Cherry Springs State Park

Lore & Background

The earliest recorded inhabitants of the area were the Susquehannocks, followed by the Seneca nation, who hunted there. The first settlement within the park was a log tavern built in 1818 along a trail; the trail became a turnpike by 1834 and a hotel replaced the tavern in 1874, then burned in 1897. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the old-growth forests were clearcut; the state forest was established in 1901 and contains second growth woodlands. Cherry Springs Scenic Drive was established in 1922, and the Civilian Conservation Corps built much of the park during the Great Depression, including a picnic pavilion listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An annual Woodsmen's Show has been held each August since 1952.

The park is named for a large stand of Black Cherry trees. The adjoining Cherry Springs Airport, built in 1935, was closed and its land was added to the park in 2006 to expand its stargazing area. Under optimum conditions the Milky Way casts a discernible shadow. The park hosts two star parties a year, which attract hundreds of astronomers, and offers regular stargazing and educational programs for the public.

Reader's Guide

Cherry Springs State Park's significance lies in its designation as a premier dark-sky location. It was named Pennsylvania's first dark sky park by the DCNR in 2000, and on June 11, 2007, the International Dark-Sky Association named it the second International Dark Sky Park. Under optimum conditions, the Milky Way casts a discernible shadow. The park has received national press coverage and hosts two star parties a year that attract hundreds of astronomers. Regular stargazing and educational programs are offered to the public. The park also features rustic camping, picnic facilities, and trails for mountain biking, hiking, and snowmobiling. The surrounding state forest and park are home to a variety of flora and fauna. The Woodsmen's Show, held each August since 1952, attracts thousands each summer. The park was chosen by the DCNR and its Bureau of Parks as one of '25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks'.

Did You Know?

• Cherry Springs State Park was named for a large stand of Black Cherry trees.
• The park was created from land within the Susquehannock State Forest.

Dark Sky Distinction & Stargazing Culture

Cherry Springs State Park holds a singular place in the world of astronomy. In 2000, the Pennsylvania DCNR designated it the state's first dark sky park, recognizing what visitors had long known: the night skies here rank among the darkest on the entire east coast. That recognition grew in 2007 when the International Dark-Sky Association named it the second International Dark Sky Park in the world. Under the clearest conditions, the Milky Way is so luminous that it casts a visible shadow on the ground below. The park hosts two major star parties annually, drawing hundreds of astronomers, and runs regular public stargazing and educational programs. In 2006, the adjacent Cherry Springs Airport—originally built in 1935—was closed and its land folded into the park, specifically to expand the stargazing area. The DCNR's Bureau of Parks also selected Cherry Springs as one of its "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks," cementing its reputation well beyond the region.

Indigenous Roots & Early European Settlement

Long before any European settler set foot in the area, the West Branch Susquehanna River watershed was home to the Susquehannocks, an Iroquoian-speaking matriarchal people who lived in large long houses within stockaded villages. By 1675, disease and conflict with the Five Nations had effectively ended their presence. The Seneca, part of the Iroquois Confederacy, then hunted in the region, with their nearest villages roughly 51 miles to the northeast in modern Painted Post, New York, and 43 miles southeast in what is now Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. The Seneca kept non-native settlement to a minimum and allowed very few travelers through. The United States acquired the land from the Iroquois in the second Treaty of Fort Stanwix in October 1784. The first European-American settlement within the park was a log tavern built in 1818 along a trail that had been cut in 1806–1807. By 1834 the trail had become a turnpike, and in 1874 a hotel replaced the tavern—only for it to burn down in 1897.

From Wilderness to Park: Landscape & Construction

Before European settlement, up to 90 percent of Pennsylvania was forested, and the area around Cherry Springs remained largely wilderness for much of its history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, old-growth forests in the region were clearcut, and the Susquehannock State Forest was established in 1901, eventually containing second-growth woodlands. The "Cherry Springs Scenic Drive" was established in 1922, giving visitors a way to experience the dissected Allegheny Plateau at its 2,300-foot elevation. During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps built much of what is now Cherry Springs State Park, including a picnic pavilion that has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park itself occupies 82 acres carved from the surrounding state forest, sits along Pennsylvania Route 44 in West Branch Township, and takes its name from a large stand of Black Cherry trees. The modern park offers rustic camping, picnic facilities, and trails for hiking, mountain biking, and snowmobiling, all set within a landscape of second-growth woodlands and diverse flora and fauna.

Recreation, Community & Living Heritage

Cherry Springs State Park is as much a community gathering place as it is a natural preserve. Each August since 1952, the park has hosted an annual Woodsmen's Show that draws thousands of visitors every summer, celebrating the region's lumbering heritage. The park also runs regular stargazing and educational programs open to the public, complementing the two major star parties held annually. The surrounding Susquehannock State Forest and the park itself support a variety of flora and fauna, making the area a destination for nature enthusiasts year-round. The park's 82 acres, perched atop the Allegheny Plateau, offer trails for hiking, mountain biking, and snowmobiling, along with rustic camping and picnic facilities. The DCNR's Bureau of Parks has recognized Cherry Springs as one of 25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks, and the site has earned national press coverage for its extraordinary night skies. From the CCC-built pavilion on the National Register to the airport land added in 2006, the park continues to evolve while honoring its layered past.