National and State Parks - Recreational Areas

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Gifford Pinchot State Park
State Park Information

State Park Overview

Camping
Camping modern sites, some with electricity

With 339 campsites at the southern end of the lake, this park provides one of the largest state park campgrounds in the Commonwealth. The campground opens on the second Friday in April and closes by the end of October. All of the sites have macadam pads and can accommodate virtually any piece of camping equipment from a large motor home to the smallest tent. The campground has an accessible swimming beach, outdoor amphitheater, some accessible campsites, hiking trails, boat launching and mooring area, sanitary dumping stations, staffed campground office and modern bathhouses with flush toilets and showers. Pets are not permitted in overnight areas.

Organized Group Tenting

The 50 sites, which can hold up to 250 people -re in the campground. This modern area is for scout, church or other organized groups that wish to camp together. Advance reservations are required.

Trails
Bicycling

The trails between the campground and the Conewago Day Use Area are for joint-use by hikers, cross-country skiers and bicycles. The Multipurpose Trail network consists of a 3.5-mile outer loop with a number of internal connectors. The trail surface is packed gravel and the terrain is mostly flat with a few gentle hills. The trail is suitable for family use and most bicycles. Please be considerate of other trail users ride to the right and signal when passing. The trail winds through woodlands and along the lakeshore and is designed for a slow, leisurely ride. Fast and reckless riding is prohibited. Trail access for the general public is from the Conewago Day Use Area. Campers can access the trails directly from the campground.

Cross-country Skiing

When adequate snow cover is available, many of the hiking trails provide an excellent opportunity for cross-country skiing. The best trails are accessed from the Conewago Day Use Area or the special parking area at the campground entrance. These trails are marked for bicycling and include portions of Lakeside -lpine, Oak and Gravel trails. Other good trails are the network of spur roads and trails in the interior of the park campground, which are closed to camping and vehicle use during the winter season.

Picnicking

Boating
Boating electric motors only

The 340-acre Pinchot Lake has three launch areas available 24 hours a day. There are 286 shoreline mooring and canoe rack spaces that may be rented from April 1st to November 1st. Mooring areas include a number of larger spaces designed to accommodate the increasingly popular day sailors and catamarans, while rack spaces accommodate sailboards and smaller sailboats. There are several types of boats and electric trolling motors for rent at the boat rental from late spring through early autumn each year.

Motorboats must display a boat registration from any state. Non-powered boats must display one of the following boat registration from any state launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks that are available at most state park offices launch use permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Swimming
Horseback Riding

In the northeast section of the park is an area set aside for horseback riding. This area includes several miles of wide, mowed, interconnecting trails that wind through reverting farm fields, pine plantations and deciduous woodlands. There is a large, gravel parking area off of Alpine Road - short distance south of the intersection with PA 177. There are no horse rentals.

Fishing and Hunting
Fishing

The 340-acre Pinchot Lake has largemouth bass, hybrid stripped bass, muskellunge, catfish, carp, walleye, crappie and sunfish. Pinchot Lake is designated a big bass lake. Special regulations cover the minimum size and creel limits for all species of bass. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws apply.

Hunting and Firearms

About 1,780 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs from fall archery season through the end of the traditional winter seasons. Common game species are deer, rabbit, squirrel and waterfowl. Because of the adjacent residential development and the many non-hunting visitors, special regulations apply to all hunting in the park. Hunting weapons are restricted to bows and arrows until the general small game season in late fall when shotgun and muzzleloader use are also permitted. Center fire rifles and handguns cannot be used in the park at any time. Hunting is prohibited during spring and summer and dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day to March 31 in designated hunting areas.

To help protect the safety of hunters, non-hunting visitors and nearby residents, signs designating hunting areas, no hunting areas and safety zones are posted throughout the park. Hunters should be especially alert for other park visitors who may not be familiar with hunting and for safety zones - park buildings and private residences in and around the park. The Bureau of State Parks reserves the right to participate in or conduct special hunts at other times if necessary to adequately control specific wildlife populations or to conserve park resources. Please contact the park office if you have any questions or need more specific information.

Hunting woodchucks -lso known as groundhogs, is prohibited. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for accessible hunting information.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owners car, trailer or camp.