It’s that time of year when everyone wants to be outside. The valley cities are noticeably warmer than the mountains here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Sometimes, we all want a place to go to be outside and enjoy nature. The perfect suggestion is neither far nor expensive. The ideal spot is nestled on the Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia county line: Ricketts Glen State Park. There is something for every lover of nature: boating, fishing, hiking the beautiful waterfalls, camping and swimming.

The park gets its name from Colonel Robert Bruce Ricketts who served the U. S. Army during the Battle of Gettysburg. At one time, he owned over 80,000 acres of land in this area. Walking the waterfalls, you have to imagine what he must have thought when he first realized the beauty this land beheld. He clearly realized the treasure and conveyed his thoughts to his family. The Colonel’s heirs protected these 60,000 acres for both the Ricketts Glen Park and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. This area has been left so beautiful and largely unspoiled. As of this writing, there is no cell phone reception at Lake Jean!

The campground at Lake Jean is the perfect way to spend a vacation and I have personally spent many of my vacations here. The sites are fairly large and surrounded by greenery keeping one site relatively private from another. There is no electricity available which I think is a good thing. A bath house is centrally located with flush toilets and hot showers so you don’t have to feel too terribly remote.

I am a tent camper. For most of my life, I proclaimed this with a holier-than-thou tone and turned my nose up at those who bring a trailer or stay in the cabins. Having said that, as I age, I walk a little slower past the trailers now and peek inside with sinful glee at the amenities these newer things have. Especially when we pick a rainy week to camp, well, I could easily “go to the dark side”.

We have a canoe and I love taking it out on the lake. I pretend I’m Pocahontas! I would strongly suggest that you give yourself the opportunity once in your life to take a canoe or boat out on the lake when there is a clear evening to look up to see the stars. It is beyond breathtaking. I just can’t explain it in any words that would do it justice. We usually camp in August so we have seen many shooting stars. I hope everyone can see one in their life. It really is a sight to behold. You will not see a view anywhere like this in the valley. The light pollution just won’t permit it.

The fishing is a sure thing. And I mean a sure thing. Now, they’re not marlins, but the bluegill, perch and pickerel are simple to catch. Some are even a decent size, but we catch-and-release bitty ones all day. If you are baiting your hook and you place the pole over your lap to reach for something, don’t let a baited hook dangle over the edge — a fish just might jump up at it. I am not kidding. They nearly “jump in the boat”.

During the day, we like to go to the beach. It’s kind of nice. It’s a 600 foot area covered with sand and the kids like the water and I enjoy the sun. My favorite part is the refreshment stand. You can’t get an ice cream cone when you camp, so the concession area is like a taste of civility. You’d think we were cave men the way we oooh and aaaah over a scoop of chocolate or vanilla!

The park office is “new” or at least it’s new to us. It broke my heart when they stopped using the little cabin for check in. I wish they didn’t knock it down, either. It was a perfect entrance. I have to admit though, that I have come to like the new office. They have a nice set up for group meetings and they even have a little gift shop selection of t-shirts, walking sticks and fleece items for purchase

If you decide to camp, you’ll need to build a fire. You can’t just go chopping down the trees on the park, but the rangers chainsaw the fallen trees for campers to scavenge. It’s not always easy to get good wood (or dry wood) this way. You can bring your own from home or, my suggestion; take the path of least resistance: shop the Red Rock General Store! They sell fire wood! I just love this store. It’s my first stop before the camp office. I swear, this store has a little bit of everything Wal-Mart has but it’s tucked into a postage-stamp sized room. Across the street, I’ve seen pizza parlors, mini-markets and other establishments come and go and I won’t even look at them. My heart belongs to Red Rock General Store and my money only spends there.

If I sound fanatical, it’s because I am. The best part about the whole experience for me is the waterfalls. I love the walk down and up. I love the sound of the water and the feel of the mist the breeze blows while hiking them. The park has maintained the area safely without sacrificing the natural beauty of each of the 22 water falls. It’s not a cake walk, hiking shoes are a requirement. You can spot the uninformed by their flip-flop sandals. They’re the ones who get life-flighted out because they didn’t read the well-posted warnings.

I have visited Ricketts Glen State Park to walk the waterfalls almost every year of my life and have camped at Lake Jean for the past 20 years. This park is part of my being; it totally grounds me to be there. I am always surprised when I meet someone (especially “a local”) who hasn’t been there for a visit to the lake or the falls. If you haven’t been there, you owe it to yourself to go.

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx