Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Steeped in natural and historical features, the 696-acre Pine Grove Furnace State Park is in a beautiful mountain setting in southern Cumberland County. Surrounded by Michaux State Forest, Pine Grove Furnace features two lakes, 25-acre Laurel Lake and 1.7-acre Fuller Lake, a historic area and the Appalachian Trail.

Explore

Directions - Weather - Recreation - Stay the Night - Hiking - Winter Activities - Winter Report - Education - Calendar of Events - Accessibility - History - AT Museum - Wildlife Watching - Nearby Attractions - Volunteers - Rules and Regs - In an Emergency - Contact Us - Downloadables and Maps

Park Advisories

1/3/2011 8:55:00 AM

Firewood Advisory: Invasive Beetles found in Firewood Threaten Forests! Before bringing firewood to a Pennsylvania State Park, please read the information in the linked page about a very real threat to forests in Pennsylvania and all of North America. Firewood Advisory

11/23/2010 1:12:00 PM

Starting May 1, 2010 the Iron Master's Mansion (Youth Hostel) will be closed for renovations. The mansion is expected to reopen in the spring of 2011.

11/23/2010 1:09:00 PM

The Charcoal Hearth Family Campground will be closing for the season on Sunday, December 12th. The campground will reopen for the 2011 season on Friday, April 1st.

Directions

The park is easily reached from I-81. Visitors should take Exit 37 to PA 233 south then travel for eight miles.

Recreational Opportunities

Hiking - Biking - Picnicking - Swimming - Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Wildlife Watching - Cross-country Skiing - Snowmobiling - Ice Sports - Organized Group Tenting - Cabin - Camping

Picnicking: Many picnic tables are scattered in several locations of the park. Charcoal grills, drinking water and restrooms are available. Two picnic pavilions (seating 80 and 140) may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Make a reservation

Boating: electric motors only
Boating is permitted only on the 25-acre Laurel Lake, which has a boat launch, 85 mooring spaces and a boat rental.

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.

For complete information on boating rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Fishing: The common fish in the 25-acre Laurel Lake and the smaller 1.7-acre Fuller Lake are pickerel, perch and stocked trout. Mountain Creek, which flows through the park, has brown, brook and rainbow trout. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations apply.

For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Biking: All park roads and service roads are open to bicycles unless posted otherwise. A two-mile bike trail connects the Furnace Stack Day Use Area with Laurel Lake Day Use Area. Bicyclists are advised to use caution because all trails are shared with pedestrian traffic and some are open to motor vehicles. Pennsylvania state law requires all bicyclists under the age of 12 to wear an approved helmet.

Hunting and Firearms: Over 75 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey, rabbit, pheasant and squirrel.

Hunting woodchucks, also 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 ADA accessible hunting information.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting 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 owner's car, trailer or leased campsite. The only exception is that law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms may carry said firearm concealed on their person while they are within the park.

For complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.

Swimming: Two beaches are open from May 1 to September 30, 8 a.m. to sunset. Laurel Beach is swim at your own risk. Fuller Beach is open from late-May to mid-September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily unless otherwise posted. Please follow posted rules for swimming when lifeguards are off duty.

Swimmers at Laurel Lake and especially at Fuller Lake are advised to exercise caution because of the extreme depths and cold subsurface waters.

In the summer season, a snack bar is available at each beach.

Hiking: Pine Grove Furnace State Park has four miles of trails, and connections to longer trails, like the Appalachian Trail. Explore Trails for detailed trail descriptions.

Stay the Night

Camping: showers and flush toilets
70 tent and trailer sites are available from the openeing of trout season in spring to the close of rifle deer hunting season. Access cannot be guaranteed in severe winter weather. A sanitary dump station is near the campground entrance. A seasonal camp store is 0.25-mile from the campground. Pets are permitted on designated sites for a fee.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

Make a reservation

Free Camping for Campground Hosts: one host position in the modern campground
The campground host site has amenities that include 50-amp electric service and water hookup. The host is required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a two-week minimum stay. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

Paymasters Cabin: This historic house is available for rent year-round as a modern cabin. The cabin sleeps six people and is near the camp store. Guests should bring all essentials like sheets, linens and dishes. Modern cabin prices apply.

Explore cabins for more information.

Make a reservation

Organized Group Tenting: Organized adult or youth groups may reserve the rustic area year-round. The area is divided into six separate sites with capacities varying from 35 to 50 people each, or the entire camp can be reserved. The sites are in a wooded area surrounding an open playfield.

Explore organized group tenting for more information.

Winter Activities

Ice Sports: At Laurel Lake, a small area by the boat launch is maintained for ice-skating. Ice fishing is permitted in the rest of the lake. Ice thickness is not monitored except in the designated skating area. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment.

Ice sports are prohibited on Fuller Lake.

Explore the Winter Report for current snow and ice depths.

Cross-country Skiing: Nordic skiers can enjoy the use of the railroad grade when snow conditions allow. Although no trails are specifically designated for cross-country skiing, numerous opportunities exist, especially during winters with heavy snowfalls, both within the park and on the surrounding state forest lands.

Snowmobiling: A trailhead parking area on nearby state forest land provides parking for vehicles and snowmobile trailers, and access to many miles of trails on state forest lands. Maps of the trails are available at the park office.

Educational Opportunities

The ADA accessible park interpretive center has exhibits on the historic charcoal iron furnace community, which flourished here for over one hundred and thirty years. The center is open in the summer season.

A park interpretor provides a full range of hikes, programs, demonstrations and activities for visitors during the summer season. School programs are available upon request.

Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.

Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.

Appalachian Trail Museum

The Appalachian Trail Museum is located in the Old Mill Building at 1120 Pine Grove Road (along PA 233) between Pine Grove Furnace Park office and the Pine Grove General Store. Museum exhibits and programs pay tribute to the pioneer trail builders and hikers including Earl Shaffer, Grandma Gatewood, Gene Espy and Ed Garvey, and their commitment to fitness and conservation. The Children’s Discovery Area provides fun, hands-on learning experiences. The Museum is near the midpoint of the 2,179 mile Appalachian Trail, a National Scenic Trail that goes through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. The Museum welcomes newcomers to the A.T. as well as veteran hikers and frequently offers an opportunity to meet current long distance hikers.

The Museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends in the spring and fall. The Museum is closed from Nov. 1 to March 31. Admission is free of charge although donations are welcomed. Parking for the Museum is adjacent to the Furnace Stack Picnic Pavilion. 717-486-8126. www.atmuseum.org

Access for People with Disabilities

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

Wildlife Watching

The diverse habitats of Pine Grove Furnace State Park support a variety of wildlife through all seasons. The historic use of the area during the iron furnace period created a varied combination of open areas, wetlands, and vegetation that make the area unique to wildlife.

Spring and fall is the time of bird migrations. Pine Grove Furnace State Park is an area of forest with interspersed ponds and wetlands and is a rest stop for many migrating forest birds. Warblers, vireos and thrushes stop to rest and eat before flying on to their breeding or winter homes.

Laurel Lake and its shoreline wetlands are a beacon that lures waterfowl. Merganser, Canada goose, mallard, loon, teal and many other ducks can be seen swimming, diving and dabbling for vegetation and small fish. Wild turkey and woodcock call from open areas.

Winter is a good time to see woodpeckers and evidence of their presence. Pine Grove Furnace has at least six species of woodpeckers.

Summer is the time of lush green vegetation and growing young animals. In thickets and along roads, watch for spotted fawns and frantic bluebirds searching for food to feed their hungry chicks. Butterflies reach their peak numbers and can be seen floating from flower to flower in the fields and wetlands.

In the fall, the deciduous trees lose their chlorophyll and their leaves reveal beautiful reds, oranges and yellows. This is a time that many animals are preparing for the winter season ahead. There is a growing population of black bears in the area and visitors may see one putting on weight for the winter hibernation. Beavers may be seen working on lodges and dams in the upper channels of Laurel Lake at twilight.

Nearby Attractions

For information on nearby attractions, contact: Cumberland Valley Visitor Bureau, www.visitcumberlandvalley.com.

Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. www.gettysburg.com

Kings Gap Environmental Education Center: Kings Gap offers environmental education programs from the pre-school environmental awareness program to environmental problem solving programs. 717-486-5031

Michaux State Forest: This 85,000-acre forest surrounds the park and offers general recreation like hunting, fishing and hiking. 717-352-2211

In an Emergency

Contact a park employee or dial 911.
For directions to the nearest hospital, look on bulletin boards or at the park office.

Nearest Hospital:
Carlisle Regional Medical Center
361 Alexander Spring Road
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-249-1212

For More Information Contact

Pine Grove Furnace State Park
1100 Pine Grove Road
Gardners, PA 17324
717-486-7174
Manager: Jason Zimmerman

E-mail: pinegrovesp@state.pa.us
An equal opportunity employer

Make online reservations or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.