Explore the Area
The park is located between New Bloomfield and Newport, which offer places to eat and relax. The area was once known for its tanneries, railroads, and ferry along the Juniata River.
Learn about some of the area businesses and things to do from the Perry County Chamber of Commerce.
Nearby State Parks and Forests
Little Buffalo State Park is close to several state parks and one state forest, where visitors can enjoy recreation, education, and other activities.
Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area
The 1,025-acre Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area straddles Blue Mountain and is the habitat of large trees of numerous species, which are homes for deep forest birds, especially warblers.
Popular recreational activities include hiking, hunting, cross-country skiing, and wildlife watching.
Colonel Denning State Park
The 273-acre Colonel Denning State Park is located in north-central Cumberland County. The park features a 3.5-acre lake and serves as the gateway to the 96,000-acre Tuscarora State Forest, which surrounds the park.
Recreational activities include hiking, picnicking, swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, and camping.
Fowlers Hollow State Park
The 104-acre Fowlers Hollow State Park is located in a narrow valley created by Fowler Hollow Run. Fowlers Hollow State Park is a trailhead for a variety of hiking trails within, and connecting to, the extensive trail system in Tuscarora State Forest.
Other recreational activities include mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, fishing, hunting, and camping.
Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area
The 803-acre Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area is dominated by large hardwood trees and is surrounded by Peters Mountain. This large block of nearly unbroken forest is a haven for wildlife.
The main attraction to the conservation area is the elaborate trail system which connects to the Appalachian Trail on the northern slope of Peters Mountain.
Tuscarora State Forest
The 96,025-acre Tuscarora State Forest covers the narrow valleys and steep, rocky ridges of the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania. These fertile, well-watered sites are ideal for growing majestic oak and hemlock forests.
Outdoor recreation opportunities in Tuscarora State Forest include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, boating, fishing, hunting, and camping.
Other Nearby Outdoor Spaces and Natural Places
There are several other nearby outdoor spaces and natural places near Little Buffalo State Park:
State Game Lands 256 and 281 are nearby and offer additional recreational amenities.
Just south of New Bloomfield on Huckleberry Road, the Box Huckleberry Natural Area is a 100-acre plot managed by DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry. Visitors can hike a self-guiding loop trail and see the rare box huckleberry which grows here and in only two other locations in Pennsylvania. This is also a good place to see wildflowers like trailing arbutus and may apple. Limited parking space is available.
Located in the Tuscarora State Forest, the Hemlocks Natural Area is a 120-acre plot of old growth timber that is covered by massive trees 100-feet tall and 4- to 6-feet in diameter. Some of these giant trees started as seedlings about the time Christopher Columbus was discovering America! From the park, it takes about 45 minutes to reach this site. Take 274 west to Big Spring State Park, turn left onto Hemlock Road. It is 5 miles to the natural area.
Pennsylvania Heritage Areas
Heritage Areas protect, enhance, and promote Pennsylvania’s historic, natural, cultural, and scenic resources.
The Susquehanna National Heritage Area recognizes the role the Susquehanna River plays for history, recreation, and the economy of the towns along the river.