Erie Bluffs State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Erie Bluffs State Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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Lake Erie
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 Erie Bluffs State Park
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Erie, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 587 acres (238 ha) |
| Elevation | 636 ft (194 m) |
| Established | June 4, 2004 |
| Named for | The bluffs overlooking Lake Erie |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
Erie Bluffs State Park is a 587-acre (238 ha) state park in Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is one of Pennsylvania's newest state parks. This park protects the largest wild area along Lake Erie in Pennsylvania.
You can find Erie Bluffs State Park north of Pennsylvania Route 5. It is near Lake City and about 12 miles (19 km) west of the city of Erie.
Contents
Nature and Wildlife at Erie Bluffs
Most of the Lake Erie shoreline in Pennsylvania has been developed. Erie Bluffs State Park is special because it is a large, undeveloped part of the coast. It shows what the wild nature of Lake Erie used to be like.
Amazing Bluffs and Habitats
This 1 mile (1.6 km) stretch of coastline is about 636 feet (194 m) high. It has tall bluffs that are around 90 feet (27 m) high. The park also has patches of very old forests. You can find rare and endangered plants here too.
The park is home to a "world-class" steelhead fishing spot. It also has a savanna ecosystem, which is like a grassland with scattered trees. There are also wetlands, which are areas of land covered by water. Scientists have found several ancient sites in the park.
Wildlife Survey: What Lives Here?
In 2004, experts studied the park's forests, streams, and beaches. They wanted to find every type of wild bird, fish, reptile, mammal, amphibian, plant, and insect. Many groups helped with this survey. These included the Carnegie Museum and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Here are some of the cool things they found:
- Birds: They found 80 kinds of birds. This included two bald eagles! They also saw cerulean and hooded warblers, and an Acadian flycatcher.
- Bank Swallows: A huge group of over 3,000 bank swallows was nesting in the bluffs. This is one of the biggest groups of bank swallows in Pennsylvania.
- Mammals: Scientists found 19 types of mammals. These included white-tailed deer and both red and gray foxes. They were happy not to find any Norway rats or house mice. These animals are not native to the area and usually show up where humans have built things.
- Bats: Four kinds of bats live in the park. These are the European pipistrel, little brown bat, big brown bat, and the red bat.
- Plants and Fungi: The park has 302 types of vascular plants and 92 types of fungi.
- Insects and Spiders: Experts found 477 different kinds of land insects. This included 172 types of butterflies and moths. They also found 32 kinds of spiders.
- Snails and Mussels: There are 33 kinds of land snails and 13 kinds of aquatic snails and mussels. Unfortunately, this includes the zebra mussel, which is an invasive species.
- Reptiles and Amphibians: They found 14 different reptiles and amphibians.
- Fish: Seven kinds of fish live in the park's waters.
Park History
Erie Bluffs State Park officially opened on June 4, 2004. It became the 117th state park in Pennsylvania. The governor at the time, Edward G. Rendell, spoke at the park's opening.
He said that getting this land for a state park was a dream for many years. He wanted people from Pennsylvania and visitors to enjoy this special place. The governor mentioned the park's amazing views of Lake Erie. He also talked about its great fishing for steelhead trout. He believed Erie Bluffs would be a unique place for eco-tourism. This means tourism that focuses on enjoying and protecting nature.
The land for Erie Bluffs State Park was bought in 2004. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy bought it from Reliant Energy. The conservancy then gave the land to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources now manages the park.
Nearby Parks to Explore
Here are some other state parks close to Erie Bluffs State Park (within 30 miles (48 km)):
- Presque Isle State Park (Erie County)
- Pymatuning State Park (Crawford County)
- Pymatuning State Park (Ohio)
- Geneva State Park (Ohio)
