PARKS: What state park do you think is the most visited each year in Pennsylvania?

We were a bit surprised to learn it was Presque Isle State Park in Erie County, the state’s only “seashore.”

There are so many interesting things to learn about state parks and forests in Pennsylvania.

For example, Ole Bull State Park in Potter County was named for a 19th century Norwegian violinist who sought his own American dream of a “Norway without the fjords” in the Pennsylvania Wilds. The park takes full advantage of the surrounding Susquehannock State Forest to offer many recreational opportunities.

What is the only Pennsylvania state park that is also a back road? That would be Bucktail State Park Natural Area, a 75-mile scenic drive along PA Route 120 from Emporium through Renovo to Lock Haven. Want to know more about the drive and sites along the way? Visit www.pawilds.com.

Rothrock State Forest is named for Dr. Joseph Trimble Rothrock, a native of Mifflin County and the commonwealth’s first forestry commissioner. He is recognized as the “Father of Forestry” in Pennsylvania. The forest district comprises 96,975 acres that are spread across the rugged ridges of Huntingdon, Centre, and Mifflin counties.

Let’s talk about trees. Did you know that 100 large, 40-year-old-trees intercept 538,700 gallons of rainfall each year? They can also remove 53 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and 430 pounds of pollutants.

Some of the most productive stands of black cherry trees in the world can be found in the 265,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest. This district derives its name from the Susquehannock tribe that once inhabited the region that is now Potter, Clinton, and McKean counties.