Use this directory to browse America's State Parks profiles by destination, activity, facilities, and nearby trip ideas. The finder is built from our park profile database and is designed for planning decisions: compare parks, open detailed profiles, then use official park links for current fees, permits, closures, and reservations.
Current public scope: 4,080 park profiles across all 50 states, including 2,500+ state parks. See our editorial review methodology for how ASP researches, updates, and reviews park information.
Surrounded by seemingly never-ending forests, Poe Valley State Park is the perfect Pennsylvania state park to dive into nature. Incorporating 620-acres, its remote location, 3-hours from Pittsburgh, Allentown and Philadelphia is about as far away from city life as you can get. Nestled within a rugged mountain valley, the park’s main drawcard is 25-acre Poe…
🏆 Poe Paddy State Park — A remote 23-acre park in the Bald Eagle State Forest of Centre County, Pennsylvania — at the confluence of Big Poe Creek + Penns Creek (legendary Class A wild trout water) — famous for the Green Drake mayfly hatch (late May–early June, drawing fly anglers nationally) — featuring a…
There are some pretty remote state parks in Pennsylvania and Penn-Roosevelt State Park is no exception. Situated within the Centre County town of Huntingdon, the park lies about a 3 hour drive from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown, making it a wonderful place to visit for a nature getaway. Surrounded by Rothrock State Forest, the park…
Civilian Conservation Corps-built picnic shelter at Patterson State Park. Photo: User:Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At just 10-acres…
Located about an hour and 45 minutes north of Pittsburgh, Oil Creek State Park is a historic destination that is famous for being the site of the first…
Situated about 30 minutes from Philadelphia, Norristown Farm Park is one of Pennsylvania’s more unique places to visit.
Set within 690 sprawling…
Established in April 2005, Nescopeck State Park is one of the newer state parks in the Pennsylvania state park system. Tucked in between the imposing Nescopeck Mountain to its north and the verdant silhouette of Mount Yeager to its south, this stunning public recreation area features a mosaic of wetlands, rich forests, and lush fields…
Tucked away in northern Pennsylvania, about an hour east of Wellsboro, Mount Pisgah State Park is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a…
Moraine State Park centers around Lake Arthur—a 3,225-acre glacial
lake with 42 miles of shoreline, 11 modern lakefront cabins, 30 miles of…
🏆 Milton State Park — An 82-acre island park in the West Branch Susquehanna River between Milton and West Milton, Pennsylvania — featuring 3.5 miles of hiking trails, a boat launch for kayaking and canoeing, excellent bird watching (bald eagles, migratory waterfowl), fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a unique river…
Memorial Lake State Park is an ideal destination for those seeking a tranquil and scenic outdoor experience. Nestled in the heart of Central Pennsylvania, the park was established in 1945 as a living memorial to the men and women who served in World War II. It remains a tribute to all those who fought and…
Lake Wilhelm in Maurice K. goddard state park. Photo: The Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tucked away in…
McCalls Dam State Park is one of the smallest public recreational spaces in the Pennsylvania state park system. Comprising just 8 acres, it is located within the easternmost tip of Centre County, south of Clinton County and north of Union County. It resides in an isolated location on a dirt track road between Eastville, situated…
Located in a remote part of the Pennsylvania Wilds, north of Susquehannock State Forest, Lyman run state park provides a brilliant escape into…
Little Pine State Park is a beautiful natural destination located in Lycoming County, about 45 minutes from Williamsport. Known for its stunning mountain views, tranquil lake, and abundance of recreational opportunities, this PA state park provides visitors with the opportunity to disconnect from the frenzied pace of everyday life and reconnect with the great outdoors.…
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day of fishing, a scenic hike, or a fun-filled day of swimming with the family, Little Buffalo State Park has something for everyone. Situated not far from Harrisburg, the park is named in honor of Buffalo Creek which flows through it and is a popular destination for families and…
Laurel Highlands Cabin Retreat — Stay in rustic cabins, hike to Adams Falls
(you can stand behind it!), explore 50,000 acres of…
Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon — Experience breathtaking views of
Pine Creek Gorge, a 47-mile canyon carved 1,000 feet deep through ancient…
Pennsylvania’s Whitewater Capital — Over 2 million annual visitors
experience world-class rafting, stunning waterfalls, and 79 miles of…
Big Sur’s Iconic Redwood Gateway — 1,346 acres of towering redwoods, a 60-foot
waterfall, 172 riverside campsites, 8 miles of trails…
You round a bend on the Redwood Grove Loop Trail and suddenly the forest floor goes silent. The sounds of
Nestled along the banks of the Sacramento River lies Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park, a public recreational area located in Chico, California, about 90 miles north of Sacramento. This beautiful area, surrounded by oaks, cottonwoods, and the Sierra Nevada mountains provides guests with opportunities to fish, tube, kayak, swim, hike, bird watch, and picnic. The park…
Take a step back in time with a visit to Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park. This historic park, located 90 miles north of Sacramento in Chico, serves as a reflection of California’s early history. The Italianate Victorian Bidwell Mansion is the former home of General John Bidwell, founder of the city of Chico, and his…
🏆 Benicia Capitol State Historic Park — The only surviving pre-Sacramento capitol building in California — located in Solano County — where the California Legislature convened from February 1853 to February 1854 (California’s third capital) — featuring restored Senate + Assembly chambers (period desks, quill pens, candlesticks, top hats, 1850s newspapers), Greek Revival-Palladian architecture with…
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park lies nestled within the majestic woodlands of Napa County. This serene California state park, located just 22 miles…
Deep within the western Mojave Desert habitat surrounded by Joshua trees and California juniper trees lies Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park….
Where the Largest State Park in the Lower 48 Erupts in Wildflower Superblooms
Antelope Valley Indian Museum view from southeast. Photo: Junkyardsparkle, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Picturesque rock formations and Joshua trees…
Scenic Año Nuevo State Park, known for its low, rocky, windswept point that extends out into the Pacific Ocean, is located just 55 miles south of San…
The world’s largest trees lie within Sierra Nevada mountains just 4 miles northeast of Arnold and 76 miles northeast of Modesto. Calaveras Big Trees…
Wolf Rock Loop trail at Laurel Summit State Park. Photo: David Fulmer, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Situated just over an hour and 20 minutes from…
One tree grows from the rotting stump of another at Laurel Ridge State Park. Photo: Chris Collins from Pittsburgh, PA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia…
Nestled within the scenic Laurel Highlands region of southwestern Pennsylvania, Laurel Mountain State Park is a popular destination for skiing. Spanning more than 1100 acres of rugged and diverse terrain, its main attraction is the Laurel Mountain Ski Resort, which offers some of the best downhill skiing and snowboarding in the region. The resort is…
Laurel Hill State Park is one of several fabulous Pennsylvania state parks located in the Laurel Highlands.
Spanning over 4,000 acres, its bosky…
Located just 20 minutes from Scranton, Lackawanna State Park, is a fabulous public recreational space which many people don’t know about.
Spread…
Tucked away at an altitude of 2,600 feet in the beautiful Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylvania, about an hour from Pittsburgh, Kooser State Park is…
Chino Hills State Park is Southern California’s urban wilderness escape—14,102
acres of rolling hills, oak woodlands, and grassy meadows…
Santa Cruz Mountains Rock Climbing Paradise — 34 miles of rugged trails through
sculpted sandstone formations, high-elevation…
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California’s oldest state park, established in
1902 to protect ancient coast redwoods—some over 1,000 to 2,000…
Big Sur’s Gateway Park — 5,000 acres of dramatic coastal bluffs, 20+ miles of trails
from river to ridge, walk-in camping beneath…
Gravel road through the trees at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park. Photo: Park Facebook Page
Peaceful Anderson Marsh State Historic Park lies along…
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, where sparkling freshwater springs hug rugged lava rocks, and an oak, pine, and juniper woodland, lies only 82 miles…
🏆 Kettle Creek State Park — 1,793 acres surrounding the 167-acre Kettle Creek Reservoir in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by Sproul State Forest — featuring 71 campsites (44 lower + 27 upper, many electric), a 250-ft sandy swimming beach, trout + bass fishing (reservoir + native trout streams), boating (electric motors, kayaks, canoes), 53-mile Donut…
View of the West Branch Susquehanna River valley, with Pennsylvania State Route 120 (the Bucktail Trail) crossing it, looking west-northwest from Hyner…
Namesake stream, Hyner run state park, Clinton County, Pennsylvania. Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Nestled in the…
Nestled in the lush hills of Pennsylvania, Hills Creek State Park is a nature lover’s paradise. This picturesque state park spans over 407 acres and is situated in the Tioga State Forest, just a short drive from the town of Wellsboro. It is known for its stunning natural beauty and boasts a diverse range of…
A marsh at hillman state park. Photo: Clint, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
For those who like to escape to nature, Hillman State Park is a…
Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Park is a historic site which might surprise you to discover it is located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas.
The…
