Freeland, Pennsylvania
Ricketts Glen Falls Trail
A gorge walk past 22 named waterfalls under old-growth eastern hemlocks.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Length
- 7.3 mi
- Elevation Gain
- 1,050 ft
- Duration
- 4–6
- Best Season
- Apr–Oct
- Permit
- Not required
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Features
- 22 waterfalls, Old-growth hemlocks
About the trail
Ricketts Glen State Park protects one of the last tracts of old-growth hemlock forest in the eastern US. The Falls Trail follows Kitchen Creek down a steep sandstone gorge, dropping past 22 waterfalls — Ganoga Falls plunges 94 feet, the tallest in the park. The boardwalked route is relentless up and down, and spring snowmelt puts on the best shows of the year.
Trailhead map & directions
Trailhead: 41.3256, -76.2695Get directions →
Turn-by-turn route
- Park at the Ricketts Glen State Park day-use lot off PA Route 487.
- Follow the Lake Shore Trail past Lake Gleneida to the Kitchen Creek confluence.
- Turn onto the Falls Trail and climb past the lower falls to Ganoga Falls.
- Continue up the boardwalks through the upper gorge to the Blue Hole.
- Loop back via the Kitchen Creek Trail and Lake Shore Trail. Total: 7.3 miles.
Parking
Day-use lot off PA Route 487 — free, but it fills by 10 a.m. on fall foliage weekends. Overflow parking is a long walk.
Tips from the trail
- Waterfall flow peaks in April and May; late summer can be bone dry.
- Boardwalks and stone steps are slick with spray — wear grippy shoes.
- Overnight camping requires a permit; day hiking does not.
- Bring layers: the gorge stays cool even in August.