Presque Isle State Park

Best for: Flat trails, water views, dogs and families

Presque Isle State Park is the most popular state park in Pennsylvania for a reason: in addition to the 13 miles of beaches, it offers several trails, ranging from very short connector trails to a 13-mile paved multipurpose trail that encircles the park. If you want to get off the beaten path and walk in nature a mile or so, Dead Pond Trail (two miles), Long Pond Trail (one mile) and the Sidewalk Trail (one mile) are solid out-and-back trails near the top of the park that are marked with signage and are easily accessible from the road/multipurpose trail. See a PISP trail map here.

Location: Millcreek
Trail Surface: Paved, Dirt
Parking: Paved, Free
Leashed Dogs Allowed
Restrooms Available Throughout the Park

Erie Bluffs State Park

Best for: Flat trails, water views

Erie Bluffs State Park, is Erie County’s other state park, located 17 miles west of the City of Erie. This 587-acre park is a wilder, less-developed area with a mile of shoreline and 90-foot bluffs overlooking Lake Erie.  The park has a total of 5.16 miles of trails that are made up of several short trails that connect at various points, so you can easily string several small trails together for a longer hike. There is ample parking at the main entrance and portable toilets and lake access at the nearby Elk Creek access entrance. See an Erie Bluffs trail map here.

Location: Lake City
Trail Surface: Dirt
Parking: Dirt, Free
Leashed Dogs Allowed
No Restrooms

Wintergreen Gorge

Best for: Intermediate hiking, waterfalls

If you’re looking for a hike that’s a little more strenuous, head to “The Gorge.” The Wintergreen Gorge is a 4,000-foot long, 250-foot-wide chasm on the edge of the campus of Penn State University Behrend Campus that is estimated to have been formed at the end of the last ice age, as melting water formed a meandering path to Lake Erie. Wintergreen Gorge Trail is a 2.3-mile out-and-back trail that travels along Fourmile Creek in the gorge for the first half mile and then up through the woods for the second half mile before summitting at a picturesque overlook, known locally as the Devil’s Backbone. Though the trail is not blazed, it’s easy to follow the wide, main path. There are no restrooms, but there is interpretive signage and plenty of parking at the Cooper Road entrance. See a map of Wintergreen Gorge Trail here.

Location: Harborcreek
Trail Surface: Boardwalk, Dirt, Aggregate Trail Surface
Parking: Paved, Free
Leashed Dogs Allowed
No Restrooms

Asbury Woods

Best for: Flat trails, families

Asbury Woods is a 234-acre nature center west of Erie, featuring fields, forests, wetlands, and more than 5 miles of wooded and well-maintained trails that traverse through them. The longest, The Greenway Trail, 2.2 miles, crosses Walnut Creek, and is anchored by the Asbury Woods Nature Center and Brown’s Farm on each end. A highlight of this trail is the Grandmother Tree: a red maple that is estimated to be nearly a century old.  Asbury Woods Nature Center offers animal exhibits, information, restrooms, and a gift shop. There are also picnic pavilions and play areas for children.  See an Asbury Woods trail map here.

Location: Millcreek
Trail Surface: Boardwalk, Dirt
Parking: Paved, Free
Leashed Dogs Allowed
Restrooms Available

Headwaters Park

Best for: Geocaching, easy interstate access, dogs and families

Headwaters Park is a hidden gem, an oasis of nature on thirty-five acres tucked into an industrial park in Millcreek. So named because it is the start of the headwaters of Mill Creek, you’ll find nearly three miles of trails on this parcel of nature covered with mature hardwoods, native grasses, wildflowers, and more.  There is interpretive signage, a boardwalk over the wetlands, an accessible stream for fossil hunting, ample parking, picnic tables, and portable toilets. See a map of Headwaters Park trails here.

Location: Greene Township
Trail Surface: Dirt
Parking: Paved, Free
Leashed Dogs Allowed
No Restrooms