You’ve probably seen the photos. Those silky, long-exposure shots of waterfalls tumbling over shale tiers into emerald pools. They look like something out of a Pacific Northwest rainforest or maybe a secret corner of the Smokies. But honestly, it’s just Benton PA Ricketts Glen State Park, a place that feels completely out of step with the rest of Pennsylvania's rolling farmland.
It’s rugged. It’s steep. Sometimes it’s downright slippery.
Most people show up, hike the Falls Trail, and leave thinking they’ve "done" Ricketts Glen. They haven't. Not really. If you just stick to the main loop, you’re basically watching the trailer of a movie and walking out before the credits. To actually understand this place, you have to look at the geology that created the Glens Natural Area and the weird, micro-climates that keep these gorges feeling like a refrigerator even in the middle of a July heatwave.
The Waterfall Reality Check
Let's get the big one out of the way. The Falls Trail is the crown jewel. It’s a 7.2-mile loop if you do the whole thing, taking you past 21 named waterfalls. Ganoga Falls is the giant of the group, a 94-foot drop that honestly looks a bit intimidating when the water is high.
But here is the thing: Ganoga isn't necessarily the most beautiful.
Mohawk, Oneida, and Cayuga—the ones tucked into the lower glens—often have better flow patterns for photography. The trail is rated "difficult" by the DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources), and they aren't kidding. It’s not a technical rock climb, but it is a relentless series of stone steps. If your knees aren't great, you’re going to feel every single one of those steps the next morning.
The stairs are old. They were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) back in the 1930s, and while they've been maintained, they are uneven and frequently slick with spray. You need real boots. I see people out there in flip-flops every summer, and it’s a recipe for a twisted ankle or worse. The park Rangers spend a lot of time doing carry-outs because people underestimate the vertical gain on the way back up to the parking lots.
The Benton PA Ricketts Glen State Park Connection
A lot of people get confused about where the park actually is. While most of the hiking happens in the Glens Natural Area, which technically sits on the border of Luzerne, Sullivan, and Columbia counties, the spiritual home of the park is Benton PA Ricketts Glen State Park.
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Benton is the classic small-town gateway.
If you’re coming from the south, you’re driving through miles of cornfields and old barns before the North Mountain suddenly rises up like a wall in front of you. That’s the Allegheny Front. The town of Benton is where you grab your last-minute supplies, your overpriced ice, or a burger at the local joints. It’s a quiet place, but during the peak autumn foliage season, it transforms into a bottleneck of leaf-peepers and photographers.
The history here is deeper than just a state park. Colonel Robert Bruce Ricketts, a Civil War veteran who commanded the artillery on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg, originally owned tens of thousands of acres here. He wasn't just a soldier; he was a lumberman. He built a stone house near Lake Ganoga (which is still there, though it’s private) and planned to turn the whole area into a massive resort. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and the state took over the land in the 1940s after his heirs sold it.
Why the Geology Matters More Than You Think
Ever wonder why the waterfalls are all clustered right here? It’s not random.
The park sits right on the edge of the Sullivan Highlands. Around 20,000 years ago, glaciers moved through here, but they didn't quite flatten everything. Instead, they messed with the drainage patterns. Kitchen Creek—the stream that feeds the falls—was forced to drop over 1,000 feet in less than two miles.
The rock is mostly Pocono sandstone and Catskill formation shale.
Shale erodes easily. Sandstone doesn't. This creates a "caprock" effect where the hard sandstone stays put while the soft shale underneath gets washed away by the water. Eventually, the sandstone loses its support and breaks off in big chunks. That’s why the falls look like giant steps. You are literally walking through a geological timeline of the last few million years.
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Because the gorges are so deep and narrow, they trap cold air. This creates a boreal forest environment. You’ll see plants and trees here—like yellow birch and hemlock—that usually belong much further north in Canada. It’s a biological "island" in the middle of Pennsylvania.
Survival Tips for the Crowds
If you show up at 11:00 AM on a Saturday in October, you’re going to have a bad time.
The parking lots at Lake Jean and the Rose Lake trailhead fill up fast. Sometimes the park has to close the gates because there’s literally nowhere left to put a car. Honestly, if you want the "soul" of the park, you have to be there at sunrise. There is something hauntingly beautiful about seeing the mist rise off Lake Jean while the first light hits the top of the hemlocks.
- Go Mid-Week: If you can swing a Tuesday or Wednesday, do it. You’ll have the trails mostly to yourself.
- The Winter Factor: Ricketts Glen in winter is a different beast. The Falls Trail actually closes to anyone without crampons, ice axes, and proper mountaineering gear. They take it seriously. You have to sign in at the park office. The waterfalls freeze into massive blue pillars of ice, and it’s spectacular, but it’s deadly if you aren't prepared.
- Lake Jean: Don't ignore the lake. Most people are there for the falls, but Lake Jean has a decent beach and some great kayaking. It was drained a few years ago for dam repairs, but it's back and the ecosystem is recovering nicely.
The Secret Spots Nobody Talks About
While everyone is fighting for a photo spot at Ganoga Falls, the Evergreen Trail offers a much quieter experience. It’s a short loop near the bottom of the falls, featuring some of the oldest trees in the park. We’re talking about hemlocks that were saplings when Columbus arrived in the Americas.
These old-growth forests are rare.
Most of Pennsylvania was clear-cut by the lumber industry in the late 1800s. Ricketts Glen was saved partly because the terrain was too steep and rugged even for the most determined loggers. Walking through the Evergreen Trail feels like stepping back into a prehistoric version of the state.
Then there’s the Grand View Trail. It doesn't have water. It doesn't have the "wow" factor of a 90-foot drop. But what it does have is a fire tower and a view that stretches across the entire Susquehanna Valley. On a clear day, you can see for miles. It’s the best place in the park to watch a sunset, and surprisingly, few people bother to hike up there.
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Practical Advice for Your Trip
You’re going to lose cell service.
As soon as you start driving up Route 487 from Benton, your bars will drop. Don’t rely on Google Maps to get you back out. Download your maps for offline use or—God forbid—use a paper map.
If you’re staying overnight, the park has some solid cabins and a large campground. The cabins are "modern," which in park terms means they have heat and electric but you’re still bringing your own linens. They book up months in advance, especially for the summer.
Food-wise, you’re looking at Benton or Red Rock. There’s a general store at the base of the mountain that sells decent sandwiches and the kind of "I hiked Ricketts Glen" t-shirts you’d expect. Support the local businesses; they rely on the seasonal influx of hikers to keep the lights on during the quiet winter months.
Moving Forward with Your Visit
To get the most out of your trip to Benton PA Ricketts Glen State Park, stop treating it like a checklist. Don't just run from waterfall to waterfall trying to get the perfect Instagram shot. Sit down. Listen to the way the sound changes between the upper glens and the lower ones.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Flow: Before you drive out, check recent weather. If it hasn't rained in three weeks, the falls will be "trickles." You want to visit about 48 hours after a good rain for the best experience.
- Gear Up: Buy a pair of dedicated hiking boots with aggressive tread. Running sneakers will slip on the wet shale.
- Map Your Route: Decide if you want to do the full 7.2-mile loop or the shorter 3.2-mile Highland Trail loop which hits the most falls in the shortest distance.
- Arrive Early: Aim to be at the trailhead by 8:00 AM. You’ll beat the heat and the 40-person tour groups.
The real magic of Ricketts Glen isn't just the height of the falls or the depth of the woods. It’s the fact that in a state as developed as Pennsylvania, a place this wild still exists. Respect the trail, leave no trace, and for the love of everything, stay on the marked paths. The gorge is beautiful, but it's also unforgiving.