Bald Eagle State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bald Eagle State Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Eagle nesting near Foster Joseph Sayers Dam
Bald Eagle State Park Location in Pennsylvania
Location	Centre, Pennsylvania, United States
Area	5,900 acres (24 km2)
Elevation	958 ft (292 m)
Established	July 4, 1971
Named for	Bald Eagle Creek
Governing body	Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Bald Eagle State Park is a huge park in Pennsylvania, covering about 5,900 acres. It's located in Centre County and is a great place for outdoor fun! The park is home to the Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, a large lake created by damming Bald Eagle Creek. This lake covers about 1,730 acres.

Bald Eagle State Park is special because it sits where two different types of land meet. To the north is the Allegheny Plateau, and to the south are the Ridge and Valley mountains. You can find the park in the Bald Eagle Valley, near Howard, between Milesburg and Lock Haven.

Park History: From Chiefs to Forests

Lenape People and Their Paths

The park gets its name from a Lenape chief named Woapalanne. His name means "bald eagle." Chief Woapalanne lived in this area for a short time in the mid-1700s. His village was on the Bald Eagle Creek Path. This path was part of a much bigger trail called the Great Indian Warpath. This huge path stretched all the way from New York down to the Carolinas. Native American tribes like the Iroquois used it to travel and trade. Today, parts of Pennsylvania Route 150 follow this old path near the park.

Iron and Lumber Industries

Bald Eagle Mountain was once covered with old-growth trees. Now, it has a new forest that has grown back.

Bald Eagle Creek was very important for transportation a long time ago. It was one of the few waterways that boats could use in Centre County. In 1848, a canal was built to connect Bald Eagle Creek to the main Pennsylvania Canal. This made it easier to move goods. Later, a railroad was built along the valley in 1865, replacing the canal.

Because it was easy to transport things and there were lots of natural resources, the iron industry came to Bald Eagle Valley. The Eagle Ironworks was built in 1810. It made iron along Bald Eagle Creek until 1922. At first, they used charcoal to heat the furnaces. This charcoal came from trees cut down in the mountains. Later, they started using coal, which was also found nearby.

In the late 1800s, the demand for lumber grew. Huge old forests of pine, oak, hickory, and hemlock were cut down. The logs were sent down the West Branch Susquehanna River to sawmills. The land in the valley became farmland. The forests on Bald Eagle Mountain have since grown back, forming a large second-growth forest.

Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir: The Heart of the Park

The Foster Joseph Sayers Dam and the reservoir.

A memorial in the park for Foster Joseph Sayers.

The Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir is a 1,730-acre lake. It was built in 1971 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its main purpose is to help control flooding in the Susquehanna River area. The lake was made by building a dam on Bald Eagle Creek. It stretches about 8 miles long and has 23 miles of shoreline. The park is about 958 feet above sea level.

A War Hero's Name

The lake is named after Foster Joseph Sayers, a brave hero from World War II. Sayers grew up nearby in Marsh Creek. He received the Medal of Honor for his amazing bravery on November 12, 1944, in France. He bravely charged enemy positions, drawing their fire so his company could advance safely. His actions saved many lives, even though he was killed in the process.

Boating Fun on the Lake

You can use motorboats of any size on Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir. However, boats with very loud exhausts are not allowed. All boats must be registered. Boaters need to follow a speed limit of 45 miles per hour and go counterclockwise around the lake.

The park has a marina with 369 boat slips you can rent. Inland Marine and Power Sports runs the marina and offers many services:

• A small grocery store
• Towing service for boats
• Mechanic service for boats and trailers
• Boat and water ski rentals
• Gas sales and boating equipment

There are six boat launches at Bald Eagle State Park. They are open 24 hours a day and have parking and restrooms.

Fishing in the Reservoir

Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir is a great place for fishing. You can fish from the shore, from a boat, or from a special pier that is easy for everyone to use. Common fish you might catch include largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, and channel catfish.

The beach house at Bald Eagle State Park.

Swimming at the Beach

You can go swimming at a 1,200-foot long beach along the lake. The beach is open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend. The beach area has a playground, a snack bar, baby changing rooms, restrooms, and plenty of parking.

Trees near the beach in the fall.

Other Fun Activities

Picnic Areas

Bald Eagle State Park has four picnic areas where you can enjoy a meal outdoors:

• Schencks Grove Picnic Area is near the beach and marina. It has two pavilions, many picnic tables, restrooms, play fields, and courts for horseshoes and volleyball.
• Beach Picnic Area is close to the beach. It has four pavilions, volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits.
• Skyline Picnic Area is a bit northeast of Schencks. It offers a pavilion, shaded picnic tables, restrooms, a volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit.
• Summer/Winter Launch Picnic Area has a pavilion, a fishing pier, a restroom, a volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit.

Hunting in the Park

Hunting is allowed on about 4,910 acres of Bald Eagle State Park. Some common animals hunted here are squirrels, turkey, rabbits, pheasant, and white-tailed deer. However, hunting groundhogs is not allowed. Hunters must follow the rules set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Trails for Hiking and Skiing

The Skyline Drive Trail in autumn.

Bald Eagle State Park has 11 miles of trails perfect for hiking and cross-country skiing. Some trails go through hunting areas, so hikers and skiers should wear bright orange during hunting seasons. All trails are open year-round from 8:00 a.m. until sunset.

• Butterfly Trail - (1.5 miles) This easy loop trail is marked with red signs. It's a mowed grass path made to help protect butterflies. It starts and ends near the beach, looping around a pond and through different plants that create a great habitat for butterflies.
• Hunter Run West Trail - (2 miles) This is a moderate trail marked with orange signs. It starts near the campground. It's a mowed path that goes through forests and open fields. You can see old stone fencerows along the trail, which are left over from old farms that used to be here.
• Hunter Run East Trail - (2 miles) Also starting near the campground, this moderate trail is marked with yellow signs. It's on the northwest side of the park and goes through forests and bushy areas. These bushes are home to birds like chickadees, gray catbirds, and towhees.
• Lakeside Trail - (5.4 miles) This moderate hiking trail is marked with blue signs. It's quite rocky and runs along the bottom of Bald Eagle Mountain. It passes by the lake through a forest of oak, maple, and hickory trees. You can also see signs of the old charcoal industry that used to be here.
• Skyline Drive Trail - (2 miles) This easy trail is marked with white signs. It connects to the Butterfly Trail and goes through fields that are slowly changing back into forests.

Camping Under the Stars

The Russel P. Letterman campground is a modern place to stay with 97 campsites. It also has three cottages and two yurts. Campers can enjoy hot showers, an amphitheater, a dump station, and two volleyball courts. Each campsite has a paved parking spot, a picnic table, and a fire ring. All sites have electricity. There's also a simpler camping area with 35 walk-in sites and 35 sites for small campers. These areas have outhouses and sinks with running water.

Nearby State Parks

Here are some other state parks within 30 miles of Bald Eagle State Park:

Images for kids

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  Panoramic view of the beach at Bald Eagle State Park, with Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir and Bald Eagle Mountain