Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania offers hiking the Appalachians and its own 'Grand Canyon,' paddling and rafting (Ohiopyle on the Youghiogheny), world-class fall foliage, caving, and stargazing. Pine Creek Gorge, Ricketts Glen State Park and its 22 named waterfalls, the Pocono and Laurel highlands, and Cherry Springs dark-sky park anchor it.

Fall foliage (October) is exceptional across the state's vast forests; spring brings flowing waterfalls and wildflowers. Summer is warm and humid, good for rivers and lakes; winters bring skiing to the Poconos and Laurel Highlands.

Black bears (a large population), white-tailed deer (the state's hunting heritage runs deep), elk reintroduced to the north-central forests, and migrating raptors (Hawk Mountain counts thousands each fall) inhabit Pennsylvania, with abundant trout.

Extensive eastern deciduous and northern hardwood forest covers much of the state — recovered from near-total 19th-century logging — alongside the waterfall-rich glens, river corridors, and ridgetop habitats.

The folded ridges and valleys of the Appalachians dominate, with the deep-cut Pine Creek Gorge, the glacially shaped Pocono Plateau, limestone caves, and the Allegheny Plateau's forests and rivers. Mount Davis (3,213 ft) is the state high point.

The Lenape, Susquehannock, and Haudenosaunee peoples lived here. Founded by William Penn as a tolerant colony, Pennsylvania was the 2nd state to ratify the Constitution, in 1787.

A deep hunting and fishing heritage, a strong state-park and forest system, the Appalachian Trail's passage, and growing dark-sky astronomy tourism define the outdoors.

Protecting the recovered forests and watersheds (the source of much of the East's drinking water), conserving the elk herd, preserving dark skies, and addressing legacy mining pollution are key efforts.

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the major gateways, with regional airports serving the interior. A vehicle is essential for the forests, gorges, and parks.

Slick waterfall trails at Ricketts Glen (stay on the path), Ohiopyle's powerful whitewater (use outfitters), summer storms, ticks (Lyme is widespread), and hunting-season awareness are the main concerns.

State parks charge no general entrance fee, and the PA Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission administer licenses; Cherry Springs charges for the overnight astronomy field.

Stay on trails at Ricketts Glen, and use licensed outfitters at Ohiopyle.

Hike Ricketts Glen's waterfall loop, view the Pine Creek Gorge, and visit Cherry Springs for world-class stargazing. Raft Ohiopyle's whitewater, and tour the vast forests in October.

Pennsylvania borders New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, and a Lake Erie shore, linking the Appalachians, the Poconos, and the Laurel Highlands.