Ricketts Glen Walk

We took a day while my niece was here from Florida and drove to Ricketts Glen State Park to walk along the falls . My niece , her friend , Mom, Dad, my one daughter and 2 of the grandaughters all went. At the start of the trail it says....Dangerous Trails and can be very slippery. At 2 pm we start . Only my niece, her friend , my daughter and the grandaughters started down the steep trail. Dad did go a short ways , but then turned around and went back to sit with Mom. There are 22 falls along the trails. they range from 11' to 94' . My niece and her friend only went part way and had to leave. They had to leave in time to get to the Allentown airport for their flight home. So the grandaughters and my daughter and I kept going on the trail.( That was our mistake ... we should have turned back too ! ) But , we kept on going. Lots of dirt paths , then stone steps , some that were 2' high to step down to the next one. My daughter had to help me numerous times. We see lots of beautiful falls and huge, huge rocks. The trail kept going down and down and I keep thinking on the way back it is going to be UP and UP ! Not good ! We reach a point where the trail splits and we rest awhile. Up we go now , more paths and more 2' rock steps ! More falls on the way back up. By now it is about 5 or 530. Soon we see a sign that points this way towards the parking lot. So , of course we think oh good we are close !! NOT !! We keep going up and it is really steep . We go awhile and there is a huge rock. Good place to sit and rest . Thank God, we sit and let our heartbeat get back to normal and we can breathe ! On we go . More steep trails , more 2' steps and more falls. By now I could care less if I ever see another falls again !!!!! Rest , Breathe , Climb , Pant , Rest , Breathe , Climb , Pant and on and on ! My daughter and I sit there gasping for air and start laughing and laughing . We say to each other I think I am having a heart attack ! On we go...Finally see a sign that says.03 miles to the parking lot.YESSSSS ~ almost there !! Do you know how long it takes to walk .03 miles ??? a long time !! Next sign says .01 miles to the parking lot. We tell the 8 and 9 year old girls to run and tell Grammy and Papee we are coming and are ok ( alright, we ARE not ok , but we are still alive !! ) And of course they go running off , full of energy still. About 6pm or so my daughter and I stagger into the parking lot and collapse by Mom and Dad . The next time family visits and wants to walk the trails at Ricketts Glen I will pass !!!!!!!!!!!