Capsule Customs Travel

We had friends who visited Cherry Springs, PA a few years ago with their kids. Upon talking and finding out that Roe has a telescope and deep love for the stars we started planning a trip last winter. Fast forward late summer, here’s my post about our trip. My Google Maps Saved Bookmarks from the trip.

Cherry Springs is located in north central Pennsylvania and is famous for its incredibly dark skies—perfect for stargazing. It’s consistently rated as one of the top 7 spots in the U.S. for viewing the night sky. On a clear night, you can see up to 30,000 stars with a prime view of the nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy.

One of the highlights for me was capturing a photo of the clearest and closest view of the Big Dipper I’ve ever seen along with 3 shooting stars.

The park’s prime stargazing conditions come down to a few key factors. First, the observation field sits atop a 2,300-foot-high mountain, surrounded by mostly undeveloped state forest. Plus, nearby communities are tucked into valleys, which helps block light pollution from reaching the park.

Cherry Springs Camping: What to Expect

We booked a camping site through the state’s website. We highly recommend reserving in advance—this is a popular destination, especially during peak stargazing seasons.

At the Observation Field, only red lights are permitted to preserve night vision for stargazing. Down at the campground, white lights are technically allowed, but during our stay, nearly everyone stuck to red lights and kept fires minimal to maintain the dark-sky atmosphere.

We’re car campers, not backpackers, so Cherry Springs was ideal for our setup. You can park your car either in a designated space or pull it right up on the grass next to your site. The campsites were spacious, clean, and well-maintained. While there is a bathroom on site, note that there are no showers.

If you’re looking to freshen up, head to Lyman Run Lower Campgrounds at:
246 Lyman Run Rd, Galeton, PA 16922. They offer showers for $4, and it’s about a 15-minute drive from Cherry Springs.

We were genuinely happy with our stay at Cherry Springs Campground and would absolutely return. It’s a peaceful spot, and with a bit of driving, you can explore a variety of local activities that match your interests.

A few tips before your trip:

• Fill up your gas tank before arriving—Galeton was the closest town with a gas station during our trip.
• Within 25 miles of the campground, start looking for local firewood sold on the roadside (to prevent bringing in invasive pests).
• If you forget anything, there’s a Cherry Springs Campground Store about a mile from the campsite with basic supplies.

Local Highlight: Forest Edge Gift Shoppe 🐾 1456 US-6, Gaines, PA 16921
This charming little store is just a short drive from Cherry Springs and was one of our favorite surprise stops. The owner was incredibly kind, and the shop offers a wide variety of unique and thoughtful gifts.

But the real star of the show? Pumpkin the Cat—the store’s unofficial mascot and best-selling pin! Pumpkin is a super friendly cat who lounges right on the counter, expecting (and very much enjoying) a good pet while you check out.

Town: Coudersport

Coudersport is about a 20ish minute drive from Cherry Springs. We initially planned to visit the Ice Mine, but as is often the case when traveling on a Monday or Tuesday, many places were closed.

Coudersport Ice Mine: Although we didn’t get to visit, our friends had previously gone and said it was a cute little stop, especially for families with kids. It’s locally owned, and we always encourage supporting small businesses like this.

Admission: $5 adults / $2.50 children

Season: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day

Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

⛳ Gary’s Putter Golf & Jiffy Pup Restaurant: While in town, we stopped at Gary’s which offers a restaurant, mini golf course, gift shop, playground, paddle boating, gem mining, a zip line, and camping/cabin options.

Mini Golf: 27 holes

Admission: $6 adults / Kids 3 and under are free with a paying adult

Bonus: The price is a steal compared to Jersey rates!

Austin Dam: Another 15ish minutes away from Coudersport. The Austin Dam was built in 1909 and a few years later in 1911 failed resulting in 78 deaths; making it the second worst dam break in PA.

The site features a memorial plaque honoring the lives lost. One of the more remarkable stories involves Cora Brooks, the madam of a local brothel upstream, who reportedly warned the town and saved many lives.

The ruins themselves are hauntingly beautiful—exposed rebar, massive chunks of concrete, and tall remnants of the dam still standing. It’s both a history lesson and a fascinating spot to explore.

Hike to Bayless Pulp and Papermill Ruins: Its about a 3 mile round hike. Start walking away from the dam and towards campsites to find it. The trail is sometimes hard to follow because you may not know which way to go. We didn’t think it was well maintained and half the time we weren’t sure if we were even on the trail. But none the less we pushed through and continued our way to the Papermill. If you follow myhikes trail information, we did cross the creek and come across the old drainage culvert. Keep going and you reach the old observation tower and concrete building next to it. This is where we were vastly unprepared to go any further to explore. We puts around, took our photos, and headed our way back to the dam.

Town: Wellsboro/PA Grand Canyon:

Wellsboro is a 45ish minute drive from Cherry Springs. When looking at things to do, it popped up as a charming historic downtown that is close to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. We didn’t end up visiting the town but I can image the charm and quaint shops they have.

When we first plugged “Pennsylvania Grand Canyon” into the GPS it actually took us to the Colton State Park Overlook: Colton Rd, Wellsboro, PA 16901 West Rim and not the visitor center at Leonard Harrison State Park. The overlook at Colton was stunning—we had an amazing view. But the GPS route assumed we’d be hiking down into the canyon, crossing Pine Creek, and hiking back up to reach the visitor center… which wasn’t the plan. So please be mindful of that.

We also made a quick stop at the Pine Creek Overlook, which offered a unique angle to see the river winding below. Both spots are worth seeing, but if you’re heading straight to the visitor center, plug in: Leonard Harrison State Park East Rim. Thankfully it was only a 15ish minutes drive from the west rim to get there.

Leonard Harrison State Park East Rim:

Turkey Path Trail is a 2 mile round trip with switchbacks, scenic views, well maintained trail, and multiple waterfalls. Although there hadn’t been much rain during our visit, the waterfalls were still beautiful and peaceful.

This trail starts with many switchbacks and along it has built boardwalks and steps. The trail leads you to the bottom of the canyon, where Pine Creek flows. The way down is always easier than the way back up, when passing the many benches along the way you now understand why so many were built into the board walks. However, it’s very doable for all ages, families, and pets.

If you are interested in a different view, make your way to the Lookout Tower: Wellsboro, PA 16901. We decided to skip it because we were hungry after our hike and had no more snacks. Reviews mention the prices for the tower is $6 and a credit card is required to access.

The Yellow Basket Gift & Ice Cream Shop: was a much needed ice cream spot after our hike. This store offers locally made products, home decor items, unique gifts, and a large selection of Perry’s ice cream. The top item was the fire color pine cones. If I had known how good they were going to be, I would have bought all of them. If you are in the area, I highly recommend getting a stash of them.

🛣️ Roadside Ideas Between NJ & Cherry Springs:

Jackass Brewing Company: Lewisburg location.

Is just over the halfway point from our house to Cherry Springs. We stopped here for lunch and were blown away with their services, options, and food. They offer cocktails, mocktails, beer, and banging food options. Bonus for the fun names on the food menu. We enjoyed the pulled pork tacos, margherita flatbread, and big ass bowl of fries. We are not locals, but if passing I would make the attempt to stop to enjoy a meal here.

Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park:

Location: About 2 hours south of Cherry Springs
Detour: ~20 minutes off your route back to Jersey
Status: Totally worth it!

We passed signs for this place during a previous trip and finally made time for it—so glad we did. Penn’s Cave is America’s only all-water cavern, and the 45–50 minute tour is given entirely by boat.

• Open: Daily, rain or shine
• Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (tours depart on the hour)
• Tickets: Adults $25.50 / Children $15.50 / Discounts for seniors & veterans
• Tip: Book online 1–2 days in advance for best times
• Temp: 52°F year-round – bring a jacket or sweatshirt

We opted to just do the Cave Tour, but they offer a wildlife tour, miners maze for children, gemstone panning, gift shop, and Jeep mountain tour. This a huge tourist attraction and it is best to buy advance tickets online two days ahead of your trip. You can take as many photos as you want throughout the tour. The tour features stalactites, stalagmites, sculpted flowstone, curtains, cascades, and draperies against a background of pillars and gigantic columns.

This was easily one of the coolest experiences to do along the way. I will be recommending this to my friends in the area to keep in mind when traveling through PA.

Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland: We’ve made this pitstop on a previous camping trip and this can easily be made as a roadside stop through PA.

Tickets: Adults $20 / Kids (3–11) $16

Reptiland is a year round attraction with an indoor exhibit houses more than 40 species in recreated natural habitats. Looking through their FAQ’s they are an accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. They have maintained the status since 1986 by meeting these standards in training and education for employees and most importantly overall care of their animals.

They have an outdoor animatronic dinosaurs exhibit where you wander their prehistoric path as dinosaurs come to life. Their animatronic dinosaurs are life size, roar, spit, and bellow as you pass them. They create each one keeping them anatomically accurate based on current paleontological information.

This pitstop takes an about 1.5 to 2.5 hours length of time. This is really set to your pace as exhibits are self guided and the longer length is due to catching a program/show during your stay.

Final Thoughts:

Our trip to Cherry Springs was a perfect way to unplug and experience nature—and the stars—in a way that New Jersey just doesn’t offer. From breathtaking night skies to hidden gems and unexpected roadside stops; it truly felt like a magical escape. We discovered some unforgettable places along the way and made memories that will last. We’re already looking forward to our next visit—and hope this guide helps you plan your own adventure under the stars.