PA Wilds Stays: Overnight accommodations in the Dark Skies landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds

The Dark Skies landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds region is home to the world’s second certified International Dark-Sky Park. Although clearly stargazing is a major highlight for those who are traveling in this part of the PA Wilds, the stars are just the beginning!

Make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy all there is to do while you’re visiting the Dark Skies landscape of the PA Wilds. Don’t try to fit everything into one day! Instead, plan to stay overnight at one of the many beautiful accommodations available. Whether you’re looking for a quaint cabin in the forest, a motel with a steakhouse nearby, or a guest room in a bed and breakfast, you’ll be able to find it here.

Cherry Springs State Park’s awe-inspiring dark skies attract a high volume of astronomers and stargazers from all over the world. Visitors seeking a casual viewing experience can visit the Night Sky Viewing area. Those wishing for a guided experience should pre-register for official park events – check the state park events calendar for info! Learn from park staff and special guests at programs like “Lunar Viewing” or “Night Sky Tour: Jupiter & the Maiden.” While you can observe the dark skies on your own at the park without attending a program, all visitors should arrive before dark. Please leave pets at home. Dim lighting, sensitive equipment and crowds do not create a pet-friendly environment.

What is there to do during the day? Lots! If you like hiking, Sproul State Forest is one of the best places for a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities, from hiking and camping, to fishing and boating, hunting, sightseeing, winter activities, a designated ATV Management Area and mountain biking. There are also several wild and natural areas, included an Old Growth Forest Area. One of the most popular and scenic hiking trails in the Sproul State Forest is the Chuck Keiper Trail.

Located in the “heart” of the PA Wilds region, Sinnemahoning State Park encompasses 1,910 acres of beautiful scenery and wildlife viewing opportunities. Visitors can stop by the Park Office and Wildlife Center, a LEED-certified green building that provides state of the art exhibits designed for park visitors to explore and learn about the history and ecology of the First Fork Valley. The visitor center has plenty of hands-on displays and activities for kids of all ages, and little ones will love crawling through a “bear den” and climbing to the top of an indoor treehouse.

Want to learn more about the history of Pennsylvania, especially its roots in logging and timbering? The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, located in Ulysses along Scenic Route 6 in Potter County, shows Pennsylvania’s rich timbering history with indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits. Explore a working historic saw mill, recreated lumber camp, a 70-ton Shay geared-locomotive, a 1910 Barnhart log loader, and a rustic log cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936.

Another place for history buffs to visit is Austin Dam. Nestled in a valley in Austin, PA in the Dark Skies landscape, along the winding stream of Freeman Run, is the ruins of the Bayless Paper Mill – known today as the Austin Dam. In 1911, the dam broke and water flooded much of the town of Austin claiming over 78 lives. The Austin Dam Memorial park is a beautiful natural park that honors an important history.

Want to get your heart racing? Hyner View State Park offers one of the most popular scenic views in the entire Pennsylvania Wilds, with a stunning view overlooking the West Branch Susquehanna River greenway. While at Hyner View State Park, you may be lucky to catch hang gliders preparing to take flight and soar over the scenic valley. To learn more about this adventure sport and to increase your odds of seeing hang gliders or paragliders check out the Hyner Hang Gliding Club – defying gravity since 1975!

Like his father before him, Scott has brought his family to the area for hunting, fishing and recreation for generations. Since the Creekside Inn at Sizerville motel opened its doors, they’ve adopted the community of Emporium as part of the family. It’s a great place to vacation, relax, and get away from it all. Other motels may offer similar amenities, but Creekside Inn at Sizerville is nestled in the pines, alongside award-winning Sizerville State Park, stream, and has a personal touch.

First Fork Lodge is a lodge/bed and breakfast is located in the town of Austin, home to the historic “dam that couldn’t break.” The lodge offers themed rooms and great food. Not far from Cherry Springs and Sinnemahoning State Park, it’s a great spot for tranquility, wildlife watching during the day and stargazing at night. In addition to overnight accommodations, First Fork Lodge includes a small sporting goods store that stocks essential fishing and hunting supplies.

Located in the Dark Skies Landscape of the PA Wilds, Frosty Hollow Bed and Breakfast is a 10-room lodge just a few miles from Cherry Springs State Park and Coudersport in Potter County. The property includes a large remodeled barn with additional bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a rehabilitated farmhouse and cottage. Frosty Hollow B&B has been serving sleepy travelers for the past 25 years and features the Country Mercantile, a gift shop that both guests and community members enjoy.

Nestled in the mountains of The PA Wilds, The Hygrade Inn boutique hotel provides a grand experience. The inn features four luxurious guest rooms, each having its own spacious full bathroom with large, modern showers. You’ll enjoy the high ceilings that echo the property’s other classic and elegant architectural details. Guests are welcome to relax in the sizable yet comfortable living room, a cozy sitting room, the library, and expansive front porch overlooking Emporium’s beautiful tree-lined Main Street.

Lakeview Store LLC Cabins and RV Camping literally sits across the road from the entrance to Sinnemahoning State Park, nearly at the center of the Wilds region. Relax and take in the serenity of nature, or take a short trip to visit the Austin Dam and explore the ruins, experience the Dark Skies at Cherry Springs, or to spot wild elk in Elk Country. Fishing opportunities abound!

The Laurelwood Inn & Steakhouse is located on Historic U.S. Route 6, three miles east of downtown Coudersport. Open year-round, the independent motel and restaurant has been owned and managed by Chris & Paul Herzig for more than 35 years. The location features a 22-unit motel designed to accommodate the single traveler or a large family. The in-house steakhouse specializes in Black Angus char-broiled steaks. Laurelwood also serves as a venue for meetings, class reunions and family celebrations.

This country lodge is conveniently located between the communities of Galeton and Coudersport along Scenic Route 6, a thoroughfare that takes travelers 400+ miles across the Commonwealth and through four counties of the PA Wilds. Susquehannock Lodge can accommodate up to 40 people in private and semi-private rooms. With just a short drive, lodgers can enjoy cross country skiing, hiking and stargazing, or they can kick back and relax on the deck and enjoy the Dark Skies (or sunshine!).     

Quiet Oaks Campground is a small, family owned and operated campground in Central Pennsylvania offering full RV hookups, cabin rentals, and rustic tenting. All cabins and campsites are pet friendly, and they are located in the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds offering instant access to hiking, fishing, hunting, ATV riding, or just plain relaxing. The campground property, nearly 100 acres in size and consisting of field and woodland, hosts three large events each year, including the Smoked Country Jam bluegrass festival, the Rattlesnake Enduro, and the Kettle Creek Music Festival.