Weekend Hiking at Ricketts Glen ❄️

Spent this weekend camping with Mark's family at Ricketts Glen State Park. It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen, with over 22 waterfalls and 13 acres out a few hours from Baltimore, in Pennsylvania. We did this same trip in April last year, when it was warmer. This time, there was still snow on the ground, but it was nice to see the woods in a different way, and feel the crunch under our feet.



Mark and I love road trips, and had stocked up on three different brands of bottled tea (honey green tea and half tea half lemonade varietals), beef jerky, and Gardetto's (the only brand of trail mix that doesn't need spin-offs- it's perfect). The hours pass quickly with the radio on intermittently and some dancing, sometimes a podcast, and enjoying the scenery.



We drove along the Susquehanna River for a while, which empties into the Chesapeake Bay. It was early morning, so the sun was just rising, and you could see a little fishing boat here or there on the water. The sun dappled the road ahead of us, and we couldn't resist taking a few photos of the open horizon. Lots of cute little houses out there and farmland. Some antique stores. When you finally get to the park- there's a very steep road right before getting to the campgrounds- so if you ever go, it can be a surprise.



The cabin had electricity and running water. I never grew up camping, so a few tips I've learned through Mark's family are- keep a burn box (of items that can go in the fire), and a recycling box (plastic water bottles mostly). Set the thermostat to 60, because it'll get more than hot enough in the rooms- and pack extra socks.



We walked to Lake Jean for a bit, then did a hike that was around 7 miles through the trails. Had dinner and played a card game called 'Mille Borne' that I really enjoyed. Mark's mom makes meals that I wonder at because of the volume and variety that are still safe enough choices for 8 people.



There are so many memories that I don't write about, but I just get the feeling this was an important one. I was drawing on some of our experiences from the year before to inform how to pack and what to expect- and I expect I'll do the same referencing if we make a trip like this in the future. And if anyone reading this has more information or finds the above useful, all the better.