places where you won't be able to wipe the wag off your dog's tail - Benton PA
The Park
One of the most uniquely scenic areas in the Northeast, Ricketts Glen was slated to become a national park in the 1930s but World War II shelved plans for this development. Instead, Ricketts Glen opened as a state park in 1944. Gradually the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania continued purchasing blocks of land from the descendants of Robert Bruce Ricketts until the park spread across more than 13,000 acres. Ricketts enlisted as a private in the United States Army in 1861 and after commanding a battery during the Civil War was discharged with the rank of Colonel. When the war ended, Colonel Ricketts began acquiring inaccessible virgin timber and he would eventually control over 80,000 acres of land. His Central Penn Lumber Company began harvesting the old growth forest, with some trees 900 years old, when the railroads arrived in 1890. By 1913 the timber was exhausted and the lumber town of Ricketts deserted.
The Walks
More than 20 miles of trails meander through the deep woods and mountain lakes at Ricketts Glen. The rocky Cherry Run Trail takes you away from the crowded Glens Natural Area into the eastern section of the park and the Grand View Trail is a 1.9-mile loop that reaches a fire tower with an almost complete 360-degree vista. Other less demanding trails mosey along near 245-acre Lake Jean.
Where The Paw Meets The Earth: Dirt, mud, rocks, bridges - you name it along the Falls Trail - be careful
Workout For Your Dog - One of the best
Swimming - Plenty of pools and streams and ponds
Restrictions On Dogs - None
Something Extra
The spectacular attraction of Ricketts Glen is the magical Falls Trail, a Y-shaped exploration of 23-named waterfalls. Two branches of the Kitchen Creek slice through the Ganoga Glen to the west and Glen Leigh to the east before uniting at Waters Meet. The stem of the trail flows through Ricketts Glen, among towering hemlocks and oaks, before tumbling over three cascades at Adams Falls at the trailhead. The two prongs of the trail connect via the 1.2-mile Highland Trail. The complete falls experience encompasses almost seven miles. If you take your dog on only one hike in the Mid-Atlantic region, this is it.
Phone - (570) 477-5675
Admission Fee - None
Directions - Benton, Luzerne County; on PA 487. Also access to the Falls Trail on Route 118.
how hard are these trails for dogs? i was told they have some steep spots and would possibly have to lift my smaller dog due to her being vertically challenged.
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