121 State Parks in Pennsylvania

Many of the state’s early parks were carved out of state forest lands, or were former NPS National Recreational Demonstration Areas.

Early 20th Century Recreation Sites

Parker Dam SP

Caledonia State Forest Park

Many parks have historic features, but some were created specifically to protect a significant historic feature or site.

Caledonia Furnace SP)

Kinzua Bridge SP

Washington Crossing SP

McConnell’s Mill SP

Caledonia Furnace SP)

Kinzua Bridge SP

Washington Crossing SP

McConnell’s Mill SP

Remnants of iron furnacesCanals and towpathsCCC buildings and structuresHistoric houses and barnsOld grist mills and bridgesEarly oil wells18th century forts

Other lands were added as parks to protect significant geologic or natural features.

Pine Creek Gorge (PA’s Grand Canyon)

Cherry Springs SP in the PA WildsBoulder Field in Hickory Run SP

Ricketts Glen SP

Ohiopyle SP

Presque Isle SP Boyd Big Tree SP Conservation Area

All parks have recreational opportunities – some are unique experiences, while others are typical to many or most parks.

Ohiopyle SP

Presque Isle SP Boyd Big Tree SP Conservation Area

SwimmingBikingHunting

SnowmobilingPaddling & boatingHorseback riding

FishingHikingSkiing

Disc golfPhotographyStargazing

1950s – Dr. Goddard proposed goal to build a park within 25 miles of every Pennsylvanian.

- Project 70 bond helped buy land in the 1960s - Project 500 bond helped develop land and infrastructure in the 1970s

Moraine SP

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Park CountyOhiopyle FayetteTyler BucksCodorus YorkRidley Creek DelawareLocust Lake SchuylkillMoraine ButlerM.K. Goddard MercerLittle Buffalo PerryLackawanna LackawannaMarsh Creek ChesterNolde Forest BerksCanoe Creek BlairLaurel Ridge Somerset, Westmoreland, Indiana, Fayette, CambriaEvensburg MontgomeryOil Creek Crawford, VenangoMt. Pisgah BradfordJacobsburg NorthamptonBlue Marsh Berks

Project 70 Parks Created in 1960s

State & Federal Recreation Areas in Pennsylvania

Crooked Creek Lake 1981

State & Federal Recreation Areas in Pennsylvania

Allegheny Islands Archbald Pothole Bald Eagle Beltzville Bendigo Benjamin Rush Big Pocono Big Spring Black Moshannon Blue Knob Boyd Big Tree Buchanan's Birthplace Bucktail Caledonia Canoe Creek Chapman Cherry Springs Clear Creek Codorus Colonel Denning Colton Point Cook Forest Cowans Gap Delaware Canal Denton Hill Elk Erie Bluffs Evansburg Fort Washington Fowlers Hollow Frances Slocum

French Creek Gifford Pinchot Gouldsboro Greenwood Furnace Hickory Run Hillman Hills Creek Hyner Run Hyner View Jacobsburg Jennings Joseph E. Ibberson Kettle Creek Keystone Kings Gap Kinzua Bridge Kooser Lackawanna Laurel Hill Laurel Mountain Laurel Ridge Laurel Summit Lehigh Gorge Leonard Harrison Linn Run Little Buffalo Little Pine Locust Lake Lyman Run Marsh Creek Maurice K. Goddard

McCalls Dam McConnells Mill Memorial Lake Milton Mont Alto Moraine Mount Pisgah Nescopeck Neshaminy Nockamixon Nolde Forest Norristown Farm Park Ohiopyle Oil Creek Ole Bull Parker Dam Patterson Penn Roosevelt Pine Grove Furnace Poe Paddy Poe Valley Point Presque Isle Prince Gallitzin Promised Land Prompton Prouty Place Pymatuning Raccoon Creek Ralph Stover Ravensburg

Raymond B. Winter Reeds Gap Ricketts Glen Ridley Creek Ryerson Station Salt Springs Samuel S. Lewis Sand Bridge Shawnee Shikellamy Simon B. Elliott Sinnemahoning Sizerville Susquehanna Susquehannock Swatara Tobyhanna Trough Creek Tuscarora Tyler Upper Pine Bottom Varden Warriors Path Washington Crossing Whipple Dam White Clay Creek Worlds End Yellow Creek

Pennsylvania State Parks

State Parks by the Numbers

121 ParksNearly 300,000 acres250,000 acres open to huntingApproximately 40 million visits each year56 swimming beaches15 swimming pools5,689 modern campsites1,500+ miles of trails58 wastewater treatment facilities126 drinking water treatment systems$1 billion+ added annually to PA’s economy by visitor spending

In 2009, the PA Bureau of State Parks was awarded the top honor of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.

It’s been 25 years since our last strategic plan (State Parks 2000) and time for another examination of how the Bureau is doing regarding managing, operating, conserving and sustaining our state parks.

February 1992

Particularly timely due to trends:

• 7 more parks than we had in 1992• 25,000 more acres have been added to the

system, more acquired each year • Many more cabins, bathrooms, picnic shelters,

shower houses, and campsites• Constantly increasing visitation – we are now

surpassing 40 million visits annually• Increased impact on resources and increased

demands for visitor services and safety

Our goal is to develop broad strategies for how the Bureau will be managed over the next 25 years that will serve as a foundation for future comprehensive planning in the parks, both at the statewide and park level.

The publicity will also raise the visibility of what we do.

This will provide us an opportunity to remind and educate Pennsylvanians about our mission and how we are responding to meeting our mission.

Mission of the Bureau of State ParksThe primary purpose of state parks is to provide opportunities for enjoying healthful outdoor recreation and to serve as outdoor classrooms for environmental education. In meeting these purposes, the conservation of the natural, scenic, aesthetic, and historical values of the parks should be given first consideration.Stewardship responsibilities should be carried out in a way that protects the natural outdoor experience for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

Public Surveys for State ParksPSU Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management

Public on-line survey – launched June 28; ends Oct. 31 Also available in hard copy – in parks only Both versions also in Spanish

Statewide Telephone Survey – representative sample; user & non-user questions

On-line survey of young adults and minorities Survey of State Park Directors (nationally) – trends

State Parks Staff Surveys Regional and park managers gave input in early 2017 All-staff online survey took place this summer

12-page information booklet accompanies the survey

The intro includes some very general information about the system

With individual pages that correspond to sections of questions in the survey

The Public Survey includes questions about: Recreation opportunitiesOvernight accommodations Paying for the parks Protecting the parksModern conveniences Satisfaction with services

and facilities Appropriateness of

activities

Survey Questions• Questions that were asked 25 years ago to see if the public

mindset has changed

• Questions that DCNR staff are asking now internally

• Questions regarding issues we have been hearing about from partners and the public

• Questions that are not too specific and are appropriate to ask the general public

• Comment box at the end of online version allows for other suggestions and ideas

Tentative Timeline

Summer & Fall 2017: Initial Public and Stakeholder Input

Winter & Spring 2018: Analysis of input results. Draft potential recommendations (possible changes in structure, policy, practices, priorities, etc.)

Fall 2018: Release Preliminary Report

Winter/ Spring 2019: Public meetings on report

Summer 2019: Assess comments/input and develop final report

Late 2019: Final report released

www.PennsParksForAll.com