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List of Pennsylvania state parks










List of Pennsylvania state parks




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A map of the state of Pennsylvania showing all 67 counties and a red circle marking the site of each state park

Map of state parks of Pennsylvania
(Each dot is linked to the corresponding park article)

There are 121 state parks in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, as of 2016.[1] The Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, a division of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), is the governing body for all these parks, and directly operates 113 of them. The remaining eight are operated in cooperation with other public and private organizations.[a]


The first Pennsylvania state park, at Valley Forge, opened in 1893 and was given to the National Park Service (NPS) for America's bicentennial in 1976. There are a total of seventeen former Pennsylvania state parks: four former parks have been transferred to the NPS, four to the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission, two to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, one to both the Corps and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, five to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, and one has ceased to exist. Nine current and two former state parks have had major name changes or have been known under alternate names.


The list gives an overview of Pennsylvania state parks and a brief history of their development since the first park opened in 1893. State parks range in size from 3 acres (1.2 ha) to 21,122 acres (8,548 ha), with nearly one percent (0.96%) of Pennsylvania's land as state park land. According to Dan Cupper (1993), "Pennsylvania is the thirty-third largest state, but only Alaska and California have more park land".[2][3]




Contents





  • 1 Overview

    • 1.1 History



  • 2 Current parks


  • 3 Other names of current parks


  • 4 Former parks


  • 5 Other names of former parks


  • 6 See also


  • 7 Notes


  • 8 References


  • 9 External links




Overview[edit]


There are state parks in 61 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties,[b] which nearly reaches Pennsylvania's goal of having a state park within 25 miles (40 km) of every resident in the Commonwealth.[4][c] Eleven of the 121 parks do not have "State Park" in their name. Three are "Conservation Areas": Boyd Big Tree Preserve, Joseph E. Ibberson, and Varden; four are "Environmental Education Centers": Jacobsburg, Jennings, Kings Gap (also a "Training Center") and Nolde Forest; White Clay Creek is a "Preserve"; Norristown is a "Farm Park"; and Big Spring is a "State Forest Picnic Area".[1]


Seven parks are undeveloped with no facilities: Allegheny Islands, Benjamin Rush, Bucktail, Erie Bluffs, Prompton, Swatara, and Varden; the last four of these are in the process of being developed. Five state parks are small picnic areas: Laurel Summit, Patterson, Prouty Place, Sand Bridge, and Upper Pine Bottom. Five state parks have major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams and/or lakes: Bald Eagle, Beltzville, Elk, Kettle Creek, and Sinnemahoning. Three former parks now belong, at least partly, to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Seven parks preserve the industrial past: Canoe Creek is the site of a former lime kiln, and Caledonia, French Creek, Greenwood Furnace, Kings Gap, Mont Alto, and Pine Grove Furnace (plus one former park) are all former iron furnace sites.[1][3] Eight current parks and one former park contain at least part of eight different National Natural Landmarks.[5][d]


According to the DCNR, the 121 state parks in Pennsylvania are on more than 283,000 acres (115,000 ha) with some 606 full-time and more than 1,600 part-time employees serving approximately 36 million visitors each year. Admission to all Pennsylvania state parks is free, although there are fees charged for use of cabins, marinas, etc. Pennsylvania's 121 state parks offer "over 7,000 family campsites, 286 cabins, nearly 30,000 picnic tables, 56 major recreational lakes, 10 marinas, 61 beaches for swimming, 17 swimming pools" and over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of trails.[6]



History[edit]


Pennsylvania's first state park was Valley Forge State Park, purchased by the Commonwealth on May 30, 1893 to preserve Valley Forge. It was transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) on the Bicentennial of the United States, July 4, 1976.[7] Many state parks still preserve history: as of 2012, forty-two Pennsylvania state park sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, including two National Historic Landmarks (Delaware Canal and Point), twenty-eight Civilian Conservation Corps sites in nineteen parks, and twelve other parks' historic sites and districts.[8] Eight of the former state parks were also chiefly historic.[3]


In addition to preserving historic sites, Pennsylvania also sought to preserve natural beauty and offer opportunities for recreation in its state parks. In 1902 Mont Alto State Forest Park was the second park established, a year after the state "Bureau of Forestry" was set up to purchase, preserve, and restore Pennsylvania's forests, which had been ravaged by lumbering, charcoal production, and wild fires. Parks were added sporadically until the 1930s, some mere camping and picnic areas in state forests, while others preserved unique sites.[9] The 1930s saw a great expansion of parks and their facilities under Governor Gifford Pinchot, who cooperated with President Franklin Roosevelt, despite their being of different political parties. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established 113 CCC camps in Pennsylvania (second only to California). Using CCC and Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor, the NPS built five Recreation Demonstration Areas, which became Pennsylvania state parks in 1945 and 1946: Blue Knob, French Creek, Hickory Run, Laurel Hill, and Raccoon Creek. The CCC also "fought forest fires, planted trees, built roads, buildings, picnic areas, swimming areas, campgrounds and created many state parks".[e][10]


In 1955, there were forty-four state parks in Pennsylvania, mostly in rural areas. Forty-five parks had been added by 1979, mostly near urban areas, and the system had increased by 130,000 acres (53,000 ha). This was thanks largely to the efforts of Maurice K. Goddard, who served as director of the precursors to the DCNR for twenty-four years under six administrations. The number of visitors to parks more than tripled in this time and two voter approved bond issues (Projects 70 and 500) raised millions of dollars for park expansions and improvements.[4] All this expansion was not without costs and by 1988 there was an estimated $90 million in deferred maintenance. In 1993, as the park system celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary, new tax and bond revenues were earmarked for the parks.[2] Since 2000, parks are being improved through the state's Growing Greener and Growing Greener II and bond programs.[11]



Current parks[edit]

























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Current Pennsylvania state parks
Park name
County or counties
Area in acres (ha)
Date
founded
Stream(s) and / or lake(s)
Remarks
Image

Allegheny Islands State Park
Allegheny County
43 acres
(17 ha)
1980Allegheny RiverThree alluvial islands near Pittsburgh with no facilities, and accessible only by boat
A large body of water between two tree-lined shores, with a bridge in the background.

Category:Allegheny Islands State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Archbald Pothole State Park
Lackawanna County
150 acres (61 ha)
1964NoneOne of world's largest potholes, 38 ft (12 m) deep, largest diameter 42 feet (13 m) by 24 feet (7 m)
A platform with a fence around it above a deep rocky hole

Category:Archbald Pothole State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Bald Eagle State Park
Centre County
5,900 acres (2,388 ha)
1971
Bald Eagle Creek, Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir
1,730 acre (700 ha) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir named for Medal of Honor recipient

An uncut field with trees at right and a long mountain range in the distant background

Category:Bald Eagle State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Beltzville State Park
Carbon County
2,973 acres (1,203 ha)
1972
Pohopoco Creek, Beltzville Lake

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake is 949 acres (384 ha) with 19.8 miles (31.9 km) of shoreline.

An aerial view of a large dam and lake surrounded by forest with low mountains in the background

Category:Beltzville State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Bendigo State Park
Elk County
100 acres (40 ha)
1959East Branch Clarion RiverOnly 20 acres (8.1 ha) developed, name a corruption of Abednego

A smooth creek flows between two banks covered with lush vegetation

Category:Bendigo State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Benjamin Rush State Park
Philadelphia County
275 acres (111 ha)
1975NoneSite of one of the world's largest community gardens, otherwise undeveloped
Mounds of soil with young plants and stakes in a fenced-in garden

Category:Benjamin Rush State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Big Pocono State Park
Monroe County
1,306 acres (529 ha)
1954NoneOn Camelback Mountain, site of Camelback Ski Area and Waterpark
View from a high vantage point of a mountainous landscape beneath a party cloudy sky, there are twisted small trees in the foreground

Category:Big Pocono State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area
Perry County
45 acres
(18 ha)
1936Big Spring RunPark has trail to partially completed railroad tunnel in Conococheague Mountain.
Three rustic picnic shelters in a forest

Category:Big Spring State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Black Moshannon State Park
Centre County
3,394 acres (1,374 ha)
1937
Black Moshannon Creek, Black Moshannon Lake
Park has bog with three carnivorous plant species and 17 orchid varieties.[f][g]
The shore of a lake lined with brown bog plants, dark water is at right. The lake is surrounded by evergreen trees and is under a bright blue sky.

Category:Black Moshannon State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Blue Knob State Park
Bedford County
5,874 acres (2,377 ha)
1945NoneThis former Recreation Demonstration Area on the state's second highest mountain has Blue Knob All Seasons Resort (skiing).
View of a distant tree-covered mountain with fields and forests in the foreground

Category:Blue Knob State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area
Dauphin County
914 acres (370 ha)
1999Unnamed tributary of Fishing Creek
On Blue Mountain, one of three Conservation Areas, named for donor Alex Boyd
A meadow under a partly cloudy sky with a tree-covered ridge in the background

Category:Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area on Wikimedia Commons


Buchanan's Birthplace State Park
Franklin County
18.5 acres
(7 ha)
1911Buck RunStone pyramid marks the birthplace of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States.
A fieldstone pyramid surrounded by a fence with pine trees in the background

Category:Buchanan's Birthplace State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Bucktail State Park Natural Area

Cameron and Clinton Counties

21,039 acres (8,514 ha)
1933
Sinnemahoning Creek, West Branch Susquehanna River
Park, named for the Bucktail Regiment, is a 75-mile (121 km) undeveloped scenic drive on PA 120.
A river curves between two forested mountains under a bright blue sky with a few clouds

Category:Bucktail State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Caledonia State Park

Adams and Franklin Counties

1,125 acres (455 ha)
1903Rocky Mountain Creek, Carbaugh Run, East Branch Conococheague Creek
Park, named for Thaddeus Stevens' iron furnace, is home to summer stock Totem Pole Playhouse.
A fieldstone iron furnace with a metal plaque reading "Caledonia Furnace, erected 1837 by Thaddeus Stevens" and more text too small to read. There are trees in the background

Category:Caledonia State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Canoe Creek State Park
Blair County
658 acres (266 ha)
1979Canoe Creek (tributary of Raystown Branch Juniata River), Canoe Creek LakeHome of largest nursery colony of little brown bats in the state.
A row of six large stone structures with arched openings, leafless trees are in the background.

Category:Canoe Creek State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Chapman State Park
Warren County
805 acres (326 ha)
1951Farnsworth Run, West Branch Tionesta Creek, Chapman LakeTrailhead for trail system in surrounding Allegheny National Forest

Water from a forest-surrounded lake spills over a stairstep dam

Category:Chapman State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Cherry Springs State Park
Potter County
48 acres
(19 ha)
1922NonePark known for some of the clearest, darkest night skies in the state and eastern US.[f][g]
Two white observatory domes in a snow-covered field, wooden stairs are beside one dome and a cabin and trees are in the background

Category:Cherry Springs State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Clear Creek State Park
Jefferson County
1,676 acres (678 ha)
1922Clear Creek, Clarion River
Start of popular canoe trip on 10 miles (6 km) of Clarion River to Cook Forest State Park[g]
A snow-covered log cabin with a porch supported by stone pillars

Category:Clear Creek State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Codorus State Park
York County
3,329 acres (1,347 ha)
1966
Codorus Creek, Lake Marburg
Man-made lake is 1,275 acres (516 ha), named for former village of Marburg now flooded by it.
One blue and two yellow kayaks on the shore of a lake, which reflects surrounding pine trees

Category:Codorus State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Colonel Denning State Park
Cumberland County
273 acres (110 ha)
1936Doubling Gap Creek, Doubling Gap LakePark named for William Denning, an American Revolutionary War veteran who was never a colonel.
Trees in autumn colors reflected in a smooth lake

Category:Colonel Denning State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Colton Point State Park
Tioga County
368 acres (149 ha)
1936Pine CreekOn west rim of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, 800 feet (244 m) deep here[d][f][g]
An overlook with a fence, two coin-operated telescopes, and a large tree at left, with a tree-covered gorge in the background

Category:Colton Point State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Cook Forest State Park

Clarion, Forest, and Jefferson Counties

8,500 acres (3,440 ha)
1927Toms Run, Clarion River

National Natural Landmark, one of America's top-50 state parks (National Geographic Traveler)[d][f][g]

Several large trees stand on the bank of a rock-strewn creek

Category:Cook Forest State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Cowans Gap State Park

Franklin and Fulton Counties

1,085 acres (439 ha)
1937
Little Aughwick Creek, Cowans Gap Lake
Site of French and Indian War road, pioneer homestead, lumbering, and CCC camp[g]
Snow covers a simple wooden footbridge which crosses a stream in a forest

Category:Cowans Gap State Park on Wikimedia Commons


Delaware Canal State Park

Bucks and Northampton Counties

830 acres (336 ha)
1931Delaware RiverPark runs 60 miles (97 km) along Delaware Canal, the only 19th century U.S. towpath canal left continuously intact.[f][g]
A narrow stone-lined canal lock filled with water surrounded by grass. In the background a path follows the canal at left and a modern bridge crosses it.


Denton Hill State Park
Potter County
700 acres (283 ha)
1951NoneSite of Ski Denton resort, also open for summer mountain biking
A snowy ski slope with several skiers on it and bare trees in the background


Elk State Park

Elk and McKean Counties

3,192 acres (1,292 ha)
1963
East Branch Clarion River, East Branch Lake

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake is 1,160 acres (470 ha).

A large lake between two hilly shores, seen through trees in the foreground


Erie Bluffs State Park
Erie County
540 acres (219 ha)
2004Lake EriePark has 1.0 mile (0.6 km) of lake coastline and bluffs 90 feet (27 m) tall, and is being developed.
A stream spills over layered rock on a lake shore covered with small flat rocks


Evansburg State Park
Montgomery County
3,349 acres (1,355 ha)
1979Skippack CreekPark has 18 hole Skippack Golf Course and many outdoor recreational opportunities.[g]
A path through several green trees in dappled sunlight


Fort Washington State Park
Montgomery County
493 acres (200 ha)
1953Wissahickon Creek
George Washington camped here in the American Revolutionary War's Philadelphia campaign.

A stream curves between two banks lined with bare trees


Fowlers Hollow State Park
Perry County
104 acres (42 ha)
1936Fowlers Hollow RunTrailhead for the trail system of the surrounding Tuscarora State Forest

A stream flows in front of a bank with many trees and a picnic table


Frances Slocum State Park
Luzerne County
1,035 acres (419 ha)
1968Abrahams Creek, Frances Slocum LakePark named for a girl kidnapped by the Lenape who lived the rest of her life with the Miami in Indiana.
A lake covered with green algae and bright brown bog plants, a forested shore is in the background


French Creek State Park

Berks and Chester Counties

7,339 acres (2,970 ha)
1946French CreekFormer Recreation Demonstration Area, adjacent to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site[f][g]
A flock of Canadian geese flying in front of a yellow sailboat with a yellow and white sail on a blue lake


Gifford Pinchot State Park
York County
2,338 acres (946 ha)
1961Beaver Creek (tributary of Conewago Creek), Pinchot Lake
Gifford Pinchot was a Pennsylvania governor, conservationist, and first US Forest Service Chief.

A gravel path runs across grass dotted with trees


Gouldsboro State Park

Monroe and Wayne Counties

2,880 acres (1,165 ha)
1958Gouldsboro LakePark named for village named for Jay Gould, next to Tobyhanna Army Depot.
A sunny lake with an island and shore covered in autumnal foliage under a blue sky with some clouds


Greenwood Furnace State Park
Huntingdon County
423 acres (171 ha)
1924
Standing Stone Creek, Greenwood Lake
Includes ghost town of Greenwood, former ironworks and charcoal hearths[f][g]
A large stone iron furnace with openings on each of the two sides visible


Hickory Run State Park
Carbon County
15,550 acres (6,293 ha)
1945Hickory Run, Lehigh River, Sand Spring LakeFormer Recreation Demonstration Area with a large boulder field that is a National Natural Landmark.[d][f]
A large field of pink and grey boulders ringed by trees in the far distance. A few tiny human figures give a sense of the immense size of the boulder field.


Hillman State Park
Washington County
3,600 acres (1,456 ha)
1960sRaccoon CreekManaged for hunting by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and largely undeveloped
An overgrown field surrounded by bushes and trees under a blue sky


Hills Creek State Park
Tioga County
407 acres (165 ha)
1953Hills Creek, Hills Creek LakeLand previously used as a pigment mine for the paint industry
Two trees in front of lake with some rushes and water plants in it.


Hyner Run State Park
Clinton County
180 acres (73 ha)
1958Hyner RunOn the site of Civilian Conservation Corps Camp S-75-PA
A sunlit dappled scene with many straight tree trunks, grass between, and a few picnic tables


Hyner View State Park
Clinton County
6 acres
(2 ha)
1965NoneScenic view of the West Branch Susquehanna River and launching point for hang gliding[f]
A person dangles below a red, yellow and white parasail, in the background is a lush forest with a large river and a tree-covered island.


Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
Northampton County
1,168 acres (473 ha)
1959Bushkill CreekPark surrounds Jacobsburg National Historic District, where rifles were manufactured during the American Revolution.[g]
An unpainted wooden barn with a shingle roof in the sunlight


Jennings Environmental Education Center
Butler County
300 acres (121 ha)
1979Big RunPark contains the only publicly protected relict prairie ecosystem in Pennsylvania, 20 acres (8.1 ha).[f]
A field full of different wild plants, some flowering, with a line of trees in the background


Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area
Dauphin County
350 acres (142 ha)
2000NoneOn Peters Mountain, one of three Conservation Areas, named for donor Joseph E. Ibberson

A path leads through a green forest


Kettle Creek State Park
Clinton County
1,793 acres (726 ha)
1954
Kettle Creek, Kettle Creek Reservoir

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir is 160 acres (65 ha), park has many recreational facilities built by CCC.

A view from atop a mountain of a blue lake between roling green hills and low mountains under a partly cloudy sky


Keystone State Park
Westmoreland County
1,200 acres (486 ha)
1945Keystone Run, Keystone LakePark is named for the Keystone Coal and Coke Company that once owned the land and created the lake.
About a dozen canoes and small boats on a grassy shore of a lake at left, with a large puddle and a bulletin board and trees at right


Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center
Cumberland County
1,454 acres (588 ha)
1973some vernal pools, Kings Gap Hollow Run, Irish Gap RunTraining center for park rangers of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

A flagpole and pine tree in front of a large two story stone building with many windows


Kinzua Bridge State Park
McKean County
329 acres (133 ha)
1970Kinzua CreekHad 1882 Historic Civil Engineering Landmark railway bridge, once the world's highest and longest, destroyed by a tornado in 2003.[f][g]
A trestle bridge across an autumnal valley at left ends in a drop off at center, with collapsed remnants at right, all under a bright blue sky


Kooser State Park
Somerset County
250 acres (101 ha)
1922Kooser Run, Kooser LakeSite of battles between Native American tribes, part of Whiskey Rebellion [g]
A cross-country skier in red beneath a pine tree covered in a heavy snow


Lackawanna State Park
Lackawanna County
1,411 acres (571 ha)
1972
South Branch Tunkhannock Creek, Lake Lackawanna
On site of a Turn of the Century era community fair
A grey lake under grey skies with snow and ice blocks on its shore and snow covered low mountains in the background


Laurel Hill State Park
Somerset County
3,935 acres (1,592 ha)
1945
Laurel Hill Creek, Laurel Hill Lake
Former Recreation Demonstration Area with the largest CCC architecture collection of any Pennsylvania state park[g]
Two children run across a grassy field to a wooden one-story cabin with a wall of trees behind


Laurel Mountain State Park

Somerset and Westmoreland Counties

493 acres (200 ha)
1964NoneOpened in 1939 by Richard K. Mellon and Rolling Rock brewery as one of the state's first ski areas, donated to the state in 1964
A road through a forest leads to a fieldstone building with a chmney and steep roof next to a stop sign


Laurel Ridge State Park

Cambria, Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland Counties

13,625 acres (5,514 ha)
1967
Conemaugh River, Youghiogheny River and tributaries
The park surrounds the 70 mile (113 km) long Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
A metal sink with running water supported by wooden beams in the foreground, a wooden open shelter with a stone chimney amidst the trees in the background


Laurel Summit State Park
Westmoreland County
6 acres
(2 ha)
1964NoneDay use picnic area and trailhead, 2,739 feet (835 m) above sea level

A path leads through flat stones and moss to a green forest with large trees, one of which has a blue trail blaze


Lehigh Gorge State Park

Carbon and Luzerne Counties

4,548 acres (1,841 ha)
1980Lehigh RiverThe Lehigh Gorge Trail follows the river through the park for 26 miles (42 km).
View from above of a curving river in a rocky gorge, several school buses and trucks towing trailers with boats and rafts are parked on a gravel area at left


Leonard Harrison State Park
Tioga County
585 acres (237 ha)
1922Pine CreekOn east rim of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, 800 feet (244 m) deep here[d][f]
A creek in a long deep gorge between green wooded mountains under a partly cloudy sky


Linn Run State Park
Westmoreland County
612 acres (248 ha)
1924Grove, Rock and Linn Runs and Adams FallsOnce a barren wasteland, now a thriving second growth forest with an excellent trout stream[g]
A small body of water surrounded by large rocks, evergreen trees and leaf covered ground


Little Buffalo State Park
Perry County
923 acres (374 ha)
1972Little Buffalo Creek, Holman LakePark named for the bison that are believed to have once roamed the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania.[g]
A red-orange sunset and the black silhouette of a line of trees are reflected in a smooth lake


Little Pine State Park
Lycoming County
2,158 acres (873 ha)
1937Little Pine CreekHistorians believe a Shawnee village and burial ground were just north of the park.
View from atop a grassy dam of a lake between and reflecting green mountains


Locust Lake State Park
Schuylkill County
1,089 acres (441 ha)
1966Locust Creek, Locust LakeIn a thriving second growth forest on the side of Locust Mountain
In the foreground a road with three wooden posts, a choppy blue lake behind with one small boat, ringed by green trees and low white clouds beneath a blue sky


Lyman Run State Park
Potter County
595 acres (241 ha)
1951Lyman Run, Lyman Run LakeSite of a Prisoner of War Camp during World War II

A wooded mountain with bright fall leaves is reflected in a small lake with many plants sticking out of the surface


Marsh Creek State Park
Chester County
1,705 acres (690 ha)
1974Marsh Creek, Marsh Creek LakeThe village of Milford Mills was flooded by the creation of the lake, last Project 70 / 500 park.[g]
A blue lake with small waves, the distant shore is wooded and there is a tree at right


Maurice K. Goddard State Park
Mercer County
2,856 acres (1,156 ha)
1972
Sandy Creek, Lake Wilhelm
Park named for Maurice K. Goddard, who led the creation of 45 state parks in 24 years of service.
Trees with red, orange, and yellow leaves reflected in a lake


McCalls Dam State Park
Centre County
8 acres
(3 ha)
1933White Deer CreekIn a remote location on a dirt road between
R. B. Winter State Park and Eastville.

A small stream flows through dappled sunlight between grassy banks and trees


McConnells Mill State Park
Lawrence County
2,546 acres (1,030 ha)
1957Slippery Rock CreekFeatures a deep scenic gorge with a restored watermill and a covered bridge[d][f][g]
A wooden two-story building atop a stone foundation


Memorial Lake State Park
Lebanon County
230 acres (93 ha)
1945Indiantown Run, Memorial LakeSurrounded by Fort Indiantown Gap, headquarters of the Pennsylvania National Guard

A bench and a picnic table on a grassy slope with a lake visible through trees in the distance


Milton State Park
Northumberland County
82 acres
(33 ha)
1966West Branch Susquehanna RiverOn an island in the river, destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and rebuilt
A green soccer field with trees and picnic tables along one edge and a highway bridge behind that


Mont Alto State Park
Franklin County
24 acres
(10 ha)
1902West Branch Antietam CreekPennsylvania's current oldest state park and first State Forest Park, former iron works
A conical green metal roof supported by many black pillars, the whole structure is in the midst of woods


Moraine State Park
Butler County
16,725 acres (6,768 ha)
1970
Muddy Creek, Lake Arthur
Park served as the location of the 1973 and 1977 National Scout Jamborees.[f]
Three hot air balloons over a lake with a sailboat and forested shore


Mt. Pisgah State Park
Bradford County
1,302 acres (527 ha)
1979Pisgah Creek, Mill Creek, Stephen Foster LakeLake named for renowned American composer Stephen Foster.
A grassy lawn with picnic tables, trees and a boat with a curving lakeshore at right


Nescopeck State Park
Luzerne County
3,550 acres (1,437 ha)
2005Nescopeck CreekOne of the newest state parks in Pennsylvania
A fallow field in the foreground, with a line of trees and bushes and a forested ridge behind


Neshaminy State Park
Bucks County
330 acres (134 ha)
1956Delaware RiverPark, on an estuary, donated by descendant of James Logan, colonial secretary to William Penn

View across a lake to a silhoutted skyline of a major city


Nockamixon State Park
Bucks County
5,283 acres (2,138 ha)
1973
Tohickon Creek, Lake Nockamixon
Nockamixon means "place of soft soil" in the Lenape language.
A lake with a canoe and forested far shore, a flock of Canadian geese and picnic table are on the grassy near shore


Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center
Berks County
665 acres (269 ha)
1970Wyomissing CreekOnce a forest privately owned by Jacob Nolde

A wooden dock on the shore of a small lake in which autumnal trees are reflected


Norristown Farm Park
Montgomery County
690 acres (279 ha)
1995Stony CreekManaged by the Montgomery County Department of Parks
Two wings of a white barn with two silos under a blue sky with cirrus clouds


Ohiopyle State Park
Fayette County
19,052 acres (7,710 ha)
1965
Youghiogheny River and tributaries
One of the most popular white-water rafting destinations on the East Coast[d][f]
Dozens of people wearing yellow life preservers and helmets in several blue inflatable rafts float down a river


Oil Creek State Park
Venango County
6,250 acres (2,529 ha)
1931Oil Creek
Edwin Drake drilled the first successful oil well in the world here in 1859.[f]

A wooden derrick at left on grass, with trees and a mountain ridge in the background


Ole Bull State Park
Potter County
132 acres (53 ha)
1925Ole Bull Run, Kettle Creek
Location of a Norwegian colony established by renowned violinist Ole Bull

A stream flows between several trees with a pyramidal-shaped mountain in the background


Parker Dam State Park
Clearfield County
968 acres (392 ha)
1936
Laurel Run, Parker Lake
A herd of elk lives in and near the park.[g]
A line of trees reflected in a still lake under a cloudy sky


Patterson State Park
Potter County
10 acres
(4 ha)
1925NoneDay use picnic area on PA 44, surrounded by Susquehannock State Forest

A green pyramidal roof supported by log pillars over three picnic tables, leafless trees are around it and a road runs behind


Penn-Roosevelt State Park
Centre County
41 acres
(17 ha)
1983Sassafras Run, Standing Stone Creek
Once a segregated black Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Great Depression

Water pours over a narrow spillway with a sunlit stone dam structure on either side


Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Cumberland County
696 acres (282 ha)
1913
Mountain Creek, Fuller Lake, Laurel Lake
The furnaces at Pine Grove could consume an acre of trees a day.[f][g]
A ruined two-story fieldstone wall with a doorway and window holes surrounded by forest


Poe Paddy State Park
Centre County
23 acres
(9 ha)
1938Big Poe Creek, Penns Creek
Noted by anglers for the shadfly hatch that occurs in late spring
A forest with a bench along a stream in the background


Poe Valley State Park
Centre County
620 acres (251 ha)
1938Big Poe Creek, Poe LakeBuilt during the Great Depression by the CCC

Several trees with autumnal foliage on the shore of a lake reflecting a forested mountain


Point State Park
Allegheny County
36 acres
(15 ha)
1974
Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio rivers
In downtown Pittsburgh at meeting of three rivers, site of Fort Pitt[g]
Red, orange, and yellow leaves on trees in an urban park on the shore of a river, a yellow bridge rises in the background


Presque Isle State Park
Erie County
3,200 acres (1,295 ha)
1921Lake ErieThe most visited state park in Pennsylvania, on a peninsula in lake with many beaches[d][f][g]
A small pale yellow metal lighthouse with a red roof on the shore of a lake with a massive white cloud behind


Prince Gallitzin State Park
Cambria County
6,249 acres (2,529 ha)
1965Beaverdam Run, Glendale Lake
Park named for Demetrius Gallitzin, Russian nobleman turned Roman Catholic priest.
A pontoon boat on a lake with a forested shore


Promised Land State Park
Pike County
3,000 acres (1,214 ha)
1905
Wallenpaupack Creek, Promised Land Lake, Lower Lake
Name is an ironic commentary created by immigrant residents, once owned by the Shakers.[f][g]
A field of ferns with a green forest behind


Prompton State Park
Wayne County
2,000 acres (809 ha)
1962
Lackawaxen River, Prompton Lake
Being developed with the help of Friends of Prompton
A lake with a gravel shore in the foreground and a forested distant shore


Prouty Place State Park
Potter County
5 acres
(2 ha)
1925Prouty RunDay use picnic area on Long Toe Road
A rock-filled narrow stream flows through a forest


Pymatuning State Park
Crawford County
21,122 acres (8,548 ha)
1934
Shenango River, Pymatuning Lake
This is the largest state park in Pennsylvania, with one of the largest lakes.[f]
A marina with several sailboats


R. B. Winter State Park
Union County
695 acres (281 ha)
1933Halfway Creek, Halfway LakePark has first cement and stone dam ever built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.[g]
Sunlit water spills over a stone dam in a bright green grassy landscape


Raccoon Creek State Park
Beaver County
7,572 acres (3,064 ha)
1945Little Traverse Creek, Raccoon LakePark was built by the CCC and WPA as one of five National Park Service Recreation Demonstration Areas in state.[f][g]
A waterfall pours through a semicircular hole in a rock ledge


Ralph Stover State Park
Bucks County
45 acres
(18 ha)
1931Tohickon CreekHigh Rocks portion of the park was donated to Pennsylvania by James Michener in 1956.
View from a high rock of water in trees, some bare and some with autumn leaves


Ravensburg State Park
Clinton County
78 acres
(32 ha)
1933Rauchtown RunPark named for the ravens that flock near the gorge.[g]
White water spills over a stone dam in a grassy setting with a highway guardrail in the background


Reeds Gap State Park
Mifflin County
220 acres (89 ha)
1938Honey CreekOnce a gathering place for the locals to hold picnics and listen to travelling evangelists
Two picnic tables, a bench and wooden footbridge in a forest


Ricketts Glen State Park

Columbia, Luzerne, and Sullivan Counties

13,050 acres (5,281 ha)
1942Kitchen CreekKnown for its many waterfalls, it was slated to become a National Park, but did not due to redirection of funds during World War II.[d][f]
A very tall waterfall in the midst of snow-covered rocks and trees


Ridley Creek State Park
Delaware County
2,606 acres (1,055 ha)
1972Ridley CreekAdjacent to the John J. Tyler Arboretum[g]
Several streams of water fall over a dam made of large rocks under autumn leaves


Ryerson Station State Park
Greene County
1,164 acres (471 ha)
1967North Fork of the Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek, Ronald J. Duke Lake52 acre (21 ha) man-made lake, 38 miles (61 km) from next nearest Pennsylvania state park (Hillman)
A small stream in the foreground lined with tangled small trees, in the background is a level are with standing water and fields edged by forest


S. B. Elliott State Park
Clearfield County
318 acres (129 ha)
1933Stony RunPark named for Simon B. Elliott, a noted Pennsylvania conservationist and legislator.[g]
Rustic picnic shelters, one stone and one timber, with red, orange and yellow leaves on surrounding trees


Salt Springs State Park
Susquehanna County
405 acres (164 ha)
1973Fall BrookPark has three waterfalls and its hemlocks are over 500 years old and some of the largest trees in the state.
A curving boardwalk through a forest of massive hemlock trees


Samuel S. Lewis State Park
York County
85 acres
(34 ha)
1954NonePark named for its donor, a Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters; now popular for star gazing.
A red bench on a large expanse of brown cut grass, overlooking rolling forested hills and a lake


Sand Bridge State Park
Union County
3 acres
(1 ha)
1978Rapid RunThis is the smallest state park in Pennsylvania, a day use picnic area on PA 192.
A brown wooden sign with yellow letters reading "Sand Bridge State Park Picnic Area Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources" in front of a highway and pale green two story frame house


Shawnee State Park
Bedford County
3,983 acres (1,612 ha)
1951Lake ShawneeRental lodge on an island in the lake
A canoe on a lake surrounded by forest


Shikellamy State Park

Northumberland and Union Counties

132 acres (53 ha)
1960
West Branch and North Branch Susquehanna River
Park overlook is at confluence of West Branch and North Branch Susquehanna River, marina added in 1972.
A concrete highway bridge crosses a large river in front of a tall wooded bluff


Sinnemahoning State Park

Cameron and Potter Counties

1,910 acres (773 ha)
1962
Sinnemahoning Creek, George B. Stevenson Reservoir

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir is 142 acres (57 ha), park home to rare elk and bald eagle.

View from a lookout of green tree-covered mountains under a blue sky with white clouds


Sizerville State Park

Cameron and Potter Counties

386 acres (156 ha)
1924Cowley RunPark named for the nearby ghost town of Sizerville.
A rockky stream between two grassy banks with picnic tables, forest in the background


Susquehanna State Park
Lycoming County
20 acres
(8 ha)
1961West Branch Susquehanna RiverPark operated by the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, home to paddlewheeler Hiawatha.
A red, white and blue paddlewheel boat with a sign "Hiawatha" on a river with a forested mountain behind


Susquehannock State Park
Lancaster County
224 acres (91 ha)
1965Susquehanna RiverPark named for the Susquehannock, whose chief village was nearby.
View of a very wide river lined with bare trees in reddish light under a blue sky streaked with clouds


Swatara State Park

Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties

3,515 acres (1,422 ha)
1987Swatara Creek
Rail trail is on the former Lebanon & Tremont Branch of Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, park being developed.[g]

A metal-frame bridge over a broad stream in a forest


Tobyhanna State Park

Monroe and Wayne Counties

5,440 acres (2,201 ha)
1949
Tobyhanna Creek, Tobyhanna Lake
Once part of an artillery range for Tobyhanna Army Depot

Red and yellow foliage in the right foreground, with a smooth lake reflecting the distant forest and partly cloudy sky


Trough Creek State Park
Huntingdon County
554 acres (224 ha)
1936
Great Trough Creek, Raystown Lake

Bald eagles have migrated here naturally since the early 1990s.[f][g]

View from a flat rock across a forest to several wooded mountain peaks


Tuscarora State Park
Schuylkill County
1,618 acres (655 ha)
1971Locust Creek, Tuscarora LakeThe Tuscarora moved to the area after the Tuscarora War in North Carolina, were later forced out by colonial settlement.
Several rowboats and canoes on the shore of lake with lily pads


Tyler State Park
Bucks County
1,711 acres (692 ha)
1974Neshaminy CreekOld original stone dwellings in park are fine examples of early farm dwellings of rural Pennsylvania.
View across a field to a large white building and woods


Upper Pine Bottom State Park
Lycoming County
5 acres
(2 ha)
1924Upper Pine Bottom RunA roadside park and picnic area for day use only, on PA 44

A low fieldstone wall next to a tree trunk in a wooded area


Varden Conservation Area
Wayne County
343 acres (139 ha)
2001Middle CreekOne of three Conservation Areas, donated by Dr. Mead Shaffer, being developed
A mowed field in the center, an unmowed field at right, woods at left and in the background


Warriors Path State Park
Bedford County
349 acres (141 ha)
1965Raystown Branch Juniata RiverPark named for the Great Indian Warpath used by the Iroquois in war raids on the Cherokee and other tribes.
A path through a green forest with many shrubs


Washington Crossing Historic Park
Bucks County
500 acres (202 ha)
2016Delaware RiverSite of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River. Transferred from the Historical and Museum Commission in 2016.[12]
McConkey's Ferry Inn


Whipple Dam State Park
Huntingdon County
256 acres (104 ha)
1928Whipple LakeThere was a camp for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Campfire Girls on the north side of lake from 1928 to 1941.[g]
A metal rowboat chained to a metal pole with a lake behind


White Clay Creek Preserve
Chester County
1,255 acres (508 ha)
1984White Clay CreekPark was donated by DuPont to preserve "diverse and unique plant and animal species, and the rich cultural heritage of the area".
Two streams with rock strewn banks meet in a wooded area


Worlds End State Park
Sullivan County
780 acres (316 ha)
1932Loyalsock CreekA "Must See Park" known for trout fishing, white-water kayaking, camping, and hiking on the Loyalsock Trail.[f][g]
A man in an orange shirt and tan vest fishes in a stream with rapids and large boulders


Yellow Creek State Park
Indiana County
3,140 acres (1,271 ha)
1963
Yellow Creek, Yellow Creek Lake
Crossed by the Kittanning Path, a major east-west Native American trail during the 18th century
A tree-lined lake with lily pads and four pontoon boats at a dock in the distance


Other names of current parks[edit]


The following are significantly different former or alternate names for nine current Pennsylvania state parks. Note that many parks were originally "State Forest Parks" or were state public camping or picnic areas in Pennsylvania state forests. In modern times, some "State Parks" have become "Environmental Education Centers", while other parks have dropped one word from their name ("Cherry Springs Drive" is now Cherry Springs, "Codorus Creek" is now Codorus, "Kooser Lake" is now Kooser, "Laurel Hill Summit" is now Laurel Summit, and "Promised Land Lake" is now Promised Land). Such minor name changes are not included in this table.





















































Former or alternate names of current Pennsylvania state parks
Former or alternate Name
County or counties
Date name changed
Current park name
Remarks
Adams Falls Class A Campground[3]Westmoreland CountyunknownLinn Run State ParkAdams Falls is a waterfall on Linn Run within Linn Run State Park (which has both an "Adams Falls Picnic Area" and "Adams Falls Trail").
Halfway State Park[13]Union County1955R. B. Winter State ParkPark was renamed for Raymond B. Winter, a Forest Ranger who established it and worked there 45 years; also known as "Halfway Dam State Park".
High Rocks State Park[14]Bucks CountyunknownRalph Stover State Park"High Rocks" refers to part of park added in 1956; this name is listed in the USGS GNIS, but was never an official DCNR name or separate park.
Pennsylvania State Park at Erie[2]Erie CountyunknownPresque Isle State ParkThis was only the second "State Park" by name in the state when established in 1921; also known unofficially as "Peninsula State Park".
Sandy Creek State Park[3]Mercer County1969Maurice K. Goddard State ParkProposed as "Sandy Creek" (on Sandy Creek), but the name was changed (despite the objections of Dr. Goddard) before park officially opened in 1972.
Theodore Roosevelt State Park[15]
Bucks and Northampton Counties
1989Delaware Canal State ParkPark was originally named for Theodore Roosevelt, who had no connection to it; renamed for its focus, the Delaware Canal.
Tohickon State Park[16]Bucks County1965Nockamixon State ParkPark was proposed in 1958 as "Tohickon" (on Tohickon Creek), but the name was changed before the park officially opened in 1973.
Whirl's End State Park[17]Sullivan County1936 and 1943Worlds End State Park"Whirl's End" 1936–1943 (for whirlpool in Loyalsock Creek); "Worlds End" 1932–1936 and 1943 to present (for remote location); also known as "Whirl's Glen"
Valhalla State Forest Park[3]Potter County1920sOle Bull State Park"Valhalla" was a settlement in Ole Bull's failed Norwegian colony, now within the boundaries of Ole Bull State Park.


Former parks[edit]


The following eighteen were once Pennsylvania state parks, but have been transferred to federal (National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) or state (Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry) agencies, or ceased to exist.[h]





























































































Former Pennsylvania state parks
Former state park
County or counties
Date jurisdiction changed
Current name
Remarks
Allegheny River State Park[3]Venango County1980[18]Kennerdell (or Allegheny River) tract[19]Now part of Clear Creek State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry)
Blue Marsh State Park[2][3]Berks County1978
Blue Marsh Lake and Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 280[20][21]
Park was completed, but without funds to operate it, so was given to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, now also partly a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers site.
Brandywine Battlefield State Park[3][22]Delaware Countyunknown
Brandywine Battlefield[23]
Now a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site
Bushy Run Battlefield State Park[3][24]Westmoreland Countyunknown
Bushy Run Battlefield[23]
Now a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site
Colerain State Park[3]Huntingdon CountyunknownColerain Picnic Area[25]Now part of Rothrock State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry) although as of 2012 it is not shown on the official state forest web site or map;[26][27] also known historically as "Colerain Forge".
Conrad Weiser Memorial Park[3]Berks County1953
Conrad Weiser Homestead[23]
Now a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site
Crooked Creek State Park[2][3][28]Armstrong Countyunknown
Crooked Creek Lake Recreation Area[29]
Now a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers site
Curwensville State Park[2][3][30]Clearfield CountyunknownCurwensville Lake on the West Branch Susquehanna River[31]Now a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers site, recreation area operated by Clearfield County
Drake Well State Park[3][32]Venango County1943
Drake Well Museum[23]
Now a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site
Fort Necessity State Park[3][33]Fayette County1961
Fort Necessity National Battlefield[34]
Now part of a National Park Service site
George W. Childs State Park[3][9][35][36]Pike County1983
George W. Childs Recreation Site[37]
Now part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, a National Park Service site; it was donated to the state for a park in 1912 by the widow of Dr. Childs.
Hemlock State Forest Park[38]Perry CountyunknownHemlocks Natural Area[39]Now part of Tuscarora State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry)
Independence Mall State Park[3][4][40]Philadelphia County1975
Independence National Historical Park[41]
Now a National Park Service site
Moosic Lake State Park[3]Lackawanna County1930sNo longer in existenceThe Pennsylvania state legislature created park in early 1930s, but did not fund it, so it never came into existence.
Snyder-Middleswarth State Park[3][42][d]Snyder County1980s
Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area and Picnic Area[43][44]
Now part of Bald Eagle State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry), established 1921
Valley Forge State Park[3][7]Montgomery County1976
Valley Forge National Historical Park[45]
Now a National Park Service site, it was established in 1893 as the first state park in Pennsylvania.
Voneida State Forest Park[3][46]Centre CountyunknownHairy Johns State Forest Picnic Area[44]Now part of Bald Eagle State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry), it was established 1922 and named for "Hairy John" Voneida[3][38]


Other names of former parks[edit]


The following are significantly different former or alternate names for two former Pennsylvania state parks. One former park dropped one word from its name ("Colerain Forge" became "Colerain" sometime between 1924 and 1937). Such minor name changes are not included in this table.


















Former or alternate names of former Pennsylvania state parks
Former or alternate name
County or counties
Date name changed
Former park name
Remarks
Braddock Grave State Park[47]Fayette County1961Part of Fort Necessity State ParkNow part of Fort Necessity National Battlefield (National Park Service)[34]
Hairy John's State Forest Park[3]Centre CountyunknownVoneida State Forest ParkNow a State Forest Picnic Area in Bald Eagle State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry),[44] it was originally named for "Hairy John" Voneida, a 19th-century hermit who lived nearby.

A panoramic view of a wooded gorge, on the left and right is a wooden fence with several visitors standing at an overlook, also on the left is a paved platform, the gorge is covered with green trees


Panoramic view of the Pine Creek Gorge from the main vista terrace in Leonard Harrison State Park



See also[edit]



  • List of Pennsylvania state forests

  • Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

  • Pennsylvania Game Commission

  • Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers


Notes[edit]


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a. ^ As of 2012, three Pennsylvania state parks are also the site of ski areas run by private contractors: Big Pocono (Ski Camelback), Blue Knob (Ski Blue Knob), and Denton Hill (Ski Denton).[1] (Two other state parks had commercial ski operations in the past Laurel Mountain (from 1939 to 2005)[48] and Black Moshannon (from 1965 to 1982).[3][49]) Two parks are operated by other governmental bodies: Hillman (managed for hunting by the Pennsylvania Game Commission) and Norristown Farm (operated by the Montgomery County Department of Parks). Three parks are operated by other organizations: Susquehanna (operated by the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce), Prompton (operated by non-profit "Friends of Prompton"), and Salt Springs (operated by non-profit "Friends of Salt Springs").[1]


b. ^ The Pennsylvania counties without state parks as of 2012 are: Armstrong, Juniata, Lehigh, Montour, Snyder, and Wyoming counties. Two of these counties are sites of former state parks: Crooked Creek in Armstrong County, and Snyder-Middleswarth in Snyder County.[1][3]


c. ^ The goal of having a state park within 25 miles (40 km) of every resident was set by Maurice K. Goddard (Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, and then of the Department of Environmental Resources from 1955 to 1979).[4]


d. ^ The seven National Natural Landmarks at least partly within current state parks (with the park name in parentheses, if different) are: Cook Forest, Ferncliff Peninsula (Ohiopyle), the Glens Natural Area (Ricketts Glen), Hickory Run Boulder Field (Hickory Run), McConnells Mill, the Pine Creek Gorge (includes Colton Point and Leonard Harrison), and Presque Isle. One National Natural Landmark, Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area, is a former state park.[5]


e. ^ The date of establishment for many Pennsylvania state parks is not always clear, especially for parks developed from state forest property. As an example, consider Upper Pine Bottom, which, as of 2012, is a picnic area surrounded by Tiadaghton State Forest. These state forest lands were acquired by the state by the early 1900s, the site was "Upper Pine Bottom Class B Public Campground" by 1924, the CCC built a pavilion there in 1936 (which is no longer extant), but it was not officially transferred from the Bureau of Forests to State Parks until 1962.[3]


f. ^ This park was one of twenty-five chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks" list.[50]


g. ^ This park has one or more historic sites or districts on the National Register of Historic Places.[8]


h. ^ There have been a considerable number of changes in Pennsylvania's categorization of its state parks and other protected areas over the years, so that what can be called a former state park is not always clear. This can be seen by comparing the following three lists from 1923, 1924, and 1937.
In 1923, the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters listed seven "State Forest Parks": Caledonia, Childs (now part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area), Hairy John's (now a picnic area in Bald Eagle State Forest), James Buchanan, Leonard Harrison, Mont Alto, and Valhalla (now Ole Bull). Note this does not include Snyder-Middleswarth State Forest Park, established in 1921.[3]
One year later the state listed twenty-six public campgrounds in state forests, which included three of the previous year's state forest parks, plus twelve sites that later became state parks. The ten Class A Public Campgrounds (with space for cars and tents, on main highways) were: Adams Falls (now Linn Run), Big Spring, Caledonia, Childs, Colerain Forge, Darling Run, Laurel Run Park, Ole Bull, Promised Land, and Tea Springs. The sixteen Class B Public Campgrounds (lean-to shelter, on secondary roads) were: Baldwin, Bear Valley, Cherry Springs Drive, Clear Creek, Donnelly, Joyce Kilmer, Kansas, Kooser, Laurel Hill Summit (now Laurel Summit), Laurel Lake Park, Locusts, McCall's Dam, Ravensburg, Sizerville, Sulphur Springs, and Upper Pine Bottom.[3]
In 1937, the state published a brochure listing the following forty-nine protected areas: six State Parks (Caledonia, Childs, Cook Forest, Presque Isle, Pymatuning, and Ralph Stover); eight State Monuments (Bushy Run, Conrad Weiser, Drake Well, Fort Necessity, Fort Washington, James Buchanan, Valley Forge, and Washington Crossing); ten Forest Recreational Reserves (Clear Creek, Colton Point, Cowans Gap, Kooser Lake, Parker Dam, Pecks Pond, Promised Land Lake, Snow Hill, Whipple Dam, Whirl's End); sixteen Wayside Areas (Big Spring, Black Moshannon, Cherry Spring, Colerain, Greenwood Furnace, Halfway (now R.B. Winter), Joyce Kilmer, Kettle Creek, Mont Alto, Pine Grove Furnace, Reeds Gap, S.B. Elliott, Sideling Hill, Sizerville, and Tea Spring); seven Forest Monuments (Alan Seeger, Bear Meadows, Ole Bull, Detweiler Run, McConnell Narrows, Mount Logan, and Snyder-Middleswarth); and three State Forest Lookouts (Leonard Harrison, Martins Hill, and Mount Riansares).[51]
Only twelve of the twenty-six public campgrounds from 1924 are on the 1937 list. Of the forty-nine areas on the 1937 list, twenty-eight are state parks as of 2012, while nine are former state parks, and twelve are in state forests (eight of these still retain their names as state forest picnic, natural or wild areas).



References[edit]




  1. ^ abcdef "Find a Park: Alphabetical Listing of All 121 Pennsylvania State Parks". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2016-02-18..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
    Note: this list of all 121 parks is the default reference for current individual Pennsylvania state parks.



  2. ^ abcdef Dan Cupper (Winter 1994). "A Century of Conservation: The Story of Pennsylvania's State Parks". Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
    Note: URL is to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reprint of article



  3. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabac Cupper, Dan (1993). Our Priceless Heritage: Pennsylvania’s State Parks 1893-1993. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks. ISBN 0-89271-056-X.


  4. ^ abcd "The Goddard Era". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  5. ^ ab "National Natural Landmarks: Pennsylvania". National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  6. ^ "Short Version of the History of Pennsylvania State Parks". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  7. ^ ab "The First Park". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  8. ^ ab "National Register of Historic Places". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  9. ^ ab "The Early Years of Pennsylvania State Parks". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  10. ^ "The CCC Years". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  11. ^ "Growing Greener: What is Growing Greener?". Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  12. ^ Novak, Christina. "Washington Crossing in Bucks County Added to Pennsylvania State Park System". Retrieved 18 February 2016.


  13. ^ "Raymond B. Winter State Park: History: Halfway to Winter". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  14. ^ "High Rocks State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  15. ^ "Delaware Canal". National Canal Museum. Archived from the original on 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  16. ^ "Nockamixon State Park: History". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  17. ^ "Worlds End State Park: History". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  18. ^ "Clear Creek State Forest: History". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  19. ^ "Kennerdell Tract, Venango County, Clear Creek State Forest (inset map title)" (PDF). map. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  20. ^ "Welcome to Blue Marsh Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District. Archived from the original on 2009-07-16. Retrieved 2012-05-22.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)


  21. ^ "Blue Marsh Lake Trail System" (PDF). map. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  22. ^ "Brandywine Battlefield State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  23. ^ abcd "Pennsylvania Trails of History". Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  24. ^ "Bushy Run Battlefield State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  25. ^ "Colerain Picnic Area". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  26. ^ "Rothrock State Forest: Recreation". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  27. ^ "Rothrock State Forest Map" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-22.


  28. ^ "Crooked Creek State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  29. ^ "Crooked Creek Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District. Archived from the original on 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2012-05-27.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)


  30. ^ "Curwensville State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  31. ^ "Corps Lakes Gateway: Curwensville Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  32. ^ "Drake Well State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  33. ^ "Fort Necessity State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  34. ^ ab "Fort Necessity National Battlefield". U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  35. ^ "George W. Childs State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  36. ^ "Guide to the Gap: Childs Park – Renewing A Woodland Paradise" (PDF). National Park Service. Summer 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2012-02-28.


  37. ^ "Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area". U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  38. ^ ab Godcharles, Frederic A. (1944). Chronicles of Central Pennsylvania (PDF). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  39. ^ "Tuscarora State Forest: Natural & Wild Areas of the Tuscarora State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  40. ^ "Independence Mall State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  41. ^ "Independence National Historical Park". U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  42. ^ "Snyder-Middleswarth State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  43. ^ "Snyder-Middleswarth Natural Area, Tall Timbers Natural Area". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  44. ^ abc "Bald Eagle State Forest (map)" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
    Note: shows Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area, Hairy Johns Picnic Area



  45. ^ "Valley Forge National Historical Park". U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  46. ^ "Voneida State Forest Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  47. ^ "Braddock Grave State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-05-19.


  48. ^ Mike Faher (2009-11-11). "Seven Springs signs lease to operate Laurel Mountain". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved 2012-05-20.


  49. ^ "Reports on Skiing Conditions". The New York Times. 1965-03-20. p. 22.


  50. ^ "Find A Park: 25 Must-See Parks". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-27.


  51. ^ "Pennsylvania has everything!" (PDF). Brochure. Pennsylvania State Publicity Commission. 1937. Retrieved 2012-05-27.




External links[edit]




  • Official Pennsylvania DCNR Welcome to Pennsylvania State Parks page










Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Pennsylvania_state_parks&oldid=818884224"










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