12 Hikes Near Philadelphia With Waterfalls and Gorgeous Views
If you're looking for new outdoor vistas, these hikes can be an ideal escape from the city.
Bushkill Falls boasts one of the many hikes with waterfalls and gorgeous views in the Philadelphia region. / Photograph by Thomas James Caldwell via Flickr
If you’re a nature-loving city dweller, any chance you get to dive into Philly’s surrounding wooded spots can be a nice reprieve from all the hustle and bustle. Sure, we love Wissahickon Valley Park, but there are places farther afield with amazing vistas and waterfalls. Below, a list of 12 spots for gorgeous hikes within a three-hour drive from Philadelphia, as recommended by Carl Ewald, hiking expert and founder of Philly Run Fest.
Devil’s Hole
Where: Cresco, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 2 hours
This moderately trafficked 3.1-mile hike is an out-and-back trail, meaning you go up the mountain and back down on the same path. Your climb and descent will feature beautiful views of the valley, which — when in bloom — is “lined with rhododendron and mountain laurel,” according to Ewald. The trail can be difficult to follow at points because it is unlabeled and crosses the creek several times, Ewald warns. However, “if you stay within sight of the creek, you are not going to miss the waterfall.”
Clarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick
Where: Manheim, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 20 minutes
While jumping off diving boards into a huge lake is the main attraction at Mount Gretna, there’s actually some beautiful views that can be discovered with a little work. “The cool thing about this is the original owner, who donated the land for a park, loved towers and built a few on the land — but only one remains,” according to Ewald. “If you are not afraid of heights and confined spaces, you can shimmy to the top on a series of ladders for some great views of the valley.” The only downside to scoring these views is that the tower is located right by the parking lot, so if you’re looking for a serious hike, use a map to find a trail that ends up at the tower, otherwise “the hike is pretty anticlimactic,” he says.
Mount Tammany
Where: Columbia, NJ
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 50 minutes
The Red Dot Trail is quick and steep, but the overlook panorama is worth the effort. You can see for miles, with gorgeous views of the Delaware Water Gap and Mount Minsi (also worth a hike; see below). After, you can return along the Blue Blaze Trail for a 3.5-mile excursion. More experienced hikers may want to combine the Mount Tammany climb with the Sunfish Pond Trail to make a big loop. Ewald says it makes for a good three- to four-hour hike that includes time on two mountains; the pond — really, a big alpine lake — is at the top of Mount Mohican.
Ricketts Glen State Park
Where: Benton, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 2 hours, 30 minutes
“This is the hike that turns first-time hikers into forever hikers,” Ewald says. At 7.2 miles long, the popular Falls Trail features rocky and steep sections, but the payoff is views of 21 waterfalls of varying heights, with the tallest reaching 94 feet. Per Ewald’s suggestion, if you’re planning to make a weekend of it by camping onsite inside the park, book in advance so you don’t miss out.
Kelly’s Run Nature Preserve
Where: Holtwood, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Don’t be fooled by the baseball fields and picnic pavilions. What feels like a suburban park quickly becomes a serene hike — one Ewald calls a “hidden gem” — when you access the five-mile trail network that crosses the cool, shaded creek in this Lancaster County nature preserve. It includes a short but steep climb to a lookout with great views of the Susquehanna River.
Hickory Run State Park
Where: White Haven, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 30 minutes
On the out-and-back Boulder Field Trail, about a seven-mile round trip, you’ll wind through the forest before reaching the 16-acre boulder field, a national natural landmark. Don’t hit the road the second you return to your car: Hawk Falls, a 25-foot waterfall, is just a 10-minute walk from the parking lot.
Mount Minsi
Where: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 2 hours
Mount Minsi flanks the Delaware River from the Pennsylvania side, offering excellent vistas of Mount Tammany in Jersey. This five-miler is steep and strenuous but doable, if you’re in good shape and take it slow, Ewald says. There are two outlooks on the way up where you’ll get good views across the water gap. At the top, where you’ll find the remnants of an old fire tower, you’ll see Mount Tammany in all its glory, stripes of exposed rock and all. Pro tip: Follow the fire road, instead of the trail, back down for a quicker and easier-to-navigate descent.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Where: Kempton, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Make plans to visit this raptor sanctuary so you can watch red-tailed hawks, ospreys, and bald eagles flocking home. You’ll also be able to complete a moderately challenging 4.7-mile hike that includes varied terrain, steep inclines, and a scramble when you reach the rocky lookout.
The Pinnacle
Where: Hamburg, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 20 minutes
This trail features superb views of the Lehigh Valley from two vistas: Pulpit Rock and the Pinnacle. The hike takes about three to four hours to complete, depending on your fitness level, Ewald says, and he advises doing the route counterclockwise: “The first two to three miles to get up to the Pulpit can get steep, so this way you get the hard hiking done while you’re fresh.” From Pulpit Rock, enjoy a nice view across the valley, then follow the ridge to the Pinnacle. “It’s considered one of the top vistas in this half of the state, with beautiful, long views across fields and mountains,” he says.
Bake Oven Knob
Where: Germansville, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 1 hour, 25 minutes
This sub-mile hike off the Appalachian Trail climbs 154 feet in 0.8 miles. The draw? Densely forested vistas. “I like to start out one trailhead to the east (north) along the trail to make it a better challenge,” Ewald says.
Staff Picks
Bushkill Falls
Where: Bushkill, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Often called the “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” Bushkill Falls up in the Poconos is actually a series of eight waterfalls across roughly 300 acres. See them all via the network of connected hiking trails, bridges, and boardwalks nestled deep in the woods.
Raymondskill Falls
Where: Milford, PA
Drive from Philadelphia: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Raymondskill Falls is the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania, reaching a whopping 178 feet. There are two platforms to see the grand beaut — an upper and a lower, the latter being the better one for snapping pics.
This guide has been updated and contains additional research by Laura Brzyski and Michaela Althouse.
