Forgotten Asset. A Hike Through Ryerson State Park

9/24/2018

By Ben McMillen

I have many childhood memories of Ryerson State Park located in Wind Ridge, PA. Most of them revolve around the now permantly drained lake. Fishing, paddle boats, picnics, and a few trips to the public pool were yearly events for my family.

The main attraction of course was the Lake. When they drained the lake due to a failing dam I lost interest in Ryerson. However, I found a new way to experience the park. Something I have never done at Ryerson. Hiking!

I'm use to driving hours to find good hiking and backpacking areas. I admit I never really thought about hiking through Ryerson until now. So I grabbed my camera and hit the trails to see what I've been missing.

Even though it rained the whole time it was an amazing trip. I walked 4 miles out of the 13 miles of trails the park has to offer. Plenty of exploring left for another day hike or two. It really is a nice trail system and I plan on going back very soon.

TIPS: Cell service is pretty limited so be sure to grab a trail map at the trail head. Parts of the trail were pretty muddy so boots might be a good idea.

Enjoy the photos!