Preperation

When planning out the weekend, my wife found several state parks to visit. We cross-referenced them with hikes listed on their websites as well as ones documented in the AllTrails app. We had not yet visited Ole Bull State Park, so we chose that one. Upon arriving, we visited the park ranger office to obtain trail recommendations and browse their park merchandise.

The Hike

At the park ranger’s recommendation, we decided to hike the short but scenic trail along Kettle Creek and loop around a beaver dam area. While thunderstorms were forecasted for later that afternoon, we enjoyed moderate temperatures and partly cloudy skies. We parked at the end of the camping area and were able to access the Beaver Haven trail from there.

Trail conditions were good, but given recent rainfall, they were muddy in certain areas. The path was generally free of debris, but there were occasional uneven surfaces due to rocks and tree roots. The most difficult parts were the two stream crossings and the detour to the Beaver Haven Viewing Area. That short out-and-back section led to an area with two park benches, and if the vegetation were less dense, a view of the beaver pond would be visible.

The hike out follows Kettle Creek with the beaver dam area on your left. You eventually move away from the creek and into a more forested area. There the path splits between a shorter and longer loop. Just after this split, along the shorter loop, is the beaver dam viewing path. This was a bit of a letdown since while there were two park benches to sit on, winter is the ideal viewing season. A slight full of summer vegetation blocks your view of the dam.

After this short detour, you move into a pine forest where the trail sometimes gets lost among the pine needles. But if you follow the trail markers, you come out into some small fields on the eastern side of the beaver dam. This continues back toward the campgrounds, where we parked.

Additional Hike Details

One interesting aspect is that this park is along the Susquehannock Trail System. If you are considering hiking this 87.1, Ole Bull State Park is a great pit stop. They have flushing toilets, hot showers, and other amenities for you. Not to mention, a nice little hiking loop along the river.

General Takeaways

• Always check in with your park rangers. They know the best routes based on the scenery, trail conditions, and wildlife activity. They also know shortcuts and parking locations not documented on maps.
• While waterproof shoes are great in the winter, I still prefer fast-drying shoes with wool socks for wet trails in the summer.
• Even on short, easy hikes, trekking poles are still a great idea. Crossing streams and navigating down creek embankments is much safer with them.

Lesson Learned the Hard Way

• Think through the entire hike before you start walking. A breezy field has far fewer bugs than a dense forest. Put bug spray and lotion on before you begin.
• Not every hike is a perilous trek into the wild unknown. While I always bring a life straw and first aid kit, I regularly overestimate how many snacks I will need. For most shorter hikes, water is the only sustenance I need.