Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the most spectacular state parks in the eastern US — a 13,050-acre old-growth forest in Luzerne, Sullivan, and Columbia Counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The park is best known for the Falls Trail, a 7.2-mile loop that passes 22 named waterfalls (with 11 falling more than 15 feet) along Kitchen Creek. The biggest cascade, Ganoga Falls, drops 94 feet through a cathedral of hemlock, white pine, and old-growth hardwoods that escaped the 19th-century timber industry. This is not a manufactured or developed attraction — it is raw, ancient, and breathtaking in a way that national parks three times its size often fail to achieve.
For reunion logistics, Ricketts Glen is a genuine sleeper. The surrounding area in Sullivan County and Luzerne County has a quiet vacation cabin market that is significantly cheaper than the Poconos (90 minutes east). Lake Jean — a 245-acre lake entirely within the state park — has a sandy beach with swimming, paddleboard and rowboat rentals, and cabin facilities managed by the state. The park's 120 tent/RV sites, 10 cabins, and the nearby private cabin rental market (search VRBO for 'Ricketts Glen') serve groups of various sizes. Bloomsburg (30 min) and Wilkes-Barre (1 hour) have the nearest big-box grocery options.
Drive times are favorable: Scranton is 45 minutes, Allentown is 1.5 hours, Philadelphia is 2.5 hours, New York City is 3 hours, and Harrisburg is 1.5 hours. The park is virtually unknown outside Pennsylvania but ranks among the top 10 waterfall hiking destinations in the entire eastern US. Groups with moderate hikers and children ages 8+ will have a transformative experience on the Falls Trail.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
Falls Trail (22 waterfalls loop)
7.2-mile loop passing 22 named waterfalls up to 94 ft. Strenuous with significant rocky scrambling and steep sections near the canyon floor. Not suitable for young children or those with mobility issues. The most spectacular waterfall hike in Pennsylvania.
Official source ↗Ganoga Glen trail (shorter waterfall hike)
Can split the Falls Trail into 2 out-and-back segments rather than the full loop — the Ganoga Glen section (upper waterfalls) is 4 miles round trip with less total elevation. Still moderate-strenuous.
Official source ↗Lake Jean swimming beach
245-acre lake with a sandy swimming beach, lifeguards in season, and paddleboat/rowboat rentals. The flat 0.7-mile lake trail is fully accessible. Perfect afternoon recovery after the falls hike. $5/vehicle.
Official source ↗State park cabin rentals on Lake Jean
10 cabins managed by Pennsylvania State Parks — rustic but full-featured. Direct lake access. Book through PAReservations.com months ahead; the cabins are extremely popular and limited.
Official source ↗Highland Trail (non-waterfall walk)
5.6-mile loop through the upland forest around Lake Jean — flat to gently rolling, good for non-hikers who want forest walking without the canyon scrambling. Free.
Official source ↗Paddleboarding and canoeing on Lake Jean
Paddleboard and rowboat rentals at the Lake Jean beach concession (summer only). $15-25/hour. The lake is calm, non-motorized, and ringed by old-growth hemlock — one of the most peaceful lake experiences in the Northeast.
Official source ↗Fishing on Lake Jean and Kitchen Creek
Lake Jean is stocked with bass and trout; Kitchen Creek above and below the falls is wild trout water. PA fishing license required. Equipment at local shops in Dushore and Bloomsburg.
Official source ↗World's End State Park (20 mi north)
Loyalsock Creek swimming holes, challenging summit hikes, and dramatic canyon scenery 20 miles north in Sullivan County. A good second-day option for groups who have done the Ricketts Glen falls.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Moderate-to-active hikers seeking the best waterfall experience in the Northeast
- Philadelphia, Allentown, Scranton, and NYC area families (2-3 hr drive)
- Old-growth forest lovers
- Photography and nature groups
- Budget-conscious PA mountain reunions
Practical logistics
- Nearest airport
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AVP) — 1 hr · Philadelphia (PHL) — 2.5 hr · Newark (EWR) — 2.5 hr
- Drive times
- Scranton 45 min · Allentown 1.5 hr · Harrisburg 1.5 hr · Philadelphia 2.5 hr · NYC 3 hr
- Best rental sites
- PAReservations.com for state park cabins · VRBO "Ricketts Glen" for private cabins
- Best months
- May-June (full water flow, wildflowers) · September-October (foliage)
- Cell service
- Very limited in the park — download offline maps before your visit
- Groceries
- Bloomsburg (30 min) has Giant Food Stores and Walmart · Dushore IGA for basics
- Falls Trail caution
- Wet rocks are extremely slippery — no flip-flops or sandals. Trekking poles strongly recommended. Not recommended for young children.
When to go
May and June for the highest waterfall flows. September and October for fall foliage — the old-growth hardwoods turn extraordinary colors in the canyon. Avoid summer holiday weekends for parking (the main lot fills by 8 AM). Winter ice formations on the falls are spectacular but extremely dangerous trails — only experienced winter hikers.
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
Groups of 10-25 fit in private vacation home rentals near the park plus state park cabin supplements. The area works well for small active reunion groups.
Medium group · 25–60
Groups of 25-60 need multiple cabins and/or a campground block. The park campground takes group reservations and has 120 sites.
Large group · 60+
Groups of 60+ need to combine park camping, state park cabins, and private rentals in Sullivan County. The park does not have hotel-scale resort infrastructure — large groups should consider Ricketts Glen as a day-trip from a Scranton or Wilkes-Barre hotel block.
Sample 3-day Ricketts Glen Pennsylvania family reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly's Schedule and customize for your group.
Day 1 — Arrival + Lake Jean
- Drive from Philadelphia or NYC — stop at Bloomsburg Giant for groceries
- 1:00 PM check-in at cabin rental
- 3:00 PM Lake Jean swimming beach — paddleboat and rowboat rentals
- 5:30 PM Highland Trail easy walk around the lake
- 7:00 PM welcome grill night at the cabin
Day 2 — Falls Trail (main event)
- 7:00 AM depart for Falls Trail trailhead (arrive before 8 AM)
- 7:30 AM begin Falls Trail loop — 22 waterfalls, 7.2 miles
- 11:30 AM Ganoga Falls (94 ft, the tallest)
- 1:00 PM complete loop; picnic lunch at trailhead
- 2:30 PM Lake Jean swimming — afternoon recovery
- 6:00 PM dinner at the cabin — family cook night
Day 3 — World's End + Departure
- 9:00 AM breakfast
- 10:00 AM drive to World's End State Park (20 mi north)
- 10:30 AM Loyalsock Creek swimming and canyon overlook hike
- 12:30 PM farewell picnic at World's End
- 2:00 PM drive home
Reunion organizer tips
Split the group by hiking ability: active hikers do the full 7.2-mile Falls Trail; moderate walkers do the Ganoga Glen out-and-back (4 mi); non-hikers and families with young children go to Lake Jean beach. Reconvene at the beach for lunch.
Arrive before 8 AM for the Falls Trail — the parking lot at the main trailhead fills completely by 9 AM on summer weekends and forces a 0.5-mile road walk. Early arrivals get the waterfall to themselves in the morning mist.
Book Pennsylvania State Park Lake Jean cabins through PAReservations.com as far in advance as possible (up to 11 months). The 10 cabins are limited and book extremely quickly for summer weekends.
Bring trekking poles and proper footwear for the Falls Trail — the rocky scrambles near the canyon floor are genuinely challenging, and wet rock is dangerous without grip. Non-hiking footwear is a serious safety concern.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
How many waterfalls are in Ricketts Glen State Park?
The Falls Trail in Ricketts Glen State Park passes 22 named waterfalls, with 11 falling more than 15 feet. The tallest is Ganoga Falls at 94 feet. The full Falls Trail loop is 7.2 miles with significant elevation change and rocky terrain.
Is the Falls Trail in Ricketts Glen suitable for children?
The Falls Trail is strenuous and involves significant rocky scrambling and steep canyon sections that are not suitable for young children (under 8-10) or those with mobility issues. The Lake Jean beach trail (0.7 mi, flat, paved) and the Highland Trail (5.6 mi, gentle) are the accessible alternatives for families with young children. Proper hiking shoes are essential for the Falls Trail — no sandals.
How do I reserve cabins at Ricketts Glen State Park?
The 10 state park cabins at Lake Jean are reserved through PAReservations.com, the Pennsylvania State Parks booking system. Reservations open 11 months in advance and the summer dates fill within hours of release. Set a reminder and book immediately when your target dates open.
How far is Ricketts Glen from Philadelphia and New York City?
Ricketts Glen is approximately 2.5 hours from Philadelphia and 3 hours from New York City (via I-80 West or US-6 West). Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is 45 minutes. The park is within a 3-hour drive of 25+ million people in the Northeast corridor but remains relatively unknown outside Pennsylvania.
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