Leonard Harrison State Park - Wellsboro, PA
Leonard Harrison State Park – Dog-Friendly Gem in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
Discover breathtaking views and adventure at Leonard Harrison State Park, a popular destination for dog owners seeking outdoor fun in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Overlooking the famous Pine Creek Gorge—often called the PA Grand Canyon—this park boasts well-maintained, pet-friendly trails, stunning overlook decks, and shaded picnic areas. Families and individuals alike flock here to enjoy challenging hikes like the Turkey Trail and easier strolls on the Overlook Trail, making it perfect for dog-friendly hiking and leisurely walks with your four-legged friends.
Leonard Harrison State Park is known for its clean facilities, plentiful parking, and beautiful scenery year-round. Several picnic pavilions feature grills and are surrounded by mature trees providing plenty of shade. Restrooms are available in the upper parking areas, along with clean portable toilets during peak seasons. While there’s no indication of a dedicated, fenced dog park area, dogs are welcomed on-leash throughout the park’s expansive grounds and trails. Enjoy a peaceful, relaxing environment with amenities for all ages—including nearby playgrounds—to make your visit enjoyable for both people and pups!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? Dogs must be kept on-leash while visiting Leonard Harrison State Park.
- Are there restrooms available for owners? Yes, restrooms and clean portable toilets are available in the upper parking lot and near picnic areas.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, many picnic and recreation areas are shaded by trees, and some pavilions provide shelter.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? Yes, there are picnic tables and benches in various parts of the park.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, the park features a playground and other kid-friendly activities.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Absolutely! Leonard Harrison State Park offers several hiking trails, including pet-friendly options like the Turkey Trail and Overlook Trail.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, visitors note the park is very clean and well cared for.
- Where is the best place to park? The upper and lower parking lots offer plenty of spots and convenient access to the park’s main attractions.
- Is there a fee or membership required to enter? No, Leonard Harrison State Park is free to enter.
Reviews
Beautiful park to really take in all the views of the canyon. There’s a really nice observation deck that gradually lowers into other deck areas so you can get a full view at all different angles.
Best park I’ve been to in PA! The views are amazing, the hike is challenging but very fun and the campground was super clean. This is a wonderful place that everyone who enjoys the outdoors should visit!
Did a short day trip here from our camp site and had a fun time. They have different level trail and amazing views to be had. Definitely something that can be done with the family or by yourself.
Love what they did to the entrance, parking area, and visitor center since the last time we were here. The center was closed since we were there late in the day. Closed at 5pm. Plenty of parking on the upper and lower lots. Views of Pine Creek Gorge (PA Grand Canyon)!were wonderful. Pictures are of the upper lot. Bathrooms in the upper parking lot and entrance way to the gorge (toward left of building). They are older but were clean. Worth the drive if in Wellsboro area.
This is a free park so I can’t be too upset with some of the changes they made. However the parking lot changes where they chop down all of the trees around the parking lot and change the layout of the parking lot and move all the parking a little bit further away from the park was in my honest opinion a poor decision. I don’t know if there’s new management there or what, but even the gift shop seems lesser and I’m not sure if there’s even possible to get any kind of drinks or snacks up there. Every time I go I can’t get anything to drink from like a booth. There used to be a wonderful food truck here that sold Maple related products and maple syrups, however the management here decided they did not want to renew the contract so that’s not even an option anymore and to me that was kind of like one of the little highlights of this park. A couple years ago this park was absolutely amazing wonderful and perfect but now I feel like something else has changed, whether it be new management or a change in the times but this isn’t what it used to be.
There are some great well-maintained trails here especially the turkey trail and the overlook trail is pretty good as well. I feel like they need to cut back some of the trees that are up near the viewing platform so you can see more of the surrounding area.