It’s understandable if you want some time in the woods after this election season. Between the ridiculous barrage of ads and the potentially disappointing results, lots of people are leaving Twitter/X and cutting down on screentime. Time in the woods is undoubtedly better spent than time doomscrolling, and Pennsylvania has plenty of woods!
However, the commonwealth is conspicuously lacking a National Park. That’s in spite of our neighbors in Ohio getting one in 2000 (the underrated Cuyahoga Valley National Park) and West Virginia getting one in 2020 (the beautiful New River Gorge). Pennsylvania’s nature can go toe-to-toe with Ohio’s and W.V.’s any day — some of our state parks could “make the big time” with only minimal improvements.
In that spirit, here’s a case for at least one of five Western Pa. gems to be made into National Parks. If a remediated river valley in Ohio is good enough, surely the old-growth forest, scenic whitewater, expansive backpacking options, and gorgeous vistas right here in the Keystone State are, too!
Raccoon Creek State Park
Located just 40 minutes from Pittsburgh, Raccoon Creek contains 7,500 acres of trails and camping and is also home to the scenic Frankfort Mineral Springs. The park dates back to Great Depression-era public works projects and includes some Works Progress Administration-era buildings as well as a wildflower preserve in hilly wooded surroundings. As a bonus, swimming and boating on an artificial lake offer make this a nice place to swim and kayak.
Cook Forest State Park
Cook Forest feels like it was copy-pasted from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Covered in some of Pennsylvania’s oldest stands of hemlock and pine, these coniferous woods make for one of the most peaceful environments in Western Pa. Beyond the grand forest itself, access to biking and waterways, plus immediate proximity to state game lands, make this an outdoor recreation paradise. The century-old park even contains a National Historic District.
Linn Run State Park/Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
The Laurel Highlands already contain some of Pennsylvania’s most pristine parklands, including Linn Run. Given the close proximity to Laurel Hill, Kooser, and Laurel Ridge state parks and the Roaring Run Natural area and the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail that runs north-south through the area, the Laurel Highlands would make an exceptional National Park.
Allegheny National Forest
The Pa. Wilds, as the area around Allegheny National Forest is called, is one of the least populous places east of the Mississippi River. While parts of the area were heavily logged during colonization, the forest is back, and among the many deciduous and coniferous woodlands are nestled ATV trails, campgrounds, and untouched wilderness areas. Perhaps the only thing working against the National Forest in terms of creating a new park is the presence of numerous oil and gas wells scattered throughout the area, something hardly unique to this region but still unfortunate.
Ohiopyle State Park
Perhaps the most slam-dunk candidate for a Western Pa. National Park is Ohiopyle. Located in the heart of the southern Laurel Highlands close to other natural amenities and some of Frank Lloyd Wright’s finest works, Ohiopyle contains more than 20,000 acres of camping, whitewater, hiking and biking trails — including the Great Allegheny Passage trail to Washington, D.C. — and even has a cute historical town at its center, basically already recreating the infrastructure at the entrance of many National Parks.
Even without federal status, this 53-year-old state park is one of Pennsylvania’s nicest places to escape the city and keep your face out of your phone. National Park status would be an awesome way to let the rest of the country know what we have here in beautiful Pennsylvania.
This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2024.
