PA State Parks

Published: August 28, 2020

Categories: kellyplanet | Learn Stuff
Tags: article | geography | GO PA!

Nearly every resident in Pennsylvania is just a short drive from a State Park. That is because we have ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE of them. 36 million people visit our parks every year – not bad for a northern state with no coastline.

Pennsylvania’s 121 State Parks cover nearly 300,000 acres. Only California and Alaska have more park space. The goal is to have a park within an hour drive of every resident, and we’re pretty darn close. Over 2000 employees serve 36 million visitors annually. PA State Parks include over 1000 miles of trails and admission is free to all parks.

Modern Development

Nearly all of PA’s State Parks are actually developed for visitors, not just large areas of wilderness designated a park (PA Parks also do not count the over 3.5 million acres that are PA State Game Lands and Forests). 56 parks have major lakes, there are 10 marinas, and 17 State Parks have modern swimming pools. Since Pennsylvania doesn’t have any ocean borders, 61 parks have swimming beaches.

Camping is BIG

Campgrounds are an important part of PA State Parks and they have over 7000 campsites combined. 283 cabins are available at parks across the state and you will find 30,000 picnic tables. Remember, all State Parks in Pennsylvania are free. There is a small fee for campsite rental, but even that is a fraction of what even the most affordable commercial camps charge.

Bald Eagle

Located in Centre County, Bald Eagle State Park consists of 5,900 acres. This includes a 1,730 acre lake created by the Foster Joseph Sayers Dam on Bald Eagle Creek. The lake allows unlimited horsepower boating and has a marina with 369 docking slips. The campground at Bald Eagle has over 100 campsites, cottages, yurts, an amphitheater and 1200 feet of beachfront along the lake.

Beltzville

Beltzville State Park centers entirely around the 951 acre lake. It is very popular with recreational boaters, though in-board motors are prohibited. The park includes modern facilities, picnic areas, hunting grounds, and 15 miles of trails. Located in Carbon County, Beltzville’s nearly 3000 acres does not include a campground, but the lake is used year-round.

Blue Knob

Named for the second-highest mountain in Pennsylvania, Blue Knob State Park is located in Bedford County and focuses on skiing. Blue Knob All Seasons Resort is located at the park and is home to the highest elevation ski slope in PA. The park’s 6,128 acres sees 12 feet of snow per year and includes a campground separate from the resort with picnic areas, 45 campsites and a number of rental cabins.

Codorus

In 1966, Codorus Creek was dammed, the community of Marburg flooded to create 1,275 acre Lake Marburg, and now we call it Codorus State Park. The entire park encompasses 3,500 acres and includes a marina, modern pool, 54 holes of disc golf and a campground. Located in York county, Codorus offers hunting grounds – also snowmobiling, ice skating, ice fishing, and other winter activites.

Cook Forest

Cook Forest State Park is one of National Geographic’s top 50 state parks in America. It’s also a National Natural Landmark for its old growth forests on 8,500 acres. Cook Forest has a modern campground and 24 rustic cabins. Located in parts of Clarion, Forest, and Jefferson counties, the park offers many educational programs.

French Creek

Located in both Chester and Berks Counties on 7,526 acres, French Creek State Park features two lakes. Hopewell Lake is 68 acres of warm water and Scotts Run Lake is a 22-acre cold water lake. There are over 30 miles of trails and hunting is open on 6,000 acres. The campground offers more than 200 sites in addition to modern and rustic cabins.

Hickory Run

Hickory Run State Park is 15,990 acres spanning the Pocono Mountains in Carbon County. The park’s Sand Spring Lake features a sand beach swimming area. Hickory Run is another PA State Park on the National Natural Landmark list for its 16 acre boulder field. How do you get a field of boulders? It’s a glacial thing, look it up.

Laurel Hill

Somerset County is home to the 3,935 acre Laurel Hill State Park. The 63 acre Laurel Hill Lake offers non-gas powered boating and beach swimming and recreation area. There is a modern campground with nearly 300 sites, cottages and cabins, and you can also stay at Laurel Hill Lodge. Two Boy Scout camps are also located at this state park.

Lehigh Gorge

The Lehigh River Gorge is located in both Luzerne and Carbon counties in the Poconos and is part of Lehigh Gorge State Park. The 4,548 acres was once a resort area during the height of the railroad industry in PA. The gorge looks remarkably similar to what is called the ‘Pennsylvania Grand Canyon’ in Tioga County, though the Lehigh River is much larger and the park is a focus of PA whitewater rafting.

Moraine

The 3,225 acre warm water Lake Arthur is part of the 16,725 acre Moraine State Park. Located in Butler County, Moraine offers two beach areas with modern facilities – Lakeview and Pleasant Valley. The lake is open to boats limited to 20 horsepower. Group tent camping and modern cabins are available and 13,600 acres are open to hunting.

Nockamixon

Nockamixon State Park is 5,283 acres, 3000 of which are open to hunting. It features a modern swimming pool and Nockamixon Lake, though you can’t swim in the latter. The lake has several marinas and boating is very popular. There is also no campground, but cabins are available. How is this park one of the most visited in the state? It’s located in Bucks County, just outside of Philadelphia.

Ohiopyle

You will find some of the best whitewater rafting on the east coast with 14 miles of river that flows through Ohiopyle State Park. You can also hunt on 18,000 of the 19,052 acre park in Fayette County. Ohiopyle features several waterfalls and recreation facilities with playgrounds, volleyball, picnic areas and a ballfield. The modern campground features nearly 300 sites and cottages.

Presque Isle

PA takes advantage of its Lake Erie border with Presque Isle State Park. The 3,112 acres offers thirteen beaches and a 500 slip marina. Virtually any kind of boat is welcome. Presque Isle is yet another PA park on the National Natural Landmark list. Bird watching and scuba diving are popular and you will find several lighthouses – which, for some reason, people go crazy for.

Pymatuning

Holy big lake in a big park Batman! 21,122 acre Pymatuning State Park features 17,088 acres of Pymatuning Lake – an additional quarter of which is located in Ohio. Boats up to 20 horsepower are permitted and there are three marinas. This park offers two modern campgrounds – Linesville and Jamestown. There are also 25 modern cabins available. Don’t like water? 10,000 acres is open to hunting.

Raccoon Creek

Raccoon Creek State Park is 7,572 acres and its three camping areas are on the National Register of Historic Places. This park features a 101 acre Raccoon Lake, 500 picnic tables, a 314 acre Wildflower Reserve and 5,000 acres of hunting grounds. Raccoon Creek enjoys a large number of visitors being located just 30 miles from Pittsburgh.

Ricketts Glen

PA has yet another National Natural Landmark at Ricketts Glen State Park with 13,050 acres on old growth forest and over two dozen waterfalls. It features the 245 acre warm water Jean Lake with swimming beaches and open to non-gas powered boats. Located in Columbia, Luzerne and Sullivan counties, Ricketts Glen has two campgrounds with 120 sites and 10 modern cabins.

Shawnee

Located in Bedford County, Shawnee State Park has a campground with 300 sites in addition to Shawnee Lodge. The main attraction is the 451 acre Shawnee Lake with water so warm that it can’t support trout (unlike almost everywhere else is PA). The lake features three boat launches, a sand swimming beach and is open to non-gas powered boats. Shawnee Lodge is located on an island in the lake.

Valley Forge

Ok, you got me. Valley Forge isn’t technically a state park – but it used to be. Pennsylvania gave it to the Federal Government because of its importance during the Revolutionary War. It has been a National Park since 1976. Valley Forge was the very first PA State Park designated in 1893 – so it was one of the oldest state parks in the country.

Colton Point, Hills Creek, Leonard Harrison

Remember me writing about PA wanting a park within an hour of all residents? I can drive to FIVE state parks in less. 368 acre Colton Point and 585 acre Leonard Harrison offer visitor centers and rustic camping on opposite rims of the PA Grand Canyon. Each also have 100 picnic tables. Hills Creek is 407 acres with an 137 acre lake and a modern 110 site campground. All 3 are in Tioga County →

Little Pine and Mt. Pisgah

Lycoming County’s Little Pine State Park is 2,158 acres with a modern 104 site campground. There is also a 94 acre lake with a sand swimming beach. Bradford County is where you will find Mt. Pisgah State Park. This park is 1,302 acres with a 75 acre lake and a modern swimming pool. That’s it for PA State Parks: 36 million people a year prefer them to California desert or Alaskan tundra parks.