Discover Sinnemahoning State Park in elk country
Sinnemahoning State Park is a wilderness escape where you can enjoy water sports or see a variety of wildlife including elk, deer and bear.
Erie Times-News
If you’re taking an adventure to northcentral Pennsylvania to see the wild elk herd, you should plan to spend some time at Sinnemahoning State Park.
The 1,910-acre wilderness area is located in Cameron and Potter counties. If that’s not expansive enough, realize it borders Elk State Forest and Susquehannock State Forest. It’s a remote area where it appears there are more cabins for seasonal visitors and hunters than there are residential homes.
The park is a short drive from the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette, Elk County, and there’s a good chance you’ll see an elk or deer during your travels. I made my adventure to this part of the state July 22. With the help of Rick Baughman, who owns a camp in the area, we were able to see four elk roaming the hillsides.
More: Planning a trip to see the elk in Pennsylvania? Here’s what you need to know
Sinnemahoning has a special place with me. As a teenager, my father, brothers, uncle and cousin would travel here to hunt black bear. We never bagged a bear but made many memories, mostly by the camp stove.
Young hunters: Pa. Game Commission looks to create more opportunities for young hunters
The park flows along both sides of First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek, which is a major tributary to the Sinnemahoning Creek. At the southern end of the park is a well-known landmark, the George B. Stevenson Dam.
The 145-acre flood-control reservoir created in the 1950s provides excellent fishing and water recreation opportunities. There are coldwater and warmwater species, including trout, bass, perch, crappie, catfish and bluegill. There are several streams in the area that are known for great fly-fishing opportunities. You may even get a chance to see an eagle fly over the area.
Birds of prey: In Pennsylvania, getting a falconry permit takes a lot of work
Forty mooring spaces near the boat launch area are available for rental as electric-powered boats, kayaks and canoes can be frequently seen enjoying a day on the lake.
I met a family from Gettysburg who was having fun with a puppy named Stella Rose and three 11-year-old girls, Evelyn Eichelberger, Makayla Smith and Makenzie Smith. A cute video with the online version of the story highlights all the things they enjoy at the park, including fishing, walking the dogs and hunting, too.
The park has an expansive visitor’s center that has interactive and interpretive exhibits that highlight the history and ecology of the First Fork Valley.
If you need a place to stay overnight, there is a 35-site campground to accommodate tents, large recreational vehicles and motor homes. Pets are permitted on designated sites.
If you don’t have your own camping gear, try to reserve the popular Brooks Run Cabin. It’s a modern cabin in a hemlock grove along Brooks Run stream. The four-bedroom building has accommodations for 12 people and includes an updated, fully-outfitted kitchen and a living room with a stone fireplace. Know that linens, washcloths, towels, cleaning supplies and food are not supplied.
CWD concern: Ban on feeding animals proposed in Allegheny National Forest
If you are having trouble finding a suitable place to go hunting, Sinnemahoning has about 1,400 acres of public hunting area that has deer, bear, grouse, turkey, squirrel and waterfowl.
For those who take a walk or drive in the park, it’s common to see deer, elk, a variety of songbirds and butterflies. The park has five miles of trails, and a spur near the 40 Maples Day Use Area leads to a secluded viewing blind that overlooks an abandoned beaver pond.
In case you were wondering
The park reports the original inhabitants called this area Sinnemahoning, derived from the American Indian word “Achsinnimahoni” meaning “stony lick.”
Contact info
Sinnemahoning State Park is located on PA 872 in Cameron and Potter counties in northcentral Pennsylvania.
4843 Park Road
Austin, PA 16720
Phone: 814-647-8401
sinnemahoningsp@pa.gov
Brian Whipkey is the outdoor columnist for USA Today Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Outdoors Newsletter email on your website’s homepage under your login name.
Credit: Source link
