(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)
Ski slope at Denton Hill State Park in Pennsylvania

Ski slope at Denton Hill State Park. Photo: Dincher, Wikimedia

Located within the upper reaches of the Pennsylvania Wilds, the picturesque Denton Hill State park is a terrific place to enjoy the great outdoors.

Nestled on the northern slope of Denton Hill, at an elevation of between 1800 to 2400 feet above sea-level, the park used to house a popular ski resort. However, the downhill skiing element closed in 2014.

Today the 700-acre park, which originally opened in 1951, remains open for fishing, hiking, hunting and cross country skiing. It also provides access to the adjoining Susquehannock State Forest.

For those who are interested in staying here there is nothing in the way of overnight accommodation unfortunately. However, within a 30 mile radius of it, you will find plenty of campgrounds available at several other state parks, including Cherry Springs State Park and Sinnemahoning State Park, which you can also visit.

Getting There

For those who want to escape the pace of big city life, Denton Hill State Park provides a good opportunity to do that.

Situated a 3.5 hour drive from Pittsburgh, the park is 4 hours from Cleveland and around 4.5 hours from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Trenton and Wilmington.

The park is located on U.S. Route 6 in Potter County, between the towns of Coudersport and Galeton. It’s GPS coordinates are 41ยฐ46โ€ฒ03โ€ณN 77ยฐ49โ€ฒ48โ€ณW.

You will find the park’s ingress, on the other side of the street, almost directly in front of the entrance to the PA Lumber Museum.

Activities at Denton Hill State Park

Visitors to Denton Hill State Park can enjoy a range of outdoor recreational activities while you are there.

Here are some more details about what you can do.

Fishing at Denton Hill State Park

The park is a favored destination for fishing and attracts anglers from all over Pennsylvania, as well as the surrounding states.

Taking place at the scenic Nine Mile Run it provides fabulous opportunities to catch native trout within a cold-water stream environment.

To fish at the park you will need to have a valid Pennsylvania fishing licence and also abide by the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Hiking at Denton Hill State Park

For those who enjoy hiking, the park offers 8 miles of trails to explore.

These mountainous trails wind through Denton Hill before connecting to lots more miles of trails in the adjoining Susquehannock State Forest.

A couple of the trails also connect to the Susquehannock Trail System. Which is a stunning 85-mile trail loop that cuts through some of north central Pennsylvania’s wildest and most rugged landscapes.

This trail system also makes its way through Patterson and Ole Bull state parks as well.

Here are some of the most popular trails at Denton Hill State Park:

  • trail 1 – Doe Run Trail. Length: 1 mile Degree of Difficulty: easy
  • trail 2 – Sidewinder Trail. Length: 1.2 miles Degree of Difficulty: moderate
  • trail 3 – Elm Hollow Trail. Length: 3 miles Degree of Difficulty: challenging

Flora and Fauna at Denton Hill State Park

The park features a northern hardwood forest that provides a year round habitat for a range of wildlife.

This includes the likes of black bear, white-tailed deer and turkey.

As well as the winter when snow covers the area, the fall is a lovely time to visit the park on account of the lovely autumn colors that are on display.

Hunting at Denton Hill State Park

During the established seasons, about 650 acres of the park are open to hunting. Within this space you will be able to hunt, trap and train dogs.

If you do this, common game species you can take aim at include black bear, turkey and white-tailed deer.

As with most state parks in Pennsylvania, the hunting of woodchucks, which are often referred to as groundhogs is not permitted.

Similarly, dog training is only allowed during the period that runs from the day after Labor Day all the way through to March 31st.

To hunt in the park you will need to hold a valid state licence and also abide by the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the DCNR.

Skiing at Denton Hill State Park

During the winter the park tends to get covered in snow. As a result its eight miles of trails become perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Some of the trails in the park connect with the neighboring Susquehannock State Forest, which gives you access to the fabulous, groomed, 29-mile Denton Hill Cross-country Ski Trail System.

This is a beautiful area which you will love exploring.

Pets at Denton Hill State Park

Pets are allowed in the park but are only permitted in designated areas.

If you intend to bring your dog with you to Denton Hill State Park, it would be worth contacting the main office to ascertain where these areas are.

Camping at Denton Hill State Park

Unfortunately there is no overnight accommodation at the park.

Although within 30 miles of it there are several other campgrounds in neighboring state parks in which you can stay at.

This includes Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County, Leonard Harrison State Park in Tioga County, Kettle Creek State Park in Clinton County and Sinnemahoning State Park, which spans Cameron and Potter Counties.

Between all these campgrounds you will find plenty of sites for RVs and trailers that have full hookups for electric, water and sewer. There are also numerous primitive tent sites, as well as a selection of cabins, lodges, yurts and organized group camping.

Park Location

Denton Hill State Park
US-6
Ulysses, PA 16948
Phone: 814.435.5010

Website

Map

Video

Here is a good video with some history and aerial footage of Denton Hill State Park: