Season Visited: Summer
Trail Length: 7.2-mile loop
Time to Hike: Approximately 5 hours if you're taking the time to stop and marvel at the falls
Difficulty Level: The PA State Parks website classifies this trail as "Most Difficult Hiking." I disagree and give it a 4.
Falls Trail is an absolutely amazing trail. It's my favorite trail in Pennsylvania, and is also one of my top five favorite trails anywhere. I've hiked it twice and it's now become a yearly tradition, with my friends and family joining me to hike it in July or August each year. It's long, but there's plenty of places to rest by the falls and it's worth every step.
Along the trail you'll see no less than 21 beautiful waterfalls, hence the name. Waterfalls are my favorite thing to see on a hiking trail, so you can understand why this trail is a delight for me. Few things are more rewarding than a beautiful waterfall after a long hike, and you get to see 21 of them along this trail! Of course, beauty like this has not gone unnoticed, and the trail is often very crowded. However, my naturally anti-social self has never found this to be unpleasant or restricting. Even on a weekend in the dead of summer I've still been able to find a parking spot at one of the trailheads and have been able to get pictures of the falls without people in them, although getting these shots requires patience. Still, I'd come hike this trail for the beauty of the falls even if it was twice as crowded. Combine that with the fact that the trail itself makes you feel very adventurous with steep rock steps and only a few feet between you and the falls and you've come close to the perfect trail. The park is also filled with hundreds of gorgeous wild butterflies. What more could you ask for?!
A group of red-spotted purple butterflies.
Here's a link to some information regarding hiking at Ricketts Glen.
There's more than one trailhead to get onto Falls Trail. I've tried two, and I definitely have a preference. This map shows the locations of the waterfalls on the trail. There is parking on the north side (up past Onandaga, I think) and the south side (by Murray Reynolds.) Without a doubt, you should park closest to Murray Reynolds, at the bottom of the Y-shape that the trail makes. I've done it both ways and the trail is far more enjoyable if you do it this way. Since you're making a loop, you will both start and end with Murray Reynolds.
From there you'll make your way past Sheldon Reynolds and Harrison Wright, coming to a fork in the trail (called Waters Meet), a large sign with a map on it, and a wooden bridge. You can go either left or right at the fork (I think left is actually more like going straight), and I recommend going right first, so that you come to Wyandot instead of Erie. I've done Falls Trail in both directions, and I suggest this one for two reasons. First, it is much, much easier to go right than left because you'll spend less time doing steep uphill hiking on the slippery rock steps of the trail. Second, this way allows you to see the highest and most spectacular waterfall later on in your journey. It's kind of like saving the best for last.
When you turn right at Waters Meet, you'll see eight waterfalls before you come to the halfway point, which is the Midway Crevasse. Here are some of them.
This one is tons of fun to climb, but be careful. It's slippery!
Midway Crevasse itself is fascinating, and offers a nice break from the rushing water. It's a really cool rock formation and is lots of fun to climb on. Listen for the hauntingly beautiful songs of thrushes singing in the woods around the rocks. Also watch out for snakes!
On the last leg on your journey you'll see 10 more waterfalls, including the 94' Ganoga Falls. Have fun climbing around them, and don't be too shy to go for a swim if you wear your suit under your clothes, which you should!
Ganoga Falls
My sister and me at Ganoga.
After you come back through Waters Meet, you'll be right back where you started. Retrace your steps through Harrison, Sheldon, and Murray, and you'll find your way back to the parking lot.
If you want to see a video a friend of mine made when he went with me to Ricketts Glen, you can watch it here.
Enjoy your hike, and keep wandering.
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