Sunrise at Canyon Vista, Worlds End State Park
For the second New Year’s in a row, we reserved a cabin at a state park. This year we went to Worlds End with its rustic cabins built by the CCC in the 1930s. The weather was frigid, but the skies were clear and we stayed toasty in the cabin with an ample supply of firewood.
The cabin was simple and small with an open floor plan and a fireplace. Our cabin had a journal and it’s surprising how popular these cabins are; people wrote about their hiking adventures, their fear of anything that moved, or their remarkable ease at getting lost. People use these cabins throughout the year, often traveling from far away. One family even made it a tradition to come every Thanksgiving. These cabins created its own community. On our visit, people were friendly, hung up Christmas lights, and waved to each other.
It was great to unplug and relax. We went to Hillsgrove, saw the covered bridges, and hiked around the park. The ice flows at High Rock were amazing in the bright sun and the frozen waterfalls were spectacular. We drove out to High Knob twice, once at night, to see the moonlight illuminate the mountains in a ghostly glow as the stars twinkled overhead. One highlight was to drive to Canyon Vista in the morning to see the sunrise, something I’ve not done before. I’ve always seen this vista during the day. It was amazing at sunrise to see the distance mountaintops glow with the rising sun. It was also cold that morning, -12, but I didn’t mind.
If you’re tired of the typical New Year’s hoopla and want to try something different, reserve a cabin at a state park. It’s a great way to start the new year, even if you choose Worlds End!
More photos.
Hike Pennsylvania with Jeff Mitchell 