National and State Parks - Recreational Areas
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Greenwood Furnace State Park
State Park Information
State Park Overview
Nestled in the mountains of northeastern Huntingdon County, historic Greenwood Furnace State Park offers a unique recreational experience. The park is on the western edge of an area of Central Pennsylvania known as the Seven Mountains. It is an area of rugged beauty -bundant wildlife, breathtaking vistas and peaceful solitude.
The park covers 423 acres, including a six-acre lake and
is surrounded by an 80,000-acre block of Rothrock State Forest. The park office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday year-round and
daily during the summer season.
A walk through historic Greenwood Furnace evokes images of the community that flourished here from 1834 to 1904. Greenwood Furnace was a busy industrial complex, with all the noise and dirt of a 19th century ironmaking community. The village throbbed with life the roaring of furnace stacks, the shouts of the workmen, the hissing of the steam engine, the creaking of wagons loaded with charcoal and
the cast house whistle signaling another pour of molten iron. The furnaces were hot (3,000 degrees Fahrenheit) and cast clouds of smoke and cinders into the air, which rained down indiscriminately on grass, people, livestock and buildings, rendering everything sooty and gray. At night, the fire?s red glow lit the sky, probably allowing residents to walk about without lanterns. Greenwood Furnace was a village built around an inferno.
Nature of the Area
Wildlife is abundant in the area. The alert observer may see white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and many species of small game. Duck, great blue heron and occasionally osprey visit the lake. During early evening hours in late May and June, whip-poor-will sing their unique call.
Feeding wild animals such as bear, raccoon, duck, goose and
skunk is strongly discouraged. When wildlife loses its fear of people, these animals become pests and dangerous situations can result. Please help in maintaining healthy wildlife populations by not feeding the animals.
Camping
Camping modern sites, some with electricityFifty one (51) forested tent and trailer campsites are open from the second Friday in April until the end of deer season in December. Forty-six (46) campsites have either 30 or 50 amp electric hookups. A washhouse with flush toilets, hot showers and laundry tubs is available.
Trailers and motor homes may use a convenient, sanitary dump station at the campground entrance. The maximum stay is 14 days during the summer season and 21 days during the off-season. Campers must vacate the park for 48 hours between stays.
Picnicking
Swimming
Fishing and Hunting
Fishing
The six-acre Greenwood Lake is regularly stocked with trout. Ice fishing is permitted. All Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws and regulations apply.
Hunting and Firearms
About 320 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey and grouse. Special state park hunting regulations and Pennsylvania Game Commission laws apply. Most of the adjacent Rothrock State Forest lands are open to hunting.
Hunting woodchucks -lso known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. 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 must be kept in the owner?s car.