Day Tripper

Want to Take a Day Trip During the New Year? Here are 10 Places to Visit

Patch columnist Kathleeen Sauers spent 2011 traveling close to home.

1. McConnells Mill State Park is Great for Hiking, White-Water Rafting McConnells Mill State Park is only about an hour north of the area and is a great place to spend a day hiking, rock climbing, white-water rafting, having a picnic or just simply relaxing and enjoying nature. 'The World's Coolest Toy Store' is also a quick drive from the park. 2. Amish Cheeses, Wineries and More in Indiana County Indiana County is home to nearly 300 Old Order Amish families — and their food and crafts. 3. One of the Best Places to Star Gaze is a Short Drive from Pittsburgh Cherry Springs State Park's relatively remote location on top of a 2,300-foot high mountain and surrounding undeveloped state forest lands mean it has incredibly dark skies. In …

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Day Tripper Looks to the Stars in One of Best Stargazing Parks in U.S.

Cherry Springs State Park has received national attention because of its incredibly dark skies.

Now that the presents have been opened and you have a whole week ahead of you, we thought you might like some ideas about things to do. This Day Tripper rerun tells you about a great place to stargaze. Ask folks about Cherry Springs State Park and they'll probably tell you they've never heard of it – unless, of course, they are astronomers. One of the best places to stargaze in the country is within a few short hours from the Pittsburgh area at the park in Galeton, PA. Cherry Springs State Park recently received national recognition for its incredibly dark skies. According to Chip Harrison, park manager, the honor has brought out the crowds  on warm summer nights for stargazing. “The general public is finding out what astronomers have …

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Day Tripper

Day Tripper: McConnells Mill State Park Great for Hiking, White-Water Rafting

'The World's Coolest Toy Store' is a quick drive from the park.

One of the reasons Western Pennsylvania is a great place to live is the wealth of opportunities for outdoor activities within an easy driving distance. McConnells Mill State Park is about 30 minutes from the Cranberry area and a great place to spend a day hiking, rock climbing, white-water rafting, having a picnic or just simply relaxing and enjoying nature. The new Moon Handbook “Pennsylvania” by local author Anna Dubrovsky explains the geological history -- central to the park is a gorge created thousands of years ago by the draining of glacial lakes. The result is the home of the Slippery Rock Creek, large boulders and steep hillsides. The 2,546-acre park has nine miles of hiking trails, two official climbing and rappelling areas and, …

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