What a great fun field trip today. Our first actual FRIDAY Field Trip in awhile, and it was wonderful. We hit four adjoining counties, two of which have no State Parks (there are only four counties that don't have one). Interesting note: Laura read somewhere that the Pennsylvania State Park System wanted to have a State Park within 25 miles from every resident in the state. How cool is that?
First stop:
Snyder County. Selinsgrove. We found a letterbox - they are few and far between up here - in Shamokin Dam, PA, high up with a great view of the Susquehanna River.
From here we headed up to another great view at Shikellamy State Park, whose western part is in Union County on the west side of the Susquehanna, and whose eastern side is in Northumberland County, on the east side of the river. We picnicked in the car - it was a tad chilly, although the sun poked out for much of the day.
Across the river, at the Park Office, was a super-cool SQUIRREL Feeder/Habitat, lots and lots of picnicking, and what looks like a canoe/kayak marina (many floats/docks were piled neatly in the parking lot). We all loved watching the squirrels chasing each other, scampering up and down....the park ranger says there are at least a dozen who romp here.
We took a photo with a cool bridge in the background (I put it at the top of the post) - it must traverse this side of the park, because there was a similar bridge on the opposite side.
From here we headed back across the river to
Union County's Sand Bridge State Park, which is the smallest in PA - only 3 acres. It's got picnicking facilities and a stocked-by-the-department-of-fisheries stream.
Lovely place, Laura and the kids tramped up the hill to a third picnic pavilion.
Five miles further down the road is R. B. Winter State Park, which is quite large.
There's a dam with a cool beach on the far side of the small lake, with a great-looking playground. There's a 61-site campground, with three camping cabins. Cabins B & C look quite private, and are tempting to look into for next summer.
The kids threw rocks down by the water - some ice had skimmed the edge of the lake - and it was fun to watch the pebbles break through the super-thin surface. We'll have to come back in the summertime, for sure.
Back over yet another bridge to head for
Montour County, the smallest county in Pennsylvania. Although it doesn't have its own state park, we discovered (via a letterbox) an wonderful free-and-open-to-the-public park called Montour Preserve. It surrounds a lake, has lots of hiking trails and picnicking as well as an environmental center.
The kids and Laura hiked about two miles and found a letterbox.
It was starting to get dark, although still only 4pm, but we had tickets for the drive-through winter "wonderland" at Knoebel's Amusement Park back in Northumberland County. Talk about a treat! So much fun! It took about half an hour, accompanied by three different FM radio stations that were aligned to the subject of the scenery, and totally enjoyable.
The drive was about 1 3/4 hours to get home, but an easy drive down 81. It began to drizzle just as we finished our Christmas Lights tour, but not bad enough to be a crappy drive home.
FUN DAY!
