{{Short description|State park in Potter County, Pennsylvania}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Denton Hill State Park | image = DHSPHill.jpg | image_caption = The ski slopes at Denton Hill State Park | image_alt = Ski slopes | image_size = 280 | location = [[Potter County, Pennsylvania]], United States | coordinates = {{coord|41.77794|-77.82786|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = <ref name="dhsp"/> | area = {{convert|700|acre|abbr=on}}<ref name="forrey"/> | elevation = {{convert|1800-2400|ft}}<ref name="dhsp"/> | established = 1951 | administrator = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | free_label = | free_data = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | website = {{Official website}} | module = {{Infobox protected area | map = USA Pennsylvania#USA | label = Denton Hill State Park | label_position = | map_caption = Location in Pennsylvania | relief = 1 | module = [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania State Parks]] }} }} '''Denton Hill State Park''' is a {{convert|700|acre|0|adj=on}} [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania state park]] in [[Ulysses Township, Pennsylvania|Ulysses Township]], [[Potter County, Pennsylvania|Potter County]], [[Pennsylvania]], in the United States. The park is a [[downhill skiing]] resort. Denton Hill State Park is on [[U.S. Route 6 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 6]] between [[Coudersport, Pennsylvania|Coudersport]] and [[Galeton, Pennsylvania|Galeton]]. In 2000 the park became part of the [[Hills Creek State Park]] complex, an administrative grouping of eight state parks in [[Potter County, Pennsylvania|Potter]] and Tioga counties.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://greenfreelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewer.aspx?img=12106011&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=4&currentPage=0 | title = Manager named at Hills Creek Lake | work = Wellsboro Gazette | date = 2000-02-02 | page = 6 | access-date = 2009-04-09 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110714174750/http://greenfreelibrary.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewer.aspx?img=12106011&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=4&currentPage=0 | archive-date = 2011-07-14 | url-status = dead }} ''Note'': the eight parks in the Hills Creek State Park Complex are [[Cherry Springs State Park|Cherry Springs]], [[Colton Point State Park|Colton Point]], Denton Hill, [[Hills Creek State Park|Hills Creek]], [[Leonard Harrison State Park|Leonard Harrison]], [[Lyman Run State Park|Lyman Run]], [[Patterson State Park|Patterson]], and [[Prouty Place State Park|Prouty Place]].</ref>

==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).<ref name="dhsp">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="skidenton">{{cite web | url = http://www.skidenton.com | title = Ski Denton | access-date = 2006-11-01 | publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061102200751/http://www.skidenton.com/ | archive-date = 2006-11-02 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

There are five [[chalet]]s on the grounds of Ski Denton. Each [[Cabin (housing)|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.<ref name="skidenton"/>

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 {{convert|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 {{convert|15|mi}} long, passing through [[Patterson State Park]] on its way to [[Cherry Springs State Park]]. Part of the [[Susquehannock Trail System]], an {{convert|85|mi|adj=on}} loop [[hiking trail]], forms the southern border of the park.<ref name="susquehannock">{{cite map | publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | title = Susquehannock State Forest Map | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/maps/fd15_map.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120720071207/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/maps/fd15_map.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 20, 2012 | format = PDF | scale = 1 inch = 2 miles | access-date = 2009-03-03}}</ref>

==New Developments== The state has completed a study on what improvements to the park facilities would be needed to fully re-open the park,<ref name="dcnr">{{cite web| url = https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/DentonHillStatePark/Pages/MasterPlan.aspx| title = Denton Hill State Park master plan| access-date = 2020-03-09| publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]}}</ref> and as of late 2023, was working with a local company, Denton Go, LLC, to re-open the park as a four-season resort.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.sungazette.com/news/top-news/2023/10/denton-hill-state-park-may-re-open-as-four-season-resort/| title = Denton Hill State Park may re-open as four-season resort| access-date = 2024-05-04| publisher = [[Williamsport Sun-Gazette]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.dentongo.com/faq| title = FAQ Denton Go| access-date = 2024-07-05| publisher = Denton Go, LLC}}</ref> [[Image:DHSP Skiin'.jpg|thumb|The beginners slope at Denton Hill State Park]]

==References== {{reflist|refs= <ref name="forrey">{{cite web |url=http://paconservationheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/2015-history-of-state-parks-forrey.pdf |title=History of Pennsylvania’s State Parks 1984 to 2015 |author=William C. Forrey |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |page=72 |date=2017 |access-date=2025-12-29}}</ref> }}

==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Portal|Pennsylvania}} *[http://paconservationheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/2015-history-of-state-parks-forrey.pdf Denton Hill State Park] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

{{Protected areas of Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:State parks of Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1951]] [[Category:Parks in Potter County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:1951 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Potter County, Pennsylvania]]