Shikellamy State Park
Shikellamy State Park is in Union and Northumberland counties. The 78-acre Shikellamy Overlook section is on the western shore of the Susquehanna River and overlooks the confluence of the West and North Branches of the Susquehanna River. The 54-acre Shikellamy Marina section is in Northumberland County, between the Borough of Northumberland and the City of Sunbury on the southern tip of Packer’s Island, at the confluence of the West Branch and North Branch Susquehanna River.
Shikellamy State Park is a wonderful place to watch wildlife, especially migrating birds and butterflies. Always view wildlife from a safe distance. Feeding squirrels, ducks geese or any other wildlife is prohibited. Feeding wildlife lures too many animals into an area that cannot support them, and improper food may be unhealthy for the animals.
Enter Your Location
Related Trip Ideas
Nearby Places
At the Site
Activities to do
Facilities/Amenities available
Hours
The park is open from dawn to dusk.
Lake Augusta Outfitters offers pontoon, kayak, canoe, and jet ski boat rentals. They also rent bicycles. Located at the north end of the Shikellamy Public Marina the Outfitters have waterside gasoline sales. The Outfitters sell snacks, ice cream, beverages, bagged ice, life jackets, tow ropes, bait and tackle, and have towing service. They are open 7 days a week from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
(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
Entrance to the park is free.
Activities
Picnicking: Both areas of the park offer picnic tables, picnic pavilions, drinking water and restrooms. Shikellamy Overlook has hiking trails and Shikellamy Marina offers paved walking trails. 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.
Boating: unlimited hp motors permitted This portion of the Susquehanna River is known as Lake Augusta, a 3,060-acre lake formed by the world’s largest inflatable dam that is two miles downstream from the park. The lake averages six feet in depth and is a popular water-skiing area.
Marina: The 73 marina slips are available for seasonal leases from mid-May to the end of September. Eight slips for transient boaters may be rented for one day up to 14 days. Permits can be obtained from the park office.
Boat Launching: The Shikellamy Marina section of the park has a boat launch for transient boaters with 90 parking spaces available for trailer-pulling vehicles and 750 spaces for single vehicles.
Courtesy Dock: The 73 marina slips are available for seasonal leases from mid-May to the end of September. A courtesy dock with a 20 minute limit is available for temporary docking of boats, located immediately downstream from the public boat launch.
Boat Rental: During the summer, Lake Augusta Outfitters offers pontoon, kayak, canoe, and jet ski boat rentals. They also rent bicycles. Located at the north end of the Shikellamy Public Marina the Outfitters have waterside gasoline sales. The Outfitters sell snacks, ice cream, beverages, bagged ice, life jackets, tow ropes, bait and tackle, and towing service. They are open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 570-286-2148 www.lakeaugustaoutfitters.com
Fishing: The 3,060-acre Lake Augusta is a popular bass and walleye area. Other game fish found in the lake are muskellunge, black crappies, northern pike and catfish. All Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws apply.
Hiking: 3 miles of trails
A walk around the 1.7-mile nature trail on Shikellamy Overlook can reveal the wildlife that abounds in the park, like deer, songbirds and wildflowers. Different forest stages can be seen from scrub forest to mature hardwood forest. Unique geologic formations can be studied in the park and on the eastern boundary cliff trail extension.
At Shikellamy Marina 1.5 miles of paved trails encircle the southern tip of Packers Island.
Biking: A 1.5-mile, paved hiking and biking path encircles Shikellamy Marina. Bicycle rentals are available at the boat rental during the summer.
Scenic Views: The two overlooks on Shikellamy Overlook are 360 feet above the river confluence. They offer spectacular views of Sunbury, Northumberland and the surrounding areas. The road to the overlook is closed from late-October to early May.
In Shikellamy Marina, the Point Sitting Area provides a scenic view of Lake Augusta.
History
The park was named in honor of the famous Iroquois Chief Shikellamy. A friend of both the Colonists and American Indians, Chief Shikellamy played a prominent role in the development of the Pennsylvania frontier in the early and middle 18th century. Park facilities on Shikellamy Overlook opened in 1960. Shikellamy Marina was dedicated in 1972.
