This Pennsylvania State Park Is A Best-Kept Secret With Woodland Campsites, Trails, And A Sandy Beach

Allegheny National Forest covers more than 500,000 acres of Northwestern Pennsylvania's Allegheny Plateau. With two rivers and roughly 200 miles of hiking trails winding through its hardwood forest, it's a popular spot to enjoy the outdoors, attracting upwards of 900,000 visitors every year. That popularity can be a drawback for those who want a quieter, more secluded place to enjoy nature. Luckily, the seven state parks located around Allegheny National Forest give visitors access to similar sights and activities without the crowds, and Chapman State Park is a prime example.

Chapman State Park is in Warren County, at the northwestern corner of the region known as the Pennsylvania Wilds. This area contains some of Pennsylvania's most underrated nature destinations, and Chapman State Park definitely qualifies. While it sees a spike in visitors during events like its annual Winterfest, it's not as well-known as the adjacent national forest, making it a place where you can find a calm, uncrowded spot to hike, camp, or fish most of the year.

If you live outside of driving distance, the best way to get to Chapman State Park is flying into a nearby city and driving from there. Erie is the closest city with a commercial airport, about 70 miles away, and it's about 100 miles south of Buffalo or about 140 miles north of Pittsburgh. Once you arrive, you'll find lots of ways to enjoy the extensive wild landscapes of Chapman State Park, whether you want to wander its trails or take a dip in Chapman Lake.

Chapman State Park is about 25 miles west of the forest-shrouded Longhouse National Scenic Byway, and offers a similarly wild landscape to what you'll see driving that route. Within the park's 862 acres, you'll find open meadows, dense forests, and rugged hills crossed by 14 miles of trails. Some extend into the Allegheny National Forest or nearby game lands, like the 6-mile Game Lands Road, a flat trail that runs through State Game Lands 29. For a more challenging hike, you can take the Adams Run Trail loop to Hunters Ridge Trail, a 2.75-mile hilly trail that's ideal for spotting wildlife. For scenic views of Chapman Lake, the Warming Hut Trail runs along the shore to an overlook above the dam.

Just south of Chapman Lake is the Chapman State Park campground, which has a few options for overnight visitors. Most of the 82 campsites can be used for tent or RV camping, though there are 12 tent-only walk-to sites that offer a bit more seclusion. Most of the campsites have an electric hookup, and the majority along the Upper Loop have a full hookup. There are also cottages and yurts available that have electric heat and bunk beds.

The best time to visit Chapman State Park depends on your interests. The campground is open from April through December. Birders will likely want to visit during the spring, when the park attracts dozens of species of migrating songbirds like warblers and vireos. Many hikers enjoy coming in the fall, when the woods put on a vibrant foliage display. In the winter, there are 4.4 miles of cross-country skiing trails, along with a seven-acre sledding hill and ice skating rink on the park's western side, so there's something to enjoy here in every season.

The 68-acre Chapman Lake within Chapman State Park opens up even more outdoor activities for visitors. From late May through September, you can swim at the sandy beach near the picnic area, north of the campground. If you get hungry, the beach has a snack bar that's open during the summer (or you can take a quick jaunt to the charming city of Warren, about 10 miles north). There is also a boat rental near the beach that's open in the summer. Or, if you brought your own, electric motorboats and human-powered watercraft can use the boat launch on the lake's western shore.

Anglers can cast their line along the shore, at the boat launch, or from the fishing pier near the dam on the eastern shore. The lake is stocked with trout in the spring and winter, and is also home to species like yellow perch, sunfish, bluegill, and largemouth bass. For river fishing, you can head to Allegheny National Forest or nearby spots like the scenic borough of Tidioute along the Allegheny River.

While summer is the best season for swimming and boating, Chapman Lake offers the same all-year entertainment as the rest of Chapman State Park. This includes ice fishing. You can catch trout and perch all year, though keep in mind ice thickness isn't monitored, so you'll want to bring an auger to make sure it's safe. You can also ice skate on the lake once it freezes over. The Warren County Winterfest that happens every February takes place around Chapman Lake, and includes an ice fishing tournament and a Polar Bear Plunge from the beach, along with activities like a mountain bike ride and chili cook-off.