Pennsylvania is made up of a wide variety of geographical elements that make this state so unique. I will attempt to give you a brief overview of some of the features that make PA a great outdoor recreational state. This state offers recreational activities such as: amusement parks, ATV, backpacking, bicycling, boating, camping, canoeing, cross country skiing, down hill skiing, golf, fishing, geocaching, hiking, hunting, ice skating, kayaking, orienteering, picnicking, rock climbing, rollerblading, sailing, scenic drives, scuba diving, sledding, snowmobiling, swimming, wildlife watching & whitewater activities.

Quick Statistics

State Parks

PA is broken down into seven regions. Within these regions are many state parks. PA is fortunate enough to have 120 state parks stretching all across the state.

State Forest

PA has 20 state forests and one national forest covering more than 17 million acres! Some the highlights of these forest are Cherry Springs (one of the darkest spots in the Eastern U.S.), the Pine Creek Gorge and more!

Common Trees

Common Trees of PA & Big Trees of PA
PA has some 108 species of trees, which are broke down into three categories based on their leaves. The most popular tree species are listed below. Please scroll beyond the table to learn about some of these trees!

How To Identify PA Trees

Trees with needle-like or scale-like leaves, mostly evergreens (conifers) 

Single Needle Trees According To Type:
Baldcypress
Balsam Fir
Eastern Hemlock
Black Spruce
Blue Spruce
Norway Spruce
Red Spruce
White Spruce
*4 PA Spruce Trees

Baldcypress
Latin Name: Taxodium distichum
Aka: “Sequoia of the Midwest”, “Cypress”, “Southern-cypress”, “Swamp-cypress”, “Red-cypress”, “Yellow-cypress”, “White-cypress”, “Tidewater-cypress”, “Gulf-cypress”
Family: Baldcypress
Ht: 80’-120’
Dia: 3’-5’
Tree Shape: Thick conical tree with exposed trunk
Bark: brown to gray, fibrous, will peel in long strips
Leaves: single-needle, ½”-¾” long, soft & flexible pointed needles, yellow to green above & white below, 2 rows
Cone: Green to gray, then brown, round, ¾”–1”
Origin: Non-Native
Age: 500-750 yrs.
Range: Anywhere in PA
Habitat: Wet, swampy areas, riverbanks that flood & pure stands
Fall Color: Brown
Notes: This tree sheds its needles every year & is a Deciduous Conifer. There two types of these trees, Variety nutans (common to southeastern Louisiana) & the Variety distichum (has many names & is found in a vast range of places).

 
Balsam Fir
Latin Name: Abies balsamea
Aka: “Balsam”, “Canadian Balsam”, “Eastern Fir”, “Bracted Balsam Fir”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-75’
Dia: 1’-1.5’
Tree Shape: Sharply pyramidal crown, tapering spine with horizontal branches starting from the ground up
Bark: Light gray, smooth aromatic scent
Leaves: single-needle, ½”-1 1/2” long, skinny, soft, flat, blunt-ended & dark green in color, 2 silvery lines with 1 below
Cone: bluish-purple, erect, 2”-4” long, grows in clusters near the top in an upright position
Origin: Native
Age: 100-150 yrs.
Range: Scattered locations, primarily found in the eastern half of the state
Habitat: Coniferous forests, pure stands, moist soils, shaded areas & bogs
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Very fragrant tree, popular for Xmas

Eastern Hemlock
Latin Name: Tsuga canadensis
Aka: “Canadian Hemlock”, “Hemlock Spruce”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-70’
Dia: 2’-3’ up to 6’
Tree Shape: Pyramidal with drooping spreading branches, easily spotted due to irregular or fallen looking crown, slender
Bark: Dark brown to dark gray
Leaves: Single-needle, 3/8”-1” long in 2 rows, dark green above, light green to yellow below, short flat needles that taper toward the end
Cone: small brown, elliptical ½”-1” long, found at the end of the twigs, hand down
Origin: Native
Age: 250-300 yrs.
Range: Moist to wet soils, shaded areas, cool valleys, slopes, pure stands
Habitat: Anywhere in PA
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Some old growth hemlocks stand 100+ ft., are 4-5’ in dia. & lived hundreds of years. The bark of the hemlock is rich in tannic acid. Tannic acid is used to tan hides. The hemlock needle was once used to make tea, root beer and fragrances.
 

Black Spruce
Latin Name: Picea mariana
Aka: “Bog Spruce”, “Swamp Spruce”, “Shortleaf Black Spruce”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 25’-50’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Slender, narrow pyramid shape, widely spread branches that may droop, lower branches tend to die, visibly exposed trunk
Bark: Reddish brown with large scales, inner bark is olive green in color
Leaves: single-needle, ¼”-1” long, densely set, straight, blunt, dull blue-green color, (square, cross-section)
Cone: Lavender to purple to brown, ½”-1 ½” long, egg-shaped, found toward the top
Origin: Native
Age: 150-200 yrs.
Range: Anywhere in PA
Habitat: Wet or poorly drained soils, bogs, peaks, pure stands or with Tamaracks
Fall Color: Same
Notes: This tree typically seeds quickly after fire and can dominate a forest over time.
 

Blue Spruce
Latin Name: Picea pungens
Aka: “Colorado Blue Spruce”, “Colorado Spruce”, “Silver Spruce”, “Pino Real”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-60’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Wide to narrow pyramid shape all the way to the ground, trunk rarely seen
Bark: Grayish brown with deep grooves
Leaves: Single-needle, ½”-1” long, very stiff & sharp, bluish-green to silver-blue, (square cross-section)
Cone: Straw-colored, 2”-4” long, single or in clusters
Origin: Non-Native, came from the Rocky Mt. region
Age: 150-200 yrs.
Range: Anywhere in PA
Habitat: Variety of soils, clay & moist soils are the best
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Common Xmas tree, landscaping tree, gives off a pungent odor, susceptible tree to disease
 

Norway Spruce
Latin Name: Picea abies
Aka: None
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 50’-80’
Dia: 2’
Tree Shape: Pyramidal shape with drooping branches (easily recognizable)
Bark: Reddish gray with round scales
Leaves: Single-needle, ½”-1” long, curved, shiny, dark green with whitish lines, stiff-pointed, (square cross-section)
Cone: Light brown, toothed, papery look, 2”-7” long, cylinder shape, downward growth
Origin: Non-Native, Europe & Asia
Age: 150-200 yrs.
Range: Anywhere in PA, these trees act as a good wind break or natural fence
Habitat: Rich moist soils, cool humid temperate regions
Fall Color: Same
Notes: The most common Spruce in PA, drooping branches and light brown cones make this tree very easy to recognize. This tree is also used for reforestation purposes.
 

Red Spruce
Latin Name: Picea rubens
Aka:, “Yellow Spruce”, “West Virginia Spruce”, “Eastern Red Spruce”, “Hebalsim”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 50’-80’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Full looking tree, pyramid shaped, broad at the bottom narrow at the top
Bark: Reddish brown, thin small scales
Leaves: Single-needle, ½”-2” long, stiff-pointed, shiny yellow-green look with white stripes, (square cross-section)
Cone: Green to purple to reddish brown, 1 ¼”-2” long, cylinder shape that tapers at end
Origin: Native
Age: 300-400 yrs.
Range: Mountainous Regions of PA
Habitat: Mountains areas, rocky soil, pure stands & steep slopes
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Similar to Black Spruce just bigger & fuller!
 

White Spruce
Latin Name: Picea glauca
Aka: “Canadian Spruce”, “Skunk Spruce”, “Cat Spruce”, “Black Hills Spruce”, “Western White Spruce”, “Alberta White Spruce”, “Porsild Spruce”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-100’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Thin, Horizontal shape, conical with exposed trunk
Bark: Light gray, flaky scales, inner bark is salmon in color
Leaves: Single-needle, 1/3”-3/4” long, stiff pointed, aromatic, bluish-green in color with white lines, (square cross-section)
Cone: Green to brown, smooth to touch, 1”-2 ½” long, single or in clusters, hang downward
Origin: Non-Native
Age: 175-200 yrs.
Range: Anywhere in PA
Habitat: Variety of soils, seem to like lake and streams, pure stands
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Given the nickname “Skunk Spruce,” because of the strong (skunk) odor given off when the needles are crushed.

Clustered Needle Trees According To Type: 

2 Needles Per Bundle:
Virginia Pine
Red Pine
Scotch Pine
Shortleaf Pine
Table Mountain Pine
European Black Pine

3 Needles Per Bundle:
Pitch Pine
Shortleaf Pine

5 Needles Per Bundle:
Eastern White Pine
*8 PA Pine Trees

12+ needles per bundle:
Tamarack
 

2 Needles Per Bundle:

Virginia Pine
Latin Name: Pinus virginiana
Aka: “Poverty Pine”, “Scrub Pine” (appearance)
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 30’-60’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Medium tree, semi-straight with exposed trunk, long spreading horizontal branches with an irregular crown
Bark: Brown to gray shaggy ridges & flakes
Leaves: 2 per bundle, 1 ½”-3” long, soft, flexible with a slight twist, light to dull green
Cone/Fruit: Green to reddish brown, egg-shaped, tapered at one end, 1 ½”-2 ¾” long with scales
Origin: Native
Age: 75-100 yrs.
Range: Southern half of the state, pure stands, with Shortleaf Pines
Habitat: Sandy soil, clay, well-drained soil, old fields, abandoned farms
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Commonly found pine tree, grows quickly & is used for forest regeneration.
 

Red Pine
Latin Name: Pinus resinosa
Aka: “Norway Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-80’
Dia: 1’-3’
Tree Shape: Straight exposed trunk, dead lower branches with a broad red colored-crown
Bark: Reddish-brown, redder higher up, flat scales or plates
Leaves: 2 per bundle, 4”-6 ½” long, straight, brittle, pointed, dark green color
Cone/Fruit: Green to brown, shiny, light, egg-shaped, 1 ½”-3” long
Origin: Native
Age: 150-200 yrs.
Range: Anywhere
Habitat: Dry sandy soil, pure stands, sunny locations, mixed forests
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Misidentified for the Austrian Pine, Austrian Pine needles bend, where as the Red Pine needles snap.
 

Scotch Pine
Latin Name: Pinus sylvestris
Aka: “Scots Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 30’-80’
Dia: 2’
Tree Shape: Exposed trunk with an irregular crown, widely spread branches
Bark: Orange-brown, flaky lower section, bright orange upper section that appears papery
Leaves: 2 per bundle, 1 ½”-3” long, stiff points, thick & twisted, blue-green color
Cone/Fruit: Egg shaped, 1”-2 ½” long, short stalks, found in clusters of 2-3, points upward
Origin: Non-native, came from Europe, Asia, Arctic or the Mediterranean Sea area
Age: 100-150 yrs.
Range: Anywhere
Habitat: Well-drained sandy soils, sunny areas, forested areas too
Fall Color: Same
Notes: This is the most widespread pine in the world. Used to make turpentine. Easy identified by the orange-red bark found on the upper parts of the tree.
 

Shortleaf Pine
Latin Name: Pinus echinata
Aka: “Arkansas Pine,” “Soft Pine,” “Bull Pine,” “Carolina Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 70’-100’
Dia: 1’-3’
Tree Shape: Single straight trunk, round crown with many horizontal branches
Bark: Reddish-brown, large irregular flat scales
Leaves: 2-3 per bundle, 2 ¾”-4 ½” long, soft, flexible, slender sharp-pointed, yellowish-green color.
Cone/Fruit: Yellowish-green to light brown, oblong with a taper, 1 ½” – 2 ½” long, thin cone with small prickles
Origin: Native
Age: 100-150 yrs.
Range: South central edge of the state
Habitat: Sandy gravely soil, southern facing slopes & ridges, old fence rows, pure stands
Fall Color: Same
Notes: This tree grows extremely fast and is used to make turpentine.
 

Table Mountain Pine
Latin Name: Pinus pungens
Aka: “Hickory Pine”, “Table-top Pine”, “Prickly Pine”, “Squirrel Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 20’-40’
Dia: 2’
Tree Shape: Single or multi-crocked tree, wide irregular crown with horizontal branches
Bark: Reddish brown, thin furrows & small scales
Leaves: 2 per bundle, 1 ¼”-2 ½” long, stout, stiff & thick, slightly twisted, dark green color with white stripes
Cone/Fruit: Green to light brown, egg shaped, 2”-4” long, 3-5 in a cluster, sharp & point down
Origin: Native
Age: 300-400 yrs.
Range: Southeastern corner of the state, Appalachian Mountains
Habitat: Dry rock soil, steep slopes, mountainous ridges
Fall Color: same
Notes: This tree is often as wide as it is tall. Grows quickly & is very knotty.
 

European Black Pine
Latin Name: Pinus nigra
Aka: “Austrian Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-60’
Dia: 1’
Tree Shape: Irregular shape with large open horizontal branches
Bark: Gray-brown with reddish branches, very scaly
Leaves: 2 per bundle, 3”-6” long, twisted, sharply-pointed & dark green in color
Cone/Fruit: Green to pale yellow, egg-shaped, 2"-4" long, 1"-3" wide
Origin: Non-native, Southern Europe
Age: 100+ yrs.
Range: Anywhere
Habitat: Wide variety of soils, sunny areas
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Great tee to use as a wind break. This tree is frequently confused with the Red Point. Easily identified by breaking the needles, they bend, where as the Red Pine snaps easily.
 

3 Needles Per Bundle:

Pitch Pine
Latin Name: Pinus rigida
Aka: None
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 50’-70’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Single-straight trunk, broad cone, horizontal branches with large gaps
Bark: Dark gray to brown, thick with deeply furrowed broad scales
Leaves: 3 per bundle, 3”-5” long, stout, stiff, twisted, yellow-green color
Cone/Fruit: Yellow, brown to light brown, egg-shaped, 1 ¾” – 2 ¾” long, thick, grow upward
Origin: Native
Age: 100-150 yrs.
Range: Anywhere, except the northern quarter of the state
Habitat: Sandy, gravely soil, steep slopes & ridges
Fall Color: Same
Notes: Most common native pine in PA & NJ (Ex. Pine Barrons). Generally grows in small groups. This tree is used for reforestation where soils are depleted of nutrients.
 

Shortleaf Pine
Latin Name: Pinus echinata
Aka: “Arkansas Pine,” “Soft Pine,” “Bull Pine,” “Carolina Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 70’-100’
Dia: 1’-3’
Tree Shape: Single straight trunk, round crown with many horizontal branches
Bark: Reddish-brown, large irregular flat scales
Leaves: 2-3 per bundle, 2 ¾” – 4 ½” long, soft, flexible, slender sharp-pointed, yellowish-green color
Cone/Fruit: Yellowish-green to light brown, oblong with a taper, 1 ½” – 2 ½” long, thin cone with small prickles
Origin: Native
Age: 100-150 yrs.
Range: South central edge of the state
Habitat: Sandy gravely soil, southern facing slopes & ridges, old fence rows, pure stands
Fall Color: Same
Notes: This tree grows extremely fast and is used to make turpentine.
 

5 Needles Per Bundle:

Eastern White Pine
Latin Name: Pinus strobus
Aka: “Northern White Pine,” “Soft Pine,” “Weymouth Pine”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 70-100’
Dia: 3’-4’
Tree Shape: Single tall trunk, whorls of horizontal branches evenly spaced, irregular crown
Bark: Gray to brown, smooth when young, breaks with age, large broad scales
Leaves: 5 per bundle, 3”-5” long, soft, flexible, blue-green color
Cone/Fruit: Green to brown, drooping & conical, 4”-8” long with a white resin on tips of scales
Origin: Native
Age: 200-250 yrs.
Range: Anywhere
Habitat: Wide variety of soils, pure stands, uplands, sandy soils, well-drained soils
Fall Color: Same
Notes:  This tree is the larges conifer in PA, a favorite for Bald Eagles. An easy acronym to use when trying to identify the tree is W-H-I-T-E (5 needles per bundle)
 

12+ Needles Per Bundle:

Tamarack
Latin Name: Larix laricina
Aka: “Eastern Larch,” “American Larch”
Family: Pine (Conifer)
Ht: 40’-80’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Single thin trunk, conical narrow cone with open horizontal branches
Bark: brown, tight & flaky, reddish underneath
Leaves: 12-30 per bundle, ¾”-1 ¼” long, 1/32” wide, soft point, light blue-green color
Cone/Fruit: Light red to dark brown, rounded, ½”-1” in length & diameter, grows upright
Origin: Native
Age: 100-150 yrs.
Range: Scattered locations in the central & eastern half of the state
Habitat: Wet soils, swamps, bogs, occasionally upland, pure stands
Fall Color: Yellow
Notes: This tree is the only conifer that sheds its needles in the winter and prior to shedding them they are yellow in color
 

Scaly Needles:
Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern White Cedar

Eastern Red Cedar
Latin Name: Juniperus virginiana
Aka: “Eastern Juniper,” “Red Juniper”
Family: Cypress
Ht: 25’-60’
Dia: 1’-2’
Tree Shape: Single trunk often crocked or leaning, fluted, pointed crown, pyramid to conical shape
Bark: Reddish-brown to gray, thin & fibrous, peels in layers, has a red inner bark
Leaves: Scaly needles, 1”-2” long, overlapping, sharply-pointed, dark green in color
Cone/Fruit: Dark blue, ½” long, 1-2 seeds, with a white resin
Origin: Native
Age: 300 yrs.
Range: Anywhere
Habitat: Dry soil, open hillsides, wet swampy areas, sunny areas, limestone uplands, floodplains, pure stands, wetlands, abandoned fields
Fall Color: Same
Notes: This is a conifer used for cedar chest (wood gives off an aroma). This trees berries are also a staple food for animals.
 

Eastern White Cedar
Latin Name: Thuja occidentalis
Aka: “Northern White Cedar,” “Eastern Thuja,” “Eastern Arborvitae,”
Family: Cypress
Ht: 30’-70’
Dia: 1’-3’
Tree Shape: Single or multi-trunk often twisted or crocked, pyramid-shaped, blunt-pointed dense crown
Bark: Gray & fibrous, with shallow furrows that peel in long stripes
Leaves: Scaly needles, 1”-2” long opposite of each other with 4 in a row, soft, overlapping, yellow-green color above, paler on the bottom
Cone/Fruit: Yellow-green to brown, slender, 1/3”-2/3” long, 1/8”-¼” wide, with 6-8 overlapping scales
Origin: Non-native, came from Europe
Age: 800 yrs.
Range: Anywhere
Habitat: Swamps, limestone soils
Fall Color: Same
Notes: This was the first tree discovered by European settlers. The bark of this tree was used to make tea and helped with Scurvy (arbor vitae “tree of life”). 
 

Maples Trees
Amur
Black
Mountain
Norway
Red
Silver
Striped
Sugar
*8 PA Maples
 

Oaks Trees
Black Oak
Blackjack Oak
Bur Oak
Chestnut Oak
Chinquapin Oak
English Oak
Pin Oak
Red Oak
Post Oak
Scarlet Oak
Shingle Oak
Shumard Oak
Swamp White Oak
White Oak
*14 PA Oak

Poison Trees & Plants

State Game Lands

PA has roughly 1.4 million acres of state game lands open to the public all over the state. These game lands are broken down into 22 Wildlife Management Units (WMU's) that are watched over and taken care of by the PA Game Commission.

Waterways

PA has a large system of interconnecting waterways with some of the best trout fishing and boating recreation around. The major rivers located within Pennsylvania are: Allegheny, Brandywhine Creek, Cheat, Clarion, Delaware, French, Juniata, Lehigh, Monongahela, Pine Creek, Schuylkill River, Susquehanna & the Youghiogheny River.

United State Geological Survey Website

The USGS is a great Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural resources, living resources, natural hazards, and the environment.

United State Geological Survey Water Website

The USGS water website gives you detailed information about the water resources in the United States. The coolest part about this site is their are hundreds of rivers, creeks and streams that are monitored with gauges placed at strategic locations on these water sources. All 50 states, Puerto Rico & the Virgin Islands are monitored and contain river gauges that give detailed information. The website is a little tricky to use, but contains a lot of useful information that can be setup to the parameters that you select it to.
 

American Whitewater Website

Excellent website for you outdoor water enthusiast. This website posts data about streams, creeks and rivers in the U.S., along with water gauge levels, pictures and access points. But more importantly their goal is to restore America's whitewater resources.

American Whitewater - Main Page

Water Levels - On runnable creeks & rivers in PA according to American Whitewater.

Lehigh River - Excellent website on the Lehigh River, includes gauges heights, and rapids layouts.
 

Questions or Comments?: Please feel free to email me, I would appreciate them, Thanks!

*Disclaimer: Is found on the main page & applies to this page as well as all other pages.