trough creek state park

A tiny park with spectacular scenery! Recommended for people who love the outdoors. Picnics, hikes, and picture taking!

We went to Raystown for the first time in August for 10 days. Little Trough Creek State Park was at the top of our attraction list!! I had taken the time to look into everything nearby, looking for fun, interesting things to do with my husband and our 3 year old birthday boy, that would fit into our budget. We ended up doing plenty of things, including swimming at each beach, taking a sightseeing cruise aboard the Princess, touring the dam area & all of its overlooks and trails, a day at Lakemont Park ..... but none of that could compare to the thrill of Trough Creek. Our favorite place/activity/attraction of our sons annual birthday camping vacation was absolutely free, although FAR from anything other than priceless!!! There's the swinging bridge, the Balanced rock, Rainbow Falls, and the Ice Mine, which are all spectacular, and they are what people go to Trough Creek to see. It's the things about Trough Creek that aren't plastered around the net that made us fall in love with the place. An old dam, multiple trails, a scenic picnic area, tons of rocks forming shores along the creek, rock towers stacked by children passing through before us, and several other surprises that you haven't been informed of. I won't be a spoiler!!We went to Trough Creek on a weekday, arriving in the early afternoon. There were not very many other people around. (We ran into only 2 other groups of 3!!) This left the roads and trails open to move around and free to enjoy every detail. We are heading out to Jacks Mountain for a short stay in 2 weeks to see the fall scenery and we will most definitely be spending a day at Trough Creek State Park!! If I could convince my husband to leave our hometown, I'd move to the area tomorrow!!I can't vouch for the campground because I didn't stay there. Trough Creek doesn't have any cabins or cottages. They do have one "cabin" that is a very large beautiful home that you can reserve in advance through the DCNR website. If you want to stay a day or 12, be in something more stable than a tent, yet still feel like you're camping, I highly recommend Pleasant Hills Campground in Hesston. They have one small primitive cabin with electric and AC with water outside, and a bathhouse close by! It's just a short drive away: a drive well worth it to stay in a family run, friendly campground. Believe me when I tell you that you won't find any of these attributes in any other campground with cabins near Trough Creek!!If you are in the area, DO NOT pass up the opportunity to venture through this park!! It may seem as though checking out this park would only take a couple hours of your day, but if you only have a couple hours, it will be very disappointing to leave it behind you!! Take a day, pack a picnic, and carry it along with you: I promise that you will find the perfect place to enjoy your lunch!! Safe Travels!!!!

Went to a friends family reunion this summer at Trough creek State Park. We did some hiking on the trails and there were some scenic sights. My absolute favorite was the "ice mine" cold air gets trapped in the mountain during the winter and slowly bleeds out through this cave. Since cold air sinks. You walk down a staircase. It was around 80 degree at the top of the steps and very cool at the bottom. Very very cool!!!!

The suspension bridge was cool. My 8 year old loved that. The trails were very clean and very beautiful

We stopped at this park in the rain as a stop off on a four hour cruise around the area. Even in the rain, it was a short walk (albeit a bit slippery) to see the bridge and falls and well worth the leg stretching. Free and though it was quick for us, could easily spend hours exploring other trails.

The small state park offers hiking trails, bike trails and picnic areas. Hikes to see the ice mine, balanced rock, and the swinging bridge are a must. Kids should have wading sneakers to explore the streams. Our family is now grown, but it was a favorite of ours for an evening picnic every summer for years. Now we take friends visiting from out of the area for a quiet picnic.

I grew up not far from here (about an hour's drive) and never knew it existed. I am happy we finally discovered it even though we now live about 5 hours away. We visited with 8 kids (aged 5-12) and it was a great place for family hiking. We only had one day when we were here this past summer, but are planning a return visit this Fall to do some more exploring.

We took a couple of hours to explore the park and it was beautiful with the changing leaves. The little trek up to the Balancing Rock was beautiful and charming. Very easy hike for any fitness level except for maybe a sharp, steep turn or two near the top. The suspension bridge is not awe inspiring, but is fun to play on for all ages! Just a very enjoyable afternoon and we will definitely return!

We visited this park as part of a day-trip to the lake. Enjoyed the Ice Mine, scenic rock formations & trails. Both kids (9 & 15 year-old) enjoyed poking around the trails near the creek & Balanced Rock. The 'movie-inspired' swaying suspension bridge was a hit also! If you're at the lake, this park is worth the side trip!

We had a lovely pitch in the park. Trails were very manageable for 2 adults and 2 kids. We picnicked and swam at nearby Raystown Lake. Quiet, peaceful park.

We were staying at Lake Raystown and took the opportunity to do a bit of trekking in this park as it was only a few miles away. Great fun (especially the suspension bridge). Do be aware of the hunting season though. You will come across signs warning you not to enter parts of the park unless you are wearing fluorescent clothing. The Balanced Rock is worth a look (although the graffiti is a bit of an eyesore). Overall a great time was had. You will find plenty of picnic areas as well in the park.

We traveled there on motorcycles and it was a great trip through the mountains. Balanced rock was nice to view (sad that people had to add graffiti) and also Rainbow Falls. Very serene and peaceful up there. The bathroom facilities were also clean.

Stayed at the Trough Creek Lodge with family. Fortunate for them, they still get 4 more days there. Trough Creek is beautiful. Rainbow Falls, Balanced Rock, great trails. Only complaint is the trails aren't marked the greatest which is what knocked this down from a 5 to a 4. Don't let it discourage you though. This is a great part and much fun was had by all.

We LOVE this park! It’s scenic and the waterfalls and path leading to the balanced rock make great photo opportunities. The ice mine is another interesting attraction. On our most recent visit we discovered a sign with information that it was being eaten by porcupines! My husband enjoys fishing here while the kids and I like hiking the many trails. There is also camping here but we’ve never tried it.

Beautiful stream leading to Lake Raystown.Great for hiking, biking, and picnics, and photography. Balanced Rock is a must see.