million people spent time in the following places: Moraine State Park Located in western Pennsylvania. This park near Portersville is home to his 3,225-acre Lake Arthur, which offers 62 miles of shoreline to enjoy.
Spread over an area of 16,725 acres, the park is a popular destination for boaters, picnickers, hikers, bikers, equestrians, campers, and swimmers.
DCNR describes the park as an outstanding example of environmental engineering accomplishments. Visitors may not realize that this land has been affected by continental glaciers and oil and gas extraction.
No. 6 Nockamixon State Park
In southeastern Pennsylvania, near New Jersey, approximately 1.2 million visitors spent time there. Nockamixon State Park last year. The 5,286-acre facility is located in the rolling hills of Bucks County in Quakertown. DCNR describes it as close enough to Philadelphia for a day trip, but far enough away for a vacation.
Tohickon Creek, Three Mile Run, and Haycock Run flow into the 1,450-acre Nockamixon Lake, which is a resting area for migratory waterfowl and a destination for boaters and anglers.
The park has something for almost everyone to enjoy. Popular activities include camping, picnicking, swimming in the pool, hiking, biking, disc golf, hunting, fishing, and boating.
No. 5 Codorus State Park
About 1.3 million people visited in southeastern Pennsylvania. Codros State Park It is located in the rolling hills of York County in the Hanover area.
The 3,500-acre property includes 1,275 acres of Lake Marburg with 42 miles of shoreline. This waterway serves as a resting place for migrating waterfowl, sandpipers, and sandpipers. The lake is popular with sailboat and motorboat enthusiasts as well as warm-water anglers. Trout anglers spend time at Kodoras Creek.
4th Point State Park
Not all state parks are located in rural areas.
point state parkThe park in Pittsburgh attracted 1.5 million visitors. The park is located at the confluence of the Monongahela, Ohio, and Allegheny rivers, at the tip of the city’s “Golden Triangle.”
A National Historic Landmark, the park celebrates the area’s strategic and historical legacy during the French and Indian War from 1754 to 1763.
DCNR notes that it is working with the Heinz History Center and the Fort Pitt Daughters of the American Revolution Society to interpret the history of the Fork of the Ohio River.
No. 3 Prince Galitzin State Park
Prince Galitzin State Park The city in northern Cambria County hosted 1.8 million people in 2023.
The rolling hills offer beautiful views of 1,635 acres of Lake Glendale and 42 miles of shoreline. It is a destination for anglers, boaters, hikers, and campers.
It is also a great place to observe wildlife, including bird watching during the spring and fall migration seasons.
No. 2 Pimatuning State Park
Approximately 3.5 million people visited Pima Tanning State Park in Jamestown last year. At 16,892 acres, he is one of the largest state parks in the Commonwealth.
At 17,088 acres, Pimatuning Reservoir is the largest lake in the Commonwealth and straddles the state of Ohio.
The park is known for boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and other recreational opportunities. This is the only place he can fish for walleye 12 months a year. The lake is also stocked with carp and there is a stop for visitors where you can feed the larger fish that migrate under the road.
No. 1 Presque Isle State Park
Presque Isle State Park The Erie venue attracted 3.9 million visitors last year. The property features his 3,200-acre sandy peninsula arching into Lake Erie.
It looks a lot like a sea destination, but it’s said to be Pennsylvania’s only “coast” because it doesn’t have salt water. Presque Isle has a beautiful coastline and many recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and inline skating. The lake is a world-class fishery for walleye, lake trout, perch, bass, and steelhead.
It is also a popular spot for observing migratory birds every spring and fall.
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This is a representation of last year’s park rankings, but please note that numbers may change.
Robinson noted that while monitoring visitor numbers, these parks are usually in the top 10, but depending on the year, the parks that rank from No. 3 to No. 7 can change hands.
When thinking about where to spend this summer, keep in mind that there are 114 other state parks scattered throughout the commonwealth. DCNR’s web page It is full of information such as campsite contents and reservation methods.
Enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, and boating this summer.
Brian Whipkey is an outdoors columnist for the USA TODAY Network site in Pennsylvania. To contact him,bwhipkey@gannett.com And sign up for the weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email with your login name on this website’s home page. Follow him on Facebook@whipkeyoutdooron Instagramoutdoor whip key.
