Pennsylvania's Moraine State Park - One of the Best Fall Getaways in PA
Fall in Pennsylvania is magnificent, especially in Moraine State Park, one of the top fall getaways in Pennsylvania!
There are some destinations that I’ve been told have “perfect weather” all year round, but my issue was always that it wasn’t “perfect weather” to me without a legitimate autumn.
Call me strange, but I’ll take the Pennsylvania fall foliage over California’s consistently warm lapping waves any day of the week.
To me, seasons were always the great signallers of change. In my youth, I knew that the arrival of autumn leaves meant that school was back in session, and that hockey season would soon be in full-swing. It also meant that winter wasn’t too far away, and that meant that I needed to savour the last days of warmth.
I always found that autumn in particular was a humbling season. You never knew whether the fall day would be holding on to the last moments of warmth from the preceding months, or whether you’d be graced with a little taste of what winter had in store for you.
My mother is also nothing short of a fanatic for the colour orange, so I think I may have internalized some of that as well. When I see orange, I think of my mom, so that too may impact my enduring love for autumn and its leaves.
Growing up, I saw Canada’s fall foliage almost by accident, but in recent years, I’ve tried to broaden my horizons. I kept hearing that the fall colours in Pennsylvania were extraordinary, so I did what any good travel bloggers should do - I got in my car and headed down to Pennsylvania to test the hypothesis.
I ended up teaming up with Butler County, PA, and I took my camera gear to Moraine State Park to see what I might be able to capture.
As it turned out, it was very much worth the drive.
Where Exactly is Moraine State Park?
Moraine State Park, as you’ll have gathered by now, is located in the state of Pennsylvania. Specifically, the park occupies roughly seventeen thousand acres in Butler County, and, more specifically, is part of the Franklin, Clay, Muddy Creek, Brady, and Worth townships respectively.
Moraine State Park is located at the intersection of Interstate 79 and U.S. Route 422, and it shares a border with the Jennings Environmental Education Center.
I actually visited the Jennings Environmental Education Center as well, but I’ll be touching about some of my other experiences in Butler County beyond the scope of Moraine State Park in future articles.
A Short History of Butler County’s Moraine State Park
Normally, you wouldn’t necessarily think of a state park having a “history” in the conventional sense, but I do really believe that there a few things that are worth mentioning in relation to Moraine State Park that make it genuinely unique in terms of Pennsylvania state parks, and American state and national parks in general.
Firstly, the defining feature of Moraine State Park, Lake Arthur, is actually man-made. Essentially, they impounded Muddy Creek to create a recreational lake that is over three thousand acres in size. I’ve certainly come across man-made lakes in my day, but Lake Arthur is enormous. Just think, they host regattas on this lake now, and it never used to even be a lake.
Honestly, it’s almost impossible to believe that it’s man-made when it’s right in front of you. And, as aside, the presence of Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park certainly does its part to amplify the oranges, reds and yellows of fall Pennsylvania foliage.
The second thing that I want to bring up is that Moraine State Park is an example of some incredible environmental engineering achievement. Historically, the region was intensely mined for minerals which led to some nearly catastrophic problems from an environmental perspective.
Nowadays, you’d never know that was the case, and more than one million people visit the park each year to relish the totally revitalized Moraine State Park. They’ve made amazing strides to clean up the park and make it an example of how you can turn things around from an environmental perspective.
Lastly, and this goes way back, I would be amiss not to mention Moraine State Park’s connection to glaciers. Moraine State Park is literally named after the glacial moraines that cover the whole state park and region.
In short, as the ice receded at the end of the last glacial period, it left deposits of minerals and sediment that formed the famous rolling hills of Moraine State Park.
If you’re in the area, and have some time to play with, you might want to check out my post on the Top Things to do in Cleveland, or some Fun Things to do in Rochester
What Activities Should You Think About Doing in Moraine State Park?
Since I visited in the autumn to check out the Pennsylvania fall foliage, much of what I did was geared towards fully appreciating that aspect of Moraine State Park, but I’ll also give a general overview of how you can appreciate the state park during any old time of the year.
It is indeed a year-round park that is open daily from sunrise to sunset (unless otherwise posted, such as on holidays).
Hiking in Moraine State Park
Moraine State Park is a great place to hike largely because they’ve got 6 well marked trails of varying difficulty. In short, there’s a trail for you if you’re a totally inexperienced hiker, but also a trail for you if you’re looking for a trail that is going to take you the better part of a day.
It’s worth noting that depending on the time of year, the trail your looking at may also be open for biking, cross country skiing, biking, or even horseback riding. However, for now, I’m mostly thinking about these trails as being part of what makes Moraine State Park one of the best fall getaways in Pennsylvania.
The park office is a great place to get further information about anything upon arrival if you’re unsure about anything at all. They’re open year round Monday through Friday from 8am-4pm, and on weekends during the summer.
The Hilltop Trail - This trail is just under 5km long, and I felt it was the epitome of pleasant. There wasn’t a ton of gradation, so I was able to walk this without any hiking boots and just simply a sturdy pair of running shoes. It’s not necessarily going to have those dramatic views, but it’s a nice way to get an inside look at the fall colours in Pennsylvania. This trail is marked with green blazes.
The Pleasant Valley Trail - At 4.2 kilometres in length, this is one of the easier trails when it comes to hiking in Moraine State Park. This trail is an accessible way to experience the beauty of the south shore of Lake Arthur. This trail is marked with yellow blazes.
The Five Points Trail - If you’re a beginner in terms of hiking, then this should be the trail that you start with. It’s just under 2.5 kilometres in length which makes it more of a leisurely stroll than a hike. This trail is marked with light green blazes.
The Sunken Garden Trail - This is pretty much the same length and difficulty as the Hilltop Trail. This is a more diverse hike than you’ll find on some of the other trails since you’ll spend time in the forest, near ponds, as well as along the shore of Lake Arthur. The trail is marked with pink blazes.
The Wyggeston Trail - This is the trail you’re looking for if you’re a relatively experienced hiker that is looking for more of a challenge. Basically, while some of the aforementioned trails are more just vehicles to see the Pennsylvania foliage, this trail will likely leave you wanting some hiking boots. It’s still really not too bad though, it’s more just that one section of the trail is a bit underdeveloped. It’s still manageable though, in my opinion. This trail is marked with orange blazes.
The Glacier Ridge Trail - This is the most difficult and lengthy of the all the trails, and the apple of your eye if you’re an experienced hiker and looking to do a little hiking at Moraine State Park. It’s nearly 25 kilometres long, and it’s the trail that basically connects Moraine State Park to Jennings Environmental Education Center. It runs on the north shore of Lake Arthur, and, due to its length, you can expect the greatest variance in viewpoints, which makes it popular with active photographers. It is marked with blue blazes.
Paddleboarding in Moraine State Park with SurfSUP Adventures
Standup paddleboarding, also known as SUP for short, is probably the most adventurous, exciting and interactive way for you to explore Moraine State Park and Lake Arthur.
If you’ve never paddleboarded before, I’d actually say this would be your perfect opportunity to start, especially if your tour is being led by the Founder of SurfSUP Adventures, Ian Smith. His passion for paddleboarding shines through in spades, and he’s very patient with folks trying it for the first time. Honestly, he just makes the whole experience fun and memorable.
My favourite part of paddleboarding at Moraine State Park was getting off the main portion of Lake Arthur and paddling up some of the narrow passages and tributaries. I got up close and personal with the Pennsylvania fall foliage as I glided under bridges, through branches and everything in between. I loved it.
Like everything else in Moraine State Park, it’s a pretty easy 45 minute drive from Pittsburgh, and just a few minutes from Route 79 or 422. It’s also an easy drive to Moraine State Park (and Butler County in general) from Cleveland as well.
Remember, your guide will give you some tips before you take off, and you’ll never be pushed beyond your boundaries. If you’re looking to sprinkle in a touch of adventure, I’d say this is a must.
Also, in the fall, you’ll also have the option to wear a wet suit like I did. And I’m happy I did wear one, as I totally fell off into Lake Arthur towards the tail end of our little tour! I’m adding that in there just so you don’t feel bad if you do the same!
If you’re looking to do more US Travel, check out my post on spending 2 Days in Chicago or catch a few rays in Tempe, Arizona, some wine in NY State, or take your family to Florida
Boating in Moraine State Park
The first thing to note about boating in Moraine State Park is that only motors up to 20 horsepower are permitted.
Personally, I would recommend that you think about sailing on Lake Arthur, as the lake is known more for its sailing than anything else. In the warmer months, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to participate in sailing races, regattas, as well as instruction.
Since there aren’t many boats, windsurfing is also very popular. Furthermore, there are relatively strong winds down here, so I can imagine it would be absolutely ideal for windsurfing. When I get the chance to go back to Moraine State Park, I think windsurfing is what I’ll aim to do.
Just note that you’ll need a permit for wind surfboards, and the most popular spot for windsurfing is Barber Point, near Lakeview Beach.
There are two marinas in Moraine State Park. David Hollow Marina is primarily for motorized boats, whereas Watts Bay Marina is only for sailboats and catamarans.
You can also go ice boating, but note that the ice thickness is not monitored and that’s something you need to keep in mind for general safety.
Staying the Night at Moraine State Park
If you arrive, and the fall colours in Pennsylvania steal your heart, and you just need to stay longer, you’ve got options (though I would recommend a touch of planning if you can to make sure campsites and cabins are available)
Firstly, there are eleven modern cabins that are available for rent any time of year. Each cabin can sleep six people comfortably and includes two bedrooms, a bathroom with a shower, kitchen, living/dining room area, and in the summer you’ll have a dock that is facing Lake Arthur.
You’ll need to bring some of your own stuff for cooking, as well as linens and things, but nothing too crazy. You can find out more information about the Moraine State Park cabins, including reservation, on their website. Please note that these cabins are extremely popular and can book up to a year in advance, so start planning now!
There’s no camping available in the conventional sense at Moraine State Park, but there are two tent camping areas for organized groups at Muskrat Cove and Five Points.
These camps are fairly barebones, but do have restrooms, some tables to eat at, cooking grills, and some running water (but no showers). You can call 888-PA-PARKS if that sounds like your jam.
Why Moraine State Park and Butler County?
I’ll be talking in future articles more about all that’s going in Butler County (and there’s a lot I really loved about my visit), but if we’re looking at things from the angle of a fall getaway in PA, I just don’t think the scenery here can be beat.
And I know I’m not alone in thinking that. I posted something on the travelingmitch Facebook page with a few photos I took of the fall colours in Moraine State Park and it went downright viral.
All said and done that post was shared nearly a thousand times and reached about 110,000 people. And you know what? It deserves that kind of attention.
These days, any chance that we can get to separate for a moment from the routine and monotony of our daily lives should be taken. Whether you’re in Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Toronto, taking a journey to a place like Moraine State Park and Butler County gives you a chance to reset and reflect.
It was awfully hard for me to care about what was bothering me the week prior while riding a paddle board on Lake Arthur, I’ll tell you that much. And, I don’t do it as much as I would like, but there’s something special about hiking on your own, and just having your own conversation with the forest and the trees - and just noticing those striking autumn leaves.
I want to humbly thank Butler County for hosting me as media. All opinions are completely my own. Below, I’d love to know in the comments if you’ve visited Butler County, Pennsylvania or just the state of Pennsylvania in general - If you’ve got any other fall destinations you think are worth visiting in the US as well, let me know! I personally respond to each and every comment.