5 INCREDIBLE Pennsylvania State Park Campgrounds! // Bucket List RV Trip

Join us on a 1,200 mile journey from Ohio through Pennsylvania for a 6 day 5 night RV camping trip at five different State Park campgrounds to celebrate our 25th wedding aniversary. We stayed at Laural Hill SP, French Creek SP, Hickory Run SP, Ricketts Glen SP and Cook State Forest Ridge Campgrounds. We visited Longwood Gardens, the Mutter Museum, Hickory Run Boulder Field, Ricketts Glen Falls Trail with dozens of amazing waterfalls, the Kinzua Bridge, and a stop in Allegheny National Forest for a quick visit to a section of the North Country Trail to collect my resupply bag I had left behind two weeks prior during a 100 mile backpacking challenge on the NCT in the ANF.
0:00-0:58 Intro
0:58-2:11 Laural Hill SP and driving to Longwood Gardens
2:11-3:37 Longwood Gardens
3:37-4:59 French Creek SP and driving to the Mutter Museum
4:59-5:49 Change of plans, heading to Hickory Run SP
5:49-8:06 RV mishap/disasterous mess
8:06-10:40 Hickory Run SP
10:40-14:13 Boulder Field at Hickory Run SP
14:13-18:31 Historic town of Jim Thorpe
18:31-19:35 Hooking up and dumping at Hickory Run SP
19:35-20:29 Arrival to Ricketts Glen SP
20:29-24:24 Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen SP
24:24-26:23 Ricketts Glen SP campsite 75
26:23-28:23 Driving to PA Lumber Museum
28:23-32:25 PA Lumber Museum tour
32:25-34:58 Kinzua Bridge
34:58-36:51 Picking up my resupply bag left behind at Aleghenny 100 mile race
36:51-42:21 Cook State Forest Ridge Campground site 64
42:21-43:28 Closing comments

[@bertkelly7650]

We're too old to walk Rickets Glenn, thanks for showing the falls! That was a great trip. We are from PA, stayed and or visited most of the ones you went to on the east side. Still wanting to go to the west side of PA.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much for watching and glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully you'll get a chance to visit some areas in the Western side.

[@joelcarminati7822]

Nice anniversary camping trip. If I was on that camping trip it would rain everyday.😂

[@jasonwish-]

Hahahaha, yeah we really lucked out with the weather and bugs...could not have been any better, thanks Joel!

[@jesserevilla992]

Congrats on your 25th Anniversary 🌅 Seeing the opening to your Vlog; I notice your TT has Twin Beds; how cool. I like that you film while towing and seeing your rig in the background lol doesn’t get more real than that! Thanks for including the campsites and your rig; talking to us with a campfire etc .. many simply don’t do this.

[@jasonwish-]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video! My style is bit more like a vlog sometimes since I’m normally filming my backpacking and kayaking adventures. We love the two twin beds and it can be a king if we put the insert in but it’s just easier to get in and out of bed just keeping it out. I appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@jasonscardshop]

In your travels, you definitely have it to check out Green River Lake State Park in Kentucky. Definitely worth the drive from Dayton rent a pontoon boat on the lake at the marina and kayak the green river. It’s beautiful country.

[@jasonwish-]

I just looked it up, looks like a really cool area! Thanks!

[@haroldsams-hs]

Awesome! gonna have to check these out, you did a great job on the video thanks for sharing, and Happy Anniversary to you and your wife! may god bless you with many many more

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much Harold! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@kellyohara806]

Jason, my husband and I are so glad that you and your wife enjoyed your time in Pennsylvania! We enjoy your content. My husband and I are from PA, and one of the things we really enjoy is being able to get away from technology while camping. It is wonderful to NOT have the cell phone ring. In addition, cell coverage brings cell towers that mar the landscape and ruin the sense of being in nature.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Kelly, glad you guys enjoy my content. I realize most people want to disconnect from tech when out camping but like I said in the video, we have to have it available in order to stay in contact with our employees back home running our business when we are away. But you are right about the cell towers, at least we didn't see any wind turbines like we see going up all around Ohio, its terrible!

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Wow man what a trip! Happy belated anniversary to you and your wife. Really cool boulder field and water falls. On the comment about cell service I’ve been pleasantly surprised that WV has really been working at having Wi-Fi available at a lot of their state campgrounds. The state has been really stepping up as they’ve seen that it brings in the tourists.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks AJ! We have a 3 day trip to Audra SP in WV next week! We are going to visit the Trans-Allegheny Lunitic Asylum in Weston! Hopefully there is cell service, lol

[@JourneyontheTrail]

@@jasonwish- we love Audra!! Beautiful little park. Hopefully you got a site near the river. There’s a descent small hiking trail there as well with nice views.

[@jasonwish-]

@@JourneyontheTrail not right on the river but close as those are non electric sites and we need to be able to have our AC for leaving our dog in the camper when we go to Weston....we will be in site 7 which I believe is right across the road from the river, and it has internet!

[@JourneyontheTrail]

@@jasonwish- 7 should be a good one! We usually stay close to there in the non electric tent site 6 or 10.

[@jamesosborne5950]

Looks like a great Time and the waterfalls were real nice . Great adventure

[@jasonwish-]

Hey James, thanks for watching our adventure, I appreciate it!

[@freddonelson5505]

Love Pennsylvania! Looked like a great trip! You have to talk your wife about showing up in at least a couple of shots!!😊😊 Thanks for sharing!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Fred! I did catch her feet and calves walking with the dog once....that is my allowable limit, lol! PA is awesome in so many ways, can't wait to go back again!

[@trailwalker19]

Really enjoyed the places you were able to visit. Happy belated anniversary to you both! I really liked the waterfalls and was glad your drybag was still there...

[@jasonwish-]

Thank you!! So many great memories on that trip...can't wait to get back out there soon!

[@DMSAdventures]

Great adventure Mr Wish!! I've only ever driven through PA but never stayed. Looks spectacular! Glad your bag was there! The wife and i just had our 23rd a couple months ago well have to plan something equally epic for our 25th in 2025! Thanks for taking us along!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Mark! There is some amazing backpacking in PA, hopefully you'll get a chance to make it over there one of these days! During the winter when things have slowed on the farm we are hoping to visit one the Bahama Islands like Eluthera or Exuma for a more exotic aniversary adventure....and to cellebrate my 50th!! Thanks for watching!

[@stephenhiker9807]

Super cool trip thru Pa! You made the most of it. Couldn't have planned it better myself.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks! A second day at each state park would have been nice but at least we got to still see a lot of PA!

[@stephenhiker9807]

@@jasonwish- the best state Park is cherry springs to do the stargazing. You're officially an honorary Pennsylvania resident, JW

[@jasonwish-]

@@stephenhiker9807 I've been by Cherry Springs twice...basically just a big open field but I'm sure its awesome for star gazing. Both times I stayed in the Cherry Springs fire tower cabin for both of my FKT attempts on the STT. Thanks!

[@teresap.5991]

I'm from Southwest Pennsylvania and I love all the parks we have here. Thanks for sharing your trip with us, I thoroughly enjoyed it❤. So happy your bag was still in the tree😂. Now comes the question, have you ever seen or heard a Sasquatch?I had an experience at Laurel hill state pk 2 yrs ago whilst camping there I wont forget.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks, we will definitely be back for some more PA camping thats for sure! We thought we heard a squatch throwing rocks in a river near us once but found out several years later that it was just ticked off beaver diving down that made a similar sound.

[@teresap.5991]

Cool! I truly hope you never see one or experienced anything because it ruined tent camping for me forever. If I had a trailer I would be fine.

[@jasonwish-]

@@teresap.5991 whether they exist or not it doesn't bother me. I've spent hundreds of nights and thousands of miles in the backcountry backpacking with many hours of night hiking and I love it.

[@teresap.5991]

@@jasonwish- just remember one thing if u ever do. Tell it to leave in the name of Jesus. I'm a Christian and everyone says that they obey that. Ok, I won't bug u anymore. Lol. Going to watch another video u made now. I finally got some wireless earbuds 😂

[@AJKPenguin]

Ah, Kinzua (Kin Zoo) : ) What an awesome 25th anniversary. Never heard of a French Creek in Southeastern PA. I do love the one in the Northwest.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Adam! Yeah, I can't believe I was pronouncing Kinzua wrong, lol

[@talldude5841]

Another wonderful video Jason. Great editing by the way. We used to camp as a small child with my family of 8 in our family tent in many places in PA. I mostly remember Wakins St. park. Hey, I remember my grandfather telling us that he seen Jim Thorp play football for the Canton Bulldogs back in the mid 1920's. They were one of the first pro football teams. He said the Jim would sign autographs for 50 cents before, during and after the game.

[@jasonwish-]

Cool story about Jim Thorpe! Wow, a family of 8 in a tent, you must have had very patient parents! Thanks for checking out the video!

[@johnnybird]

fantastic video!! i definitely marked down some of those state parks and camp sites for future camping!! thanks for making the video!

[@jasonwish-]

It's always nice to get comments like this, thanks! Hope you have a great season of camping!

[@cgriggsiv]

Another awesome video that you give us I also was there at that train track trussell that was damaged beyond belief due to the tornado that ripped through it Me Dorothy her husband we were there and we even hike down to the bottom I did get some amazing photographs on 35 mm film But somehow someway they were lost due to negligence Another reason why I'm so glad I'm now using dlsr cameras

[@jasonwish-]

Really cool area for sure...too bad about the film! Thanks CG!

[@berniebroering7438]

Boulder Field definately gives credence to the affectionate term "Rocksylvania"! Cheers!

[@jasonwish-]

Yes it does! I heard from another commenter that there is an ultra race that goes through that boulder field...incredilble!

[@annarmartin2713]

Thanks for the information that I was able to fill in on some parks I had questions about. Jim Thorpe is a beautiful mountain town that we spent a week end in some years ago.

[@jasonwish-]

You’re welcome, glad to hear that the video was helpful, thanks for watching.

[@brianogden9076]

God bless ya. Thank you for the awesome content

[@jasonwish-]

You bet! Thanks for watching!

[@jacobpoucher]

cool to see you at cook forest i go there all the time i know all the good spots in the area

[@jasonwish-]

That forsest is awesome! and I will be back there next week when I run the Allegheny 100 on the NCT again...hoping to break the 30 hr mark and establish an FKT on it. No one else in the A100 challenge has ever broken 30 hours in all these years. My camper will be at Ridge campground again for three nights.

[@jacobpoucher]

@@jasonwish- nice, yea it is at the southern terminus pretty much. The old growth forest is cool I recommend the cathedral or old loggers path.

[@jacobpoucher]

@@jasonwish- if you want dinner after your ftk cousin basil's or the gateway lodge are both good. I think I'll be in wv rafting upper gualey in a week

[@jasonwish-]

@@jacobpoucher enjoy the jgualey! and thanks for the recommendations!

[@mountainsintomemories]

What an itinerary! We’ve been trying to get into Hickory Run, but it always seems to be booked. Looks like you got lucky with a beautiful site, bonus points for the Mountain Laurel! We did do the falls trail at Ricketts Glen over the summer. It’s a magical place no doubt! Very overwhelming though just because of the number of waterfalls and the difficulty of the trail. We have a site at Cook Forest booked for this summer which I’m really excited about. The Allegheny National Forest is one of my favorite places! Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting! We had so much fun, especially bringing along our furry friend. We would prefer to stay for two nights at each campground but with only a week available and all the places we wanted to visit it turns into a pretty fast paced trip with lots of driving. It’s kinda like going on a cruise, you get a little taste of all the different places and then you can pick your favorite to go back and visit again!

[@jasonwish-]

And yes, the Alleghenies and Cook are amazing!

[@mountainsintomemories]

@@jasonwish- I've been lucky enough to visit the Alleghenies on several occasions. Coincidentally, my upcoming series is backpacking the Minister Creek Trail. Somehow though, I've missed getting to Cook Forest, so I'm excited to get to see the old growth there!

[@jasonwish-]

@@mountainsintomemories i loved minister creek, backpacked it several years ago and also went through there while backpacking the 100 mile NCT section of the Alleghenies.

[@jasonwish-]

@@mountainsintomemories I just realized that I checked out your channel last fall when I was researching Blackwater Falls SP in WV...we ended up going to Audra SP instead but Blackwater Falls is on our list for this year! If you ever make it to Audra be sure to check out the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum! I did a full review of Audra SP too.

[@MrPmccormi]

Love the video… my first camping trip with my 3 daughters was Boulder field… never been to Rickets to see the falls but now it on my list. Thanks again for the informative video. Keep doing it

[@jasonwish-]

You are very welcome and thanks for the comment! Ricketts Glen is definitely worth a visit!

[@OldPackMule]

Yeah buddy! You're playing in my backyard. You picked some great parks. French creek has about 35 miles of trails. Too bad you didn't have time to explore. Ricketts Glen falls trail is epic. We're doing that when the leaves change. They do a trail race at Hickory Run every year which crosses the field! That's not the only place in PA that has a boulder field. We used to mountain bike the hills above Jim Thorpe. Going down the Maw Chunk railroad counterweight hill was always a white knuckle experience. Kinzua is an amazing site. Love the thick old growth pine trails at Cook Forest. If you get to Worlds End State Park you'll have to drive 5-10 miles just to get enough service to make a call. Loyalsock trail and forest are without service. Garmin was a welcome addition to my hiking gear.

[@jasonwish-]

We definitely needed a second day at most of those parks but we just didn't have the time with it being our busy farming season. I would love to see the Falls Trail in October, I bet it is spectacular! That trail race across the boulder field is crazy! Jim Thorpe was really cool, I could spend several days there, or better yet, live there! We had Worlds End SP on the list but just couldn't squeeze it in this time since it was just a little out of the way. Thanks for the great comment!

[@eprohoda]

salut,you shared professional done~ ;)

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks!

[@gniko5358]

should have visited the fire lookout tower right outside cooks camping area. I think they have a web camera to see the fall foliage change

[@jasonwish-]

We definitely didn't spend enough time at each campground...more reason to go back again!

[@mikehowell9053]

Best town

[@Julilop-mu6me]

Hi Jason ! I would like to know, to stay camping how much do you have to pay for the day?

[@cgriggsiv]

Secondly while you were in Pennsylvania did you get a hiking with Frozen

[@jasonwish-]

Frozen is a busy guy now with a wifey and kiddos! I'm sure we'll hit the trail again together one of these days.

[@cgriggsiv]

@@jasonwish- Yes he is a very very very busy young

[@RESTLESSOUTDOORS]

Chasing that baby fawn down the road... whats wrong with you!?!?! 😅

[@jasonwish-]

🤣 I knew it was just a matter of time before somebody pointed that out, and I should’ve known it would be you! At least I know you watch the whole video to see that four second segment ha ha. you were just waiting to nail me with something 😂

[@RESTLESSOUTDOORS]

Dude...seriously, that site in Cooks Forest looked legit! Happy 25th Anniversary you animal!

[@tangara7166]

The reason PA state parks are so nice is because they are out in the boonies with no cell service. Most of those communities don't have the money or infrastructure to get it done. Keep PA rural.

[@elenatlnt]

So it's your anniversary and you left the wife at home to clean up the apple juice, while you go walk around having fun. No wonder why she wants to go home, I would too. Got so upset about the story in my head as to why you left her I almost Unsubscribe. 😂😂 Have fun happy anniversary

[@jasonwish-]

Haha I didn’t leave, I helped her clean the entire thing up…I must have misspoke. Now once the bulk of it was cleaned up she wanted me and the dog out of the way so she could mop it really well, maybe that’s what it was. Anyways, thanks for not unsubscribing 😁

[@elenatlnt]

@@jasonwish- that's understandable Stay blessed

[@user-nm3pl8vy3w]

No!!! Don't need cell service in the parks.

[@jasonwish-]

I understand that many want to disconnect when camping but as a business owner with numerous employees on my farm when I’m out camping I have to be able to reach them so we look for state parks that have decent cell service or good Wi-Fi

[@jeffreyrockey9804]

Bro, do you really have a wife?

[@jasonwish-]

Lol, she will not allow me to put her on film in any way so it's either no wife in videos or no youtube.

[@rone7927]

It would be a better video if your wife was part of it.

[@jasonwish-]

Yes, I know, but unforutuately she will never allow me to put her on film...

[@Diana-sr5ub]

Not to good of a video. Would have like to see interaction between you and wife instead of you and the dog.

[@jasonwish-]

My wife does not ever want to be on camera

[@Julilop-mu6me]

Hi Jason ! I would like to know, to stay camping how much do you have to pay for the day?

[@Julilop-mu6me]

Hi Jason ! I would like to know, to stay camping how much do you have to pay for the day?

[@jasonwish-]

At State Park campgrounds it’s typically between $30-$40. At National Park campgrounds and Army Core of Engineer (COE) can often be free or less than $25. Private campgrounds can often be $50-$75 or even higher depending where it’s at.

[@Julilop-mu6me]

@@jasonwish- thanks 👍