Waterfalls, Lakes and Forest Trails
Ricketts Glen State Park extends across Columbia, Luzerne and Sullivan Counties and covers 13,193 acres. In the Glens Natural Area, the 7.2-mile Falls Trail System passes 21 free-flowing waterfalls, including 94-foot Ganoga Falls. The Glens Natural Area is designated a National Natural Landmark. The terrain on the Falls Trail is steep and slippery; sturdy footwear is recommended.
Briar Creek Lake offers another way to enjoy nature: this 51-acre impoundment is in Columbia County and is intended for public fishing and boating. It is designated as a stocked trout water; the fishing season is open year-round.
Fishing Creek offers another perspective on the county’s waterways: it runs through Columbia County from north to south and is considered one of Pennsylvania’s best trout streams. Briar Creek Lake is designated as a stocked trout water with a year-round fishing season; Fishing Creek runs through Columbia County from north to south and is considered one of Pennsylvania’s best trout streams.
In southern Columbia County, the Roaring Creek Tract of Weiser State Forest covers 9,020 acres. It has about 40 miles of shared-use trails for hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. This extends the range of activities mentioned beyond hiking on the Falls Trail.
Museums and Regional History
The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum features more than 50 interactive exhibits, games and activities for visitors ages 1 to 101. The Eastern Woodlands Longhouse exhibit shows how Indigenous peoples of Pennsylvania lived in the past. This is a specific historical topic within the broader interactive offering.
The free, rotating museum exhibits at the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society offer a different perspective. They cover the county’s history as well as its businesses, people and objects. While the Longhouse exhibit focuses on a specific topic, the society’s exhibits change their focus over time.
Central Pennsylvania’s agricultural history is also associated with a distinctive museum name: the Bartlow Prototype International Harvester Dealership Building Museum in Millville, Pennsylvania, is a unique part of this history.
Covered Bridges on Two Scales
Columbia County alone has 19 covered bridges. The East & West Paden Bridges, known as “The Twin Bridges,” are one of only two bridge groups of this kind in the country. A free brochure about the covered bridges in Columbia and Montour Counties covers all 25 bridges in the region. It also includes a detailed driving map with turn-by-turn directions. This clearly distinguishes the county’s 19 bridges from the larger number covered by the regional brochure.
Discover more destinations: Orangeville, Bloomsburg, Mifflinville, Lime Ridge, Centralia, Berwick, Numidia, Allegheny.
For the main travel overview: Pennsylvania.
