Denton Hill State Park

History

Denton Hill State Park was the first ski operation run by the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters (a predecessor to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). The park was established in 1951, opened in 1959, and the lodge and ski area were built between 1958 and 1967. The ski area was operated by the state until 1979, when it became a concession run by a private contractor ("Ski Denton" as of 2011).{{cite web |url=https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/denton-hill-state-park | title = Denton Hill State Park |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |access-date=2025-12-29}} The park was closed to downhill skiing in late 2014, when the concession contract expired.

The skiing ranged from easy, beginner slopes to some of the most dangerous, expert, black diamond slopes on the east coast of the United States. There are four ski lifts at the park, each of which stops at a different elevation on the slopes. Lift-accessed Snow tubing is also available at Denton Hill State Park, or Ski Denton.

There are five chalets on the grounds of Ski Denton. Each cabin has wall to wall carpeting and two bedrooms that sleep up to six individuals. There is a large living room with a cathedral ceiling in each cabin. The cabins also have a full kitchen, dining room, and bathroom. A hostel style bunkhouse sits atop the main lodge.

Ski Denton opens its slopes and trails for mountain bikers in the off season; when the lifts were running, bikers could use those to get to the top of the slopes. There are over 50 mi of maintained downhill and cross-country single track and trails available for riding. A mountain bike trail begins at Denton Hill State Park and is 15 mi long, passing through Patterson State Park on its way to Cherry Springs State Park. Part of the Susquehannock Trail System, an 85 mi loop hiking trail, forms the southern border of the park.

New Developments

The state has completed a study on what improvements to the park facilities would be needed to fully re-open the park, and as of late 2023, was working with a local company, Denton Go, LLC, to re-open the park as a four-season resort. Denton Go plans to open the park for overnight camping with several RV sites along the 9-mile creek, as well as various outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and downhill sports. The team also plans to offer UTV rentals and reopen the original cabin sites, which are expected to be ready in the late summer of 2024.

References

References

1. (2000-02-02). "Manager named at Hills Creek Lake". Wellsboro Gazette.
2. "Ski Denton". [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]].
3. "Susquehannock State Forest Map". [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]].
4. "Denton Hill State Park master plan". [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]].
5. "Denton Hill State Park may re-open as four-season resort". [[Williamsport Sun-Gazette]].
6. "FAQ Denton Go". Denton Go, LLC.
7. William C. Forrey. (2017). "History of Pennsylvania’s State Parks 1984 to 2015". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.