Rock Point Park

Some stories beg… no, demand to be told… and this one is compelling.

Rock Point Park, a wonderful Victorian-era amusement park once located near Ellwood City, PA (about 45 miles north of Pittsburgh), has a very unusual history. With beginnings in the "Trolley Park" era of the late 1800s (the exact date it difficult to pinpoint because of its evolution, but it is widely accepted as 1885), the park quickly became one of the favorite destinations for recreation in Western Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, it did not survive the competition with parks like Kennywood & Westview (Pittsburgh area), Cascade (New Castle), Junction Stretch (Rochester, PA), Idora (Youngstown, OH), and Idlewild (Ligonier, PA). After the 1911 season, the railroad decided to discontinue providing excursion service to the park due to a decrease in ridership. This decision brought an end to the park's profitability, and it was announced in the Spring of 1912 that the park would cease operations.

The unusual twist to this story is that after the park closed, the subsequent owners (to the best of my understanding, although the owners dispute this) prohibited the public from the property. It has been said that they cared deeply for the park, and kept it "off limits" in an attempt to preserve any remaining structures. They hoped that it could be revived and rebuilt at some point. But unfortunately, after the park was severely damaged by several fires, hope for revival was abandoned. From that point, the property had been closed to the public (again, disputed) until 2006, when it was purchased by the Wild Waterways Conservancy, and named "Rock Point Nature Area". Thanks to that effort, we now have the opportunity to explore the remains of the park for the first time in nearly a century.

In addition to the historical aspect, Rock Point Nature Area is a superb natural wilderness region with many acres of deep woods. The forest has reclaimed all but some small remains of the park, making the region one of the most picturesque natural hiking areas around. Many of the original trails are still accessible, and allow for easy walking. But many areas of the park are rugged and only suitable for more experienced hikers.

Not familiar with the region? To view a map of Rock Point Nature Area and the surrounding area, please click here. If you plan on visiting, please review the property use guidelines beforehand. Thank you!