Brian WhipkeyPennsylvania Outdoors Columnist
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With Memorial Day weekend being just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about which of Pennsylvania’s 124 state parks you want to visit this year.
Do you know which ones are the busiest? Wesley Robinson, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said the state parks are able to monitor the number of visitors with traffic counters on the roads at the entrance gates.
Looking at that data, he was able to provide the top 10 most visited state parks of 2023.
Here’s how the numbers panned out.
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No. 10 Ohiopyle State Park
Located in Fayette County, Ohiopyle State Park encompasses approximately 20,500 acres of rugged natural beauty and serves as the gateway to the Laurel Highlands. The DCNR estimates 890,000 people visited Ohiopyle last year. It’s home to waterfalls, a section of the Great Allegheny Passage hiking and biking trails and some of the best whitewater rafting in the eastern United States on the Youghiogheny River.
When conditions permit in the winter, adventurous people enjoy climbing the ice around the waterfalls.
The town of Ohiopyle is part of the park community and offers a wide variety of restaurants and lodging options.
No. 9 Marsh Creek State Park
Marsh Creek State Park welcomed 938,000 visitors in the rolling hills of northcentral Chester County in the Downingtown area. The 1,784-acre park contains the 535-acre Marsh Creek Lake, which is a great place for fishing, sailing and watching migrating waterfowl.
No. 8 Tyler State Park
Tyler State Park in Bucks County offers a quiet respite from the nearby city of Philadelphia.
One million visited the 1,711 acre state park last year to spend time in the woods and farm-like nature area.
Neshaminy Creek flows through the park and visitors enjoy boating with electric motor only watercraft. There are also 25 miles of trails to explore in the region.
No. 7 Moraine State Park
Last year, 1.1 million people spent time at Moraine State Park in western Pennsylvania. The park, near Portersville, is home to the 3,225-acre Lake Arthur that provides 42 miles of shoreline to enjoy.
It’s a popular destination for boaters, picnickers, hikers, bikers, horseback riders, campers and swimmers who spread out across the park’s 16,725 acre area.
The DCNR describes the park as an outstanding example of environmental engineering achievement. Visitors may not realize the land was impacted by continental glaciers and oil and gas extraction.
No. 6 Nockamixon State Park
In southeastern Pennsylvania, near New Jersey, about 1.2 million visitors spent time inNockamixon State Park last year. The 5,286-acre facility is in the rolling hills of Bucks County in Quakertown. It’s described by the DCNR as being close enough to Philadelphia for a day trip, but far enough away for a vacation.
Tohickon Creek, Three Mile Run and Hayco*ck Run flow into the 1,450-acre Lake Nockamixon, which is a rest stop for migrating waterfowl and a destination for boaters and anglers.
The park has something for almost everyone. Popular activities include camping, picnicking, swimming in the pool, hiking, biking, disc golfing, hunting, fishing and boating.
No. 5 Codorus State Park
In southeastern Pennsylvania, about 1.3 million people visited Codorus State Park in the rolling hills of York County in the Hanover area.
The 3,500-acre facility includes the 1,275-acre Lake Marburg that has 26 miles of shoreline. The waterway serves as a rest stop for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. The lake is popular with sail and motor boaters as well as anglers looking for warmwater fish. Trout anglers spend time on Codorus Creek.
No. 4 Point State Park
Not all state parks are located in rural areas.
Point State Park, in Pittsburgh, had 1.5 million visitors. The park is located at the confluence of the Monongahela, Ohio and Allegheny rivers, and is at the tip of the city’s “Golden Triangle.”
The park, which is a National Historic Landmark, honors the strategic and historic heritage of the area during the French and Indian War between 1754-1763.
DCNR points out that it works in collaboration with the Heinz History Center and the Fort Pitt Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to interpret the history of the Forks of the Ohio.
No. 3 Prince Gallitzin State Park
Prince Gallitzin State Park in northern Cambria County hosted 1.8 million people in 2023.
The rolling hills offer scenic views of the 1,635-acre Glendale Lake and 26 miles of shoreline. It’s a destination for anglers, boaters, hikers and campers.
It’s also a good location to watch wildlife, including birding during the spring and fall migrations.
No. 2 Pymatuning State Park
About 3.5 million visited Pymatuning State Park in Jamestown last year. At 16,892 acres, it is one of the largest state parks in the Commonwealth.
The 17,088-acre Pymatuning Reservoir is the largest lake in the Commonwealth and it spans into Ohio.
The park is known for boating, fishing, swimming, camping and enjoying other recreational opportunities. It’s the one place you can fish for walleye 12 months a year. Carp are also plentiful in the lake and there’s a visitor’s stop where people can feed bread to the large fish as they travel under a roadway.
No. 1 Presque Isle State Park
Presque Isle State Park in Erie attracted 3.9 million visitors last year. The facility has a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie.
It’s described as Pennsylvania’s only “seashore,” as it’s quite similar to an ocean destination but without the saltwater. Presque Isle has a scenic coastline and many recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling and in-line skating. The lake is a world class fishery for walleye, lake trout, perch, bass and steelhead.
It’s also a favorite spot for watching migrating birds each spring and fall.
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That’s a look at how the parks ranked last year, but know the numbers can change.
In monitoring the visitation numbers, Robinson noted these parks are usually the Top 10, but occasionally the ones ranked 3 through 7 flip back and forth some years.
When thinking about where to spend your time this summer, keep in mind there are also 114 other state parks scattered across the commonwealth. The DCNR’s webpage is full of information regarding what’s available and how to reserve a campsite.
Happy camping, hiking, fishing and boating this summer.
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go OutdoorsPA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name.Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors, and Instagram at whipkeyoutdoors.
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