Home to millions of acres of unspoiled forests and mountains as well as the largest free-roaming elk herd in the eastern United States, the Pennsylvania Wilds region is comprised of 13 distinct and beautiful counties, each with its own unique heritage, character, charm, and outdoor adventure. This region is where visitors can find breathtaking views; thousands of miles of waterways, including close to 2,100 wild trout streams and 100 boat launches; more than 1,600 miles of trails and plenty of wildlife. In between are lovely tucked-away towns that always welcome visitors with a friendly smile. The Pennsylvania Wilds is the perfect place to relax and truly get away to a simply gorgeous landscape. www.pawilds.com
Elk Country Visitor Center
Benezette
www.elkcountryvisitorcenter.com
Located on 245 acres within the heart of Pennsylvania's elk range and within the Elk State Forest, the Elk Country Visitor Center is the premier elk watching and conservation education facility in the entire eastern United States. The 8,400-square foot, eco-friendly building has a stone fireplace to greet visitors, a “Great Room" with ceilings supported by large wooden trusses and large windows looking out on elk viewing areas and food plots. Interpretive exhibits, including the 4-D story theater, immerse visitors in the sights, sounds and smells of a mixed hardwood forest, the natural world of the elk and native wildlife, and the heritage of the region.
Kinzua Sky Walk
Mt. Jewett
https://visitanf.com/kinzua-sky-walk-kinzua-bridge-state-park/
An engineering marvel and historical masterpiece, the original Kinzua Viaduct was once the highest and longest viaduct in the world when completed in 1882. In 2003, the bridge was struck by a tornado and in mere seconds, 11 of its 20 towers were tossed onto the valley floor. Using six restored towers of the original viaduct, the Kinzua Sky Walk officially opened in September 2011 in Kinzua State Park as a pedestrian walkway with a partial glass floor that extends out into the Kinzua Gorge, giving guests the opportunity to “walk the tracks across the sky." In addition, the state park features the steep and challenging Kinzua Creek Trail where experienced hikers can trek down the side of the gorge and view the fallen towers from the valley floor.
Pine Creek Gorge
Wellsboro
https://www.visitpottertioga.com/attractions/pennsylvania-grand-canyon
Pine Creek Gorge, commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is surrounded by approximately 165,000 acres of the Tioga State Forest and buttressed by Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks, offering hiking trails, waterfalls, and scenic vistas with spectacular views of the glacially-carved canyon. Camping, biking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling opportunities abound throughout the year.
Cherry Springs State Park
Coudersport
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/CherrySpringsStatePark/Pages/default.aspx
Cherry Springs State Park is Pennsylvania's first Official Dark Sky Park and considered one of the best places in the northeastern United States for amateur stargazing. Set atop a mountain, Cherry Springs State Park boasts a 300- by 600-foot observation field with a 360-degree view of the sky. Under ideal conditions, visitors can see the Milky Way and more than 6,000 stars blanketing the sky from horizon to horizon, as well as satellites and the planets and moons of our solar system.
Route 6
Named by both Country Living magazine and National Geographic as "one of America's most scenic drives," US Route 6 in Pennsylvania is the heart of the American Dream. This magical and tranquil highway along the Keystone State's northern tier is 400-plus miles of history and heritage, small-town culture, friendly people, and wondrous sights too often forgotten.
Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
Galeton
Nestled in the wooded mountains of Potter County, the museum invites visitors to discover the courageous yet reckless spirit of Pennsylvania’s lumbering past while learning to care for the forests of the future. Built in the 1930s, the museum has more than 3,000 artifacts and objects, including a re-created early 20th-century lumber camp, a 1912 Shay-geared logging locomotive, Barnhart Log Loader, a log cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the steam-powered sawmill that is run three times a year.
Hyner View State Park
Hyner
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/HynerViewStatePark/Pages/default.aspx
This park is known for hang gliding and an impressive scenic vista overlooking the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The focal point of the park is an overlook wall constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Rock Hill Fossil Site is located just a bit northwest of the park and is where some of the oldest tetrapods in North America dating from the Devonian Period have been found.
Zippo/Case Museum
Bradford
The Zippo/Case Museum is where fans and collectors from across the globe gather to experience the rich history of these two icons of American craftsmanship. The Museum features four exhibits allowing guests to explore Zippo’s contributions to the American effort in WWII and glance back in time to when the Zippo lighter featured prominently in the Hollywood spotlight. The 15,000 square foot attraction includes the world-famous Zippo Repair Clinic and Zippo/Case Store. A 40-foot Zippo lighter with pulsating neon flame and an enormous Case Canoe, three-bladed pocketknife welcome visitors and tower over the entrance.
World of Little League®: Peter J. McGovern Museum
Williamsport
https://www.littleleague.org/world-of-little-league/
The Peter J. McGovern Museum is filled with the history and excitement of Little League Baseball and Softball. From its small beginnings in 1939 as a three-team league, to today’s millions of participants from around the globe, the museum is a tribute to Little League past and present. The museum first opened in 1982 and reopened after major renovations on June 6, 2013, kicking off a 14-month celebration of Little League’s 75th Anniversary of the first Little League game played in 1939.
The Weather Discovery Center
Punxsutawney
The Weather Discovery Center provides fun and interactive hands-on exhibits where visitors can explore and understand the science behind all sorts of weather phenomena. Located in the beautiful and historic former post office in downtown Punxsutawney, the “Weather Capital of the World," there is no better place to explore the technology and folklore behind predicting and studying the weather.
Pennsylvania Wilds Artisan Trail
https://pawilds.com/made-pa-wilds/
The Pennsylvania Wilds is home to an impressive and extensive community of skilled artisans, craftspeople, and producers whose work reflects the region’s beauty, bounty, and rural traditions. Whether you’re looking for a unique gift for that special someone, custom jewelry for yourself, or a one-of-a-kind decoration to spruce up your home, you’ll find “Made in the PA Wilds” artwork and crafts on display at their flagship shop at Kinzua Bridge State Park and at Leonard Harrison State Park, as well as an online shopping option.