Bald Eagle State Park
The 5,900-acre Bald Eagle State Park is in the broad Bald Eagle Valley of northcentral Pennsylvania. The 1,730-acre lake laps the flanks of Bald Eagle Mountain, surrounded by forests, fields and wetlands. With two campgrounds, boating, fishing, swimming, the Nature Inn, and diverse habitats that are excellent for wildlife watching, Bald Eagle State Park is a great destination in the heart of Pennsylvania.
Recreational facilities are a result of a cooperative effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources-Bureau of State Parks.
Enter Your Location
Related Trip Ideas
Nearby Places
At the Site
Activities to do
Facilities/Amenities available
Hours
Dawn to Dusk
(Note: Many places fill to capacity on busy, nice weather days, especially holiday weekends. Please call ahead or visit the official website to get the most up-to-date information before visiting.)
Fees
Picnic pavilions may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee.
Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis.
See website for camping fees.
Activities
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hunting
Other seasonal activities are also available
History
The valley, creek, mountain, and state park are named for the American Indian chief Woapalanne, [wopo lonnie] which means “bald eagle.” In the mid-1700s, the Munsee Lenni Lenape chief briefly dwelled at Bald Eagles Nest, near Milesburg. The village was along the Bald Eagle Creek Path, a portion of a warriors' path from New York to the Carolinas, which now is PA 150.
As one of the few navigable tributaries of the West Branch Susquehanna River, Bald Eagle Creek became a branch of the Pennsylvania Canal in the mid-1800s. Flooding destroyed the short-lived canal system and newly developed railroads replaced the canal.
These transportation systems and abundant local resources led to the building of the nearby Curtin Ironworks. Loggers cut trees from steep-sided Bald Eagle Mountain and colliers made charcoal from the wood to feed the hungry furnace.
When the demand for wood products soared in the 1800s, once plentiful pine, chestnut, oak, and hickory were cleared from the valley and plateaus. Farmland replaced the forest. The fertile valley continues to be cultivated. The forests of Bald Eagle Mountain have regenerated.
To reduce flood damage downstream, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the 100-foot-high and 1.3-mile long Foster Joseph Sayers Dam in 1969. Bald Eagle State Park opened to the public July 4, 1971.
History taken from: dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/BaldEagleStatePark/
