December 8, 2011

Eight hundred forty-two of the most beautiful acres in Susquehanna County make up Salt Springs Park. Just under half of this land is a state park the Friends manage for the Commonwealth, and the rest is our own land we encourage the public to enjoy.

Taking its name from a historic artesian well of naturally salty water, Salt Springs offers the peace and beauty of streams and woodlands combined with the convenience of trails, historic farm buildings, cottages, camping, picnic grounds, open space and meeting facilities. Salt Springs is open to the public year-round, without charge, from sunrise to sunset. The park is 6 miles north of Montrose, the county seat of Susquehanna County, and is within easy driving distance of Scranton, PA, and Binghamton, NY.

The park offers a gorge with three magnificent waterfalls surrounded by a virgin hemlock forest and trails winding through 842 acres. At the base of the gorge is a bubbling salt spring, traces of an 1850s woolen mill, and mid-19th century farmhouses and barns. The Friends sponsor special events and recreational and education programs all year based on the park's rich natural and human history.

With one exception, all of the park is open to hunting and fishing in season. The picnic area and the land surrounding the hemlock grove, waterfalls, and farmhouses, about 30 acres, have been designated a Natural Area, which is off limits to hunting. In winter, portions of the park are ideal for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Camping and picnicking are other popular activities at Salt Springs. The facilities are rustic. The pavilion, an 1840s threshing barn, is a popular setting for weddings, receptions, family reunions, and gatherings of all kinds.

Salt Springs State Park is managed by the Friends of Salt Springs Park, Inc., a nonprofit organization formed in 1994 for this purpose. Since 1994, by legal contract, the Friends have designed and paid for most of the renovations and improvements to park facilities and have designed and implemented 100% of the park's programs and events. Salt Springs is the only Pennsylvania state park under the direct management of a private, nonprofit volunteer organization.

The Wheaton House (courtesy of George Schreck)