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) and comprise one percent of Pennsylvania's total land area.[2] According to Dan Cupper (1993), "Pennsylvania is the thirty-third largest state, but only Alaska and California have more park land".[3][4]
According to the DCNR, the state parks in Pennsylvania are on more than 300,000 acres (120,000 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 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.[8]
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.[11] 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][12]
In 1956, 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.[5] 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.[3] Since 2000, parks are being improved through the state's Growing Greener and Growing Greener II and bond programs.[13]
Big Elk Creek was an important transportation and natural resource corridor for indigenous people for thousands of years and an important area for freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad to the North.
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
"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"
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.
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;[29][30] also known historically as "Colerain Forge".
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
Now a State Forest Picnic Area in Bald Eagle State Forest (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry),[47] it was originally named for "Hairy John" Voneida, a 19th-century hermit who lived nearby.
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).[6] (Two other state parks had commercial ski operations in the past Laurel Mountain (from 1939 to 2005)[51] and Black Moshannon (from 1965 to 1982).[4][52]) 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").[6]
b.^ The Pennsylvania counties without state parks as of 2023 are: Armstrong, Juniata, Lehigh, Montour, and Snyder counties. Two of these counties are sites of former state parks: Crooked Creek in Armstrong County, and Snyder-Middleswarth in Snyder County.[6][4]
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).[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.[4]
f.^ This park was one of twenty-five chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks" list.[53]
^ abcd"The Goddard Era". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
^ ab"The First Park". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
^"The CCC Years". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
^"Welcome to Blue Marsh Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District. Archived from the original on July 16, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2012.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Blue Marsh Lake Trail System"(PDF). map. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District. Archived from the original(PDF) on February 6, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
^"Rothrock State Forest Map"(PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original(PDF) on June 10, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
^"Crooked Creek State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
^"Crooked Creek Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Curwensville State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
^ abc"Bald Eagle State Forest (map)"(PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original(PDF) on June 10, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2012. Note: shows Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area, Hairy Johns Picnic Area
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