Explore the Area
The park is near Leidy Township and the community of Westport, located along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The town of Renovo is 16 miles away and home to the Flaming Foliage Festival every October.
Learn about some of the area businesses and things to do from the Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce.
Nearby State Parks and Forests
Kettle Creek State Park is close to several state parks and state forests, where visitors can enjoy recreation, education, and other activities.
Ole Bull State Park
The 132-acre Ole Bull State Park is located along the Kettle Creek in Potter County. This area is called the Black Forest because of its once dense tree cover, mountainous terrain, and wilderness habitat.
Recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, swimming, fishing, hunting, and camping.
Bucktail State Park Natural Area
Bucktail State Park Natural Area provides a beautiful 75-mile scenic drive along PA 120 from Emporium, through Renovo, to Lock Haven. It stretches through a narrow valley known as the Bucktail Trail. Recreational activities available are kayaking, fishing, and wildlife watching.
Hyner Run State Park
Hyner Run State Park carves a small valley from the surrounding steep mountains, creating a cozy, quiet place for outdoor adventures. Recreational activities include hiking, picnicking, swimming, fishing, hunting, and camping.
Sproul State Forest
The 305,450-acre Sproul State Forest features steep and rugged hillsides cut by the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries. It offers hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, ATV riding, picnicking, kayaking, fishing, hunting, and camping.
Susquehannock State Forest
The 265,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest is located in Potter, Clinton, and McKean counties. The forest grows some of the most productive strands of black cherry trees in the world, and is one of eight state forests located in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.
Popular recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, ATV riding, picnicking, fishing, and camping.
Other Nearby Outdoor Spaces and Natural Places
There are several other nearby outdoor spaces and natural places near Kettle Creek State Park:
- Three miles west of the park, Kettle Creek Vista is a vantage point that provides a breathtaking view of the Kettle Creek Valley
- The Alvin R. Bush Dam is a flood control dam that is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and creates 4.5 miles of natural, scenic shoreline. This is one of four dams in the flood control plan for the West Branch Basin of the Susquehanna River watershed.
- The Hammersly Wild Area and the Quehanna Wild Area, as well as State Game Lands 89, are nearby and offer additional recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities.
The Pennsylvania Wilds
Kettle Creek State Park is part of the Pennsylvania Wilds, which offers 2 million acres of public lands for hiking, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, and exploration in northcentral Pennsylvania.
Highlights of the area include
- Elk watching at the Elk Country Visitor Center
- Scenic PA Route 6 in Pine Creek Gorge (PA Grand Canyon)
- The darkest skies in the east at Cherry Springs State Park
- Hundreds of miles of backpacking trails, bike paths, and trout fishing streams.
Pennsylvania Heritage Areas
Heritage Areas protect, enhance, and promote Pennsylvania’s historic, natural, cultural, and scenic resources.
In the Lumber Heritage Region, roughly 2 million acres of public lands give both wildlife and humans room to roam. Unsurpassed beauty, natural treasures, rich history, and outdoor adventure can be found here.
The Susquehanna National Heritage Area recognizes the role the Susquehanna River plays for history, recreation, and the economy of the economy of the towns along the river.