Natural Area Glens
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Natural Area Glens is a state park located in Pennsylvania that offers visitors a variety of outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, and picnicking.
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Summary
There are many reasons to visit the park, including the stunning waterfalls, rock formations, and diverse plant life. Visitors can also explore the historic mills and homes along the trails.
One of the main attractions of Natural Area Glens is the waterfalls. The park has four waterfalls, including Ganoga Falls, which is the highest waterfall in Pennsylvania. The park also has several rock formations, including the Red Rock and Rock Garden.
Natural Area Glens is home to a diverse range of plant life, including rare and endangered species. Visitors can see trees such as the eastern hemlock, sugar maple, and American beech. The park also has a variety of wildlife, including black bears, deer, and coyotes.
The best time to visit Natural Area Glens is during the spring or fall when the weather is mild and the foliage is beautiful. However, the park is open year-round, and visitors can enjoy winter activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Overall, Natural Area Glens is a beautiful and unique park that offers visitors a chance to explore the natural beauty of Pennsylvania. With its waterfalls, rock formations, and diverse plant life, it is a must-visit destination for nature lovers.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
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