Why you should visit Pennsylvania’s Colton Point State Park

Colton Point State Park is a little-known gem of Pennsylvania’s State Park system. It is located in remote and sparsely populated Tioga County in north-central PA. The park sits on the west rim of the Pine Creek Gorge, which is also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.

Exploring Colton Point State Park

This brings us to the first reason to visit Colton Point State Park—the amazingly scenic views. You will be hard-pressed to find better views in all of Pennsylvania. The park overlooks the 800-foot-deep and nearly 4,000-foot-wide glacier-carved Pine Creek Gorge. From many of the park overlooks, you can see across the gorge to Leonard Harrison State Park, which sits on the east rim of the canyon.

Hiking in Colton Point State Park

Colton Point has 4 miles of trails. If you are looking for something easy or kid-friendly, the Rim Trail is only a mile long and relatively flat. It takes hikers along the edge of the gorge and links most of the overlooks in one incredible hike.

For those looking for a bit more of a challenge, take a hike along the 3 miles round trip Turkey Path, but be prepared for a workout. This is a challenging trail that takes hikers down 1.5 miles to the canyon floor. Along the way expect amazing views and a stunning 70-foot waterfall.

Backpacking along the West Rim Trail.

For those looking for even more of an adventure, you can take a backpacking trip along the more than 30-mile point-to-point West Rim Trail. The West Rim Trail is regarded as one of PA’s finest long-distance hiking trails and has been featured in numerous publications. Because it’s relatively flat, it’s a great trail for first-time backpackers or those still new to spending a few nights in the woods. If you decide to hike the whole thing, there are shuttle services available for a price that will take you back to the trailhead once you’ve finished the trail.

If you are not looking to go hiking and just want to take in the views. That’s all right. There are overlooks that don’t require any hiking, and honestly, the drive up to the park is beautiful! Steep but beautiful.

Enjoy the Fall Foliage

Leaf peeping at Colton Point State Park is some of the very best in all of Pennsylvania. The park is famous for its fall foliage. Generally, during the first three weeks of October, visitors are treated to a stunning array of colorful views. Bright red, orange, yellow, and browns light up the gorge with a spectacular display of color. Plan on arriving early in October, especially on the weekends, because parking is limited and the park will get busy.

Camping at Colton Point

Spending the night at Colton Point State Park is a wonderful experience. The campground is small and only available first-come, first-served. There is no electricity, and about a third of the sites are walk-in tent-only sites. Expect rustic camping, with no flush toilets, but still some of the basic staples like picnic tables and fire pits at the sites. The campground is open from the beginning of May until the third Sunday in October. Heads up, sites across the canyon at Leonard Harrison State Park are reservable.

Wildlife viewing at Colton Point

Colton Point State Park is great for wildlife watching. Visitors can expect to see white-tailed deer and gray squirrels meandering about. Bird watching brings many visitors to the park. Colton Point and the Pine River Gorge are considered an “Important Bird Area” by the Audubon Society. In total, more than 100 species of birds have been observed in the park including many birds of prey and a large variety of warblers. Keep an eye peeled for Bald Eagles, which live in the area year-round as well as many different types of songbirds.

Colton Point State Park may not be very well known, but certainly is worth a visit and offers a wide variety of fun outdoor recreation.