Pennsylvania Wilds

1 – KINZUA BRIDGE STATE PARK

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The Kinzua Bridge is the largest and tallest bridge in the world at the time of completion. The bridge itself only took 94 days to complete, an engineering feat in itself, and was over 300 feet high and 2,500 feet long.

On July 21, 2003, an F1 tornado touched down in the Kinzua Valley and destroyed 11 of the bridge’s 20 towers. Looking at the costs of rebuilding the bridge, the state instead decided to create a skywalk with the remaining 600 feet of the Kinzua Bridge.

The park is simply breathtaking during early October, when fall colors are at their peak.

2 – BILGER’S ROCKS

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Bilger’s Rocks is Pennsylvania best rock outcropping.

Set amongst the woods outside of the tiny borough of Grampian, the rocks have attracted visitors for more than 10,000 years, when Paleo-Indians used the outcroppings for shelter.

However, the most interesting carving had to be the map of the Americas that was carved shortly after World War 1.

Today, the area is managed by the Bigler’s Rocks Association which maintains the area, hosts events, and runs tours through the rocks.

3 – COOK FOREST STATE PARK

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Located in the Pennsylvania Wilds along the borders of Clarion, Forest, and Jefferson Counties, Cook Forest State Park is off the beaten path for many travelers. However, those that make it up to this lightly visited corner of the state are greeted by one of the most beautiful state parks in Pennsylvania.

Hiking through the Forest Cathedral gives you a chance to see some of the tallest trees in the Eastern United States.

The imposing Cook Forest Fire Tower offers a great view from the top.
Built in 1929, the Cook Forest Fire Tower rises 87.5 feet above the hilltop to provide a commanding view of the valley below. While the tower was built to provide a lookout for firefighters, it has been used solely as a viewing point since the mid-1960s.

4 – Animaland Zoological Park

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