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44-773: Bucktail State Park Natural Area is a 16,433-acre (6,650 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Cameron and Clinton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park follows Pennsylvania Route 120 for 75 miles (121 km) between Emporium (in Cameron County, which contains 3,239 acres (1,311 ha) of the park) and Lock Haven (in Clinton County, which contains the other 11,800 acres (4,800 ha)). Bucktail State Park Natural Area park runs along Sinnemahoning Creek and

88-476: 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. According to Dan Cupper (1993), "Pennsylvania is the thirty-third largest state, but only Alaska and California have more park land". There are state parks in 62 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties , which nearly reaches Pennsylvania's goal of having

132-636: A division of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), is the governing body for all these parks, and directly operates 116 of them. The remaining parks are operated in cooperation with other public and private organizations. The first Pennsylvania state park, at Valley Forge , opened in 1893 and was given to the National Park Service (NPS) for the United States Bicentennial in 1976. There are

176-469: A state park within 25 miles (40 km) of every resident in the Commonwealth. Eleven parks do not have "State Park" in their name. Three are " Conservation Areas ": Boyd Big Tree Preserve , Joseph E. Ibberson , and Varden ; four are "Environmental Education Centers": Jacobsburg , Jennings , Kings Gap (also a "Training Center") and Nolde Forest ; White Clay Creek is a "Preserve"; Norristown

220-822: A total of seventeen former Pennsylvania state parks: four former parks have been transferred to the NPS, four to the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission , two to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , one to both the Corps and the Pennsylvania Game Commission , five to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry , and one has ceased to exist. Nine current and two former state parks have had major name changes or have been known under alternate names. The list gives an overview of Pennsylvania state parks and

264-560: Is 243 miles (391 km) long, is entirely within the state of Pennsylvania , draining a large mountainous area within the Allegheny Plateau in the western part of the state. Along most of its course it meanders past mountain ridges and through water gaps , forming a large zigzag arc through central Pennsylvania around the north end of the Allegheny Mountains . In colonial times, the river valley provided an important route to

308-657: Is a "Farm Park"; and Big Spring is a "State Forest Picnic Area". Seven parks are undeveloped with no facilities: Allegheny Islands , Benjamin Rush , Bucktail , Erie Bluffs , Prompton , Swatara , and Varden ; the last four of these are in the process of being developed. Five state parks are small picnic areas: Laurel Summit , Patterson , Prouty Place , Sand Bridge , and Upper Pine Bottom . Five state parks have major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams and/or lakes: Bald Eagle , Beltzville , Elk , Kettle Creek , and Sinnemahoning . Three former parks now belong, at least partly, to

352-949: 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. The following eighteen were once Pennsylvania state parks, but have been transferred to federal ( National Park Service , U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ) or state ( Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission , Pennsylvania Game Commission , Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry ) agencies, or ceased to exist. 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. West Branch Susquehanna River The West Branch, which

396-640: The Iroquoian -speaking Susquehannocks . Their name meant "people of the muddy river", from the Lenape name of the Susquehanna River, Siskuwihane ( sisku "mud", hane "river"). Decimated by diseases and warfare, they had died out, moved away, or been assimilated into other tribes by the early 18th century. The lands of the West Branch Susquehanna River Valley were then chiefly occupied by

440-689: The Monongahela River at Pittsburgh and eventually drains into the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River ). American Pioneers also used the trail to make their way west and it was also known as the Bucktail Trail. As the technology of road building advanced, what was once a Native American Trail became the two lane highway known today as Pennsylvania Route 120. Pennsylvania Route 120 was officially designated as Bucktail State Park in 1933 by an act of

484-716: The Moravian missionaries who were spreading the gospel throughout the wilderness of Pennsylvania during the 1740s. Count Zinzendorf , a missionary being guided by Conrad Weiser with the permission of Shikellamy , came to Ostuagy in 1742. The British purchased land from the Iroquois in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix of 1768, opening what is now Lycoming County to settlement. However, the Line of Property (or Purchase Line ) border defined by "Tiadaghton Creek" dividing colonial and Native American lands

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528-623: The Munsee phratry of the Lenape (or Delaware) people and were under the nominal control of the Five (later Six) Nations of the Iroquois . Madame Montour 's village of Otstonwakin or Ostuagy was a vitally important location during the settlement of what is now Lycoming County. Her village at the mouth of Loyalsock Creek on the West Branch Susquehanna River was an important stopping point for

572-623: The Ohio River valley. In the 19th century, its lower valley became a significant industrial heartland of Pennsylvania. In the 20th century, the upper reaches of the West Branch turned a yellow/orange color due to sulfurous drainage from nearby and abandoned deep bituminous coal mines. The West Branch rises on the west side of the Alleghenies in northwestern Cambria County , just outside the borough of Carrolltown . It flows generally north, crossing

616-764: The West Branch Susquehanna River and also passes through Renovo (in Clinton County). The park is named for the Civil War Pennsylvania Bucktails Regiment and is primarily dedicated to wildlife viewing, especially elk . The course of Bucktail State Park Natural Area is as follows: leaving the city of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania Route 120 and the West Branch Susquehanna River pass through the following municipalities in Clinton County heading west (in order): Allison , Woodward , Bald Eagle , Colebrook , Grugan , and Chapman townships,

660-642: The western branch of the Susquehanna River , and its tributary , Sinnemahoning Creek , in Clinton and Cameron counties, an estimated distance of 75 miles (121 km), and in width from mountain rim to mountain rim across the valley. The said park shall be called and known as the "Bucktail State Park", in commemoration of the Bucktail Regiment which embarked from Driftwood , in Cameron County, in April, 1861, upon rafts of their own construction to hasten their arrival at

704-578: The 1930s, some mere camping and picnic areas in state forests, while others preserved unique sites. 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,

748-649: The British. After the Wyoming Valley battle and massacre in the summer of 1778 (near what is now Wilkes-Barre ) and smaller local attacks, the " Big Runaway " occurred throughout the West Branch Susquehanna valley. Settlers fled feared and actual attacks by the British and their allies. Homes and fields were abandoned, with livestock driven along and a few possessions floated on rafts on the river east to Muncy , then further south to Sunbury . The abandoned property

792-652: 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. Pennsylvania's first state park

836-492: 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". 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

880-579: The Pennsylvania Legislature. The Act says: That the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby dedicates to the public, for use as a park and pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, all that area of land extending in length from the western city line of Lock Haven , in Clinton County , to the eastern borough line of Emporium , in The County of Cameron , and along the course of

924-658: The Susquehanna and explore a route for a passageway to connect the West Branch with the waters of the Allegheny River . The Fair Play Men were illegal settlers ( squatters ) who established their own system of self-rule from 1773 to 1785 in the West Branch Susquehanna River Valley of Pennsylvania. Because they settled in territory claimed by Native Americans , they had no recourse to the Pennsylvania colonial government. Accordingly, they established what

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968-422: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Seven parks preserve the industrial past: Canoe Creek is the site of a former lime kiln , and Caledonia , French Creek , Greenwood Furnace , Kings Gap , Mont Alto , and Pine Grove Furnace (plus one former park) are all former iron furnace sites. Eight current parks and one former park contain at least part of eight different National Natural Landmarks . According to

1012-467: The United States. The fort was built under the direction of Colonel Antes, who was a member of the Pennsylvania militia . It was on the east side of Antes Creek , overlooking and on the left bank of the West Branch Susquehanna River on a plateau in Nippenose Township south of modern-day Jersey Shore in western Lycoming County . The local militia held the fort for a short period of time until it

1056-645: The borough of Emporium and the western end of Bucktail State Park. Pennsylvania Route 120 follows an old Native American Trail , the Sinnemahoning Path . This trail was used by Native Americans to cross the eastern continental divide (specifically the Allegheny Front ) between the Susquehanna River (which drains into the Chesapeake Bay ) and the Allegheny River (which forms the Ohio River with

1100-585: The boroughs of Renovo and South Renovo , and Noyes Township . Next Pennsylvania 120 leaves the West Branch Susquehanna River and follows Sinnemahoning Creek west through East Keating Township , then crosses into Cameron County. There Pennsylvania Route 120 and Sinnemahoning Creek pass west through Grove and Gibson Townships and enter the borough of Driftwood , where Route 120 follows the Driftwood Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek north through Gibson, Lumber , Portage , and Shippen townships, finally reaching

1144-532: The early morning and late afternoon hours in the northern portions of the park. Special elk viewing playforms have been built in Sinnemahoning State Park and near the small village of Bennezette . The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Bucktail State Park Natural Area: List of Pennsylvania state parks As of 2024 , there are 124 state parks in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania . The Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks ,

1188-483: The eastern corner of Indiana County at Cherry Tree , then into southern Clearfield County . Near Mahaffey it turns generally northeast and flows past Curwensville and Clearfield . In northern Clinton County it turns to the southeast to Lock Haven . At Lock Haven, it turns east, flowing through the West Branch Susquehanna Valley along the foot of Bald Eagle Mountain ridge past Williamsport ,

1232-501: The former state parks were also chiefly historic. 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

1276-510: The imperiled State Capitol . Although the park covers 21,039 acres (8,514 ha), much of the land within the park boundaries is actually in private hands. The rest of the land in the valleys is owned by the Bureau of State Parks and the Bureau of Forestry as part of Elk State Forest and Sproul State Forest . Bucktail State Park Natural Area is in the West Branch and Sinnemahoning Valleys. River valleys are ideal gathering points for wildlife as

1320-457: The largest city on the river, then turns south at the end of the ridge. From there it winds around Muncy , emerging from a water gap between Montour Ridge and Shamokin Mountain and joining the north (main) branch of the Susquehanna from the northwest approximately 2 miles (3 km) north of Sunbury . From its upper reaches to its lower reaches, it receives: Up through the early 19th century

1364-467: The logs. The men working at the end of the boom would sort the logs according to their corresponding brand and float them into the correct holding pond along the bank of the river. During the height of the lumber industry in Lycoming County, 1861–1891, the various mills produced 5.5 billion board feet (13 million m ) of lumber. Williamsport became one of the most prosperous cities in Pennsylvania and in

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1408-427: The most significant log drive was conveyed on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna's West Branch Canal Division further shaped the corridor, linking towns and villages and providing vital opportunities for commerce. Finally, railroads in the corridor fused the links between communities and commerce within the corridor. The first recorded inhabitants of the West Branch Susquehanna River valley were

1452-476: The nearly 60 sawmills along the river between Lycoming and Loyalsock creeks in Lycoming County . The boom was constructed in 1846 under the supervision of James H. Perkins. A boom is a chain or line of connected floating timbers extended across a river, lake, or harbor, so as to obstruct passage or catch floating objects. The Susquehanna Boom extended 7 miles (11 km) upstream from Duboistown to

1496-695: The river provided the principal canoe route across the Alleghenies connecting the Susquehanna and Ohio valleys, with a portage at Cherry Tree to Blacklick Creek , a tributary of the Conemaugh River . In the late 18th century, Cherry Tree marked the frontier between the Pennsylvania Colony and the Shawnee and Lenape lands to the west as specified by treaty. The lands along the West Branch were vital hunting grounds and agricultural lands for Native Americans . During Pennsylvania's great lumbering era,

1540-434: 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. All this expansion

1584-460: The valleys tend to be warmer and wetter than the surrounding mountains. Animals are drawn to the warm and wet valley. The river valley is a natural passageway for plants and animals. The valley is home to river birch and sycamore trees. Osprey , a wide variety of duck , white-tailed deer , bald eagles , otter , merganser , mink and black bear can all be seen living in the boundaries of Bucktail State Park Natural Area. Elk can be seen in

1628-463: The village of Linden in Woodward Township . The boom was constructed by creating a series of man-made islands known as "cribs". These cribs built of local mountain stone and sunken timber were stretched diagonally across the river, beginning on the south side near Duboistown and ending on the north side near Linden. The boom was made of 352 separate cribs that were 22 feet (7 m) high. The boom

1672-685: Was Valley Forge State Park , purchased by the Commonwealth on May 30, 1893, to preserve Valley Forge . It was transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) on the Bicentennial of the United States , July 4, 1976. Many state parks still preserve history: as of 2012, forty-two Pennsylvania state park sites are on the National Register of Historic Places , including two National Historic Landmarks ( Delaware Canal and Point ), twenty-eight Civilian Conservation Corps sites in nineteen parks, and twelve other parks' historic sites and districts. Eight of

1716-475: Was burnt by the attackers. Some settlers soon returned, only to flee again in the summer of 1779 in the "Little Runaway". The Sullivan Expedition helped stabilize the area and encouraged resettlement, which continued after the war. In 1790, Timothy Matlack , Samuel Maclay and John Adlum were commissioned by the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to survey the headwaters of

1760-549: Was disputed. The colonists claimed this was Pine Creek , the Iroquois and other tribes Lycoming Creek . The area between Pine and Lycoming creeks was disputed territory. The illegal settlers there were part of the " Fair Play Men " system of self-government, with their own Declaration of Independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. In the American Revolutionary War , settlements throughout the Susquehanna valley were attacked by Loyalists and Native Americans allied with

1804-626: Was known as the Fair Play System, with three elected commissioners who ruled on land claims and other issues for the group. In a remarkable coincidence, the Fair Play Men made their own declaration of independence from Britain on July 4, 1776, beneath the "Tiadaghton Elm" on the banks of Pine Creek . Fort Antes was a stockade surrounding the home of Colonel John Henry Antes, built circa 1778 in Revolutionary Pennsylvania in

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1848-748: 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. Since 2000, parks are being improved through the state's Growing Greener and Growing Greener II and bond programs. 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"

1892-518: Was opened and closed at the upper end by a device known as a "sheer boom". It was 1,000 feet (300 m) long and was controlled with a hand-powered windlass . The sheer boom gathered the logs into the main boom that was capable of holding up to 300 million board feet (700,000 m ) of logs. The lower end of the boom was where the logs were sorted. The mills in Williamsport, South Williamsport , and Duboistown each had their own distinctive brand burnt into

1936-523: Was ordered by Colonel Samuel Hunter to abandon Fort Antes during the Big Runaway . Despite being abandoned and attempts by the attacking British forces to burn it down, Fort Antes was one of only two structures in the valley to survive the Big Runaway. The Susquehanna Boom was a system of cribs in the West Branch Susquehanna River designed to hold timber in the river until it could be processed at one of

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