We had brought a picnic lunch to take on the trail, but no food or drink (except water) is allowed on the trails. This wasn’t a problem as they provide many different picnic areas including pavilions and groves with open grills, all were clean and inviting.

The entrance fee was quite reasonable, $36 for three adults and two children and that gained you entrance into the wildlife exhibit and then onto the trails. There are four trails in all. Each is a different length and skill level. The shorter ones are good for those people with small children who will be hiking along with them, but the longer ones are fairly easy (beg-intermed) if the children are older. Mine are 16, 11 & 8, and we did the blue trail and veered onto the yellow and then the red toward the end. The trails are well marked and kept in good repair. There are many steep, narrow stairs, and bridges, especially around the falls themselves (many different falls), but it is quite worth the hike for the view. The trails harbor many benches for those who need a resting place, and trash receptacles for empty water bottles. You will need a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots to be comfortable on this trail. We witnessed many "hikers" in sandals or flip-flops. I would strongly recommend using common sense as this is a natural area, not manmade.

Definitely bring your binoculars, camera and/or video camera as the scenery is breath taking. There are numerous photo opportunities, so make sure you have plenty of film and batteries. We forgot to bring extra batteries and ran out of juice too early, but we did get a few good shots of the spectacular main falls.

Be sure to do some good leg stretches before and after your hike as it is a good workout on the thigh and calf muscles! The red trail boasts 1,267 steps in all!!

The only other advice I might add is to remember that this is in the woods so be sure to bring bug spray to ward off ticks and other insects. Sunscreen might be a good idea if it is sunny, but most of the trails are nicely shaded, also because of the shade, you might bring a light jacket or such if it seems like it could turn cooler as you hike on.

We had a terrific time together challenging each other to get up the hills first, or investigating the plant and insect life along the trails. It was a great, relaxing family day.

The fragile ecology is of utmost importance, and the shrubs, rocks, and roots are really important, and there are encouraging signs to help you keep away from areas which may be dangerous to trek through. There's a lot of hiking, and comfortable shoes are a must!!

It's been said that Charles E. Peters first opened Bushkill Falls to the public in 1904, with a single path and a swinging bridge over the head of the main falls, and it's still owned by the Peters family, and it's one of the most worthwhile scenic attractions in the Poconos. We enjoyed it, and we were grateful for the many photo-op stops and rest areas where we could catch our breath before the next climb.

There's so many highlights to speak about, like the bridge over the Lower Gorge Falls to the Top of the Main Falls, to Lovers' Nook, and a variety of other wonderful nature sights.

One point: if you have children under 4 years of age, you may note that strollers are not recommended because of the rockiness of the area.

All in all, though, the almost 2 miles of spectacular mountain scenery and eight breathtaking falls was worth the trip.