Prince Gallitzin State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince Gallitzin State ParkCambria County, Pennsylvania |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
|
|
A boat on Glendale Lake in the park
|
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
|
|
| Location | Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 6,249 acres (25.29 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,539 ft (469 m) |
| Established | 1965 |
| Named for | Demetrius Gallitzin |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Prince Gallitzin State Park |
Prince Gallitzin State Park is a huge 6,249-acre (2,529 ha) Pennsylvania state park. It is located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, in the central part of the state. The park is close to the towns of Gallitzin Borough and Patton.
A big part of the park is Glendale Lake, a 1,635 acres (662 ha) lake made by people. The park also has a large campground with spots right on the lake. Prince Gallitzin State Park is named after Demetrius Gallitzin. He was a Russian nobleman who became a priest and founded the nearby town of Loretto. You can find the park easily off Pennsylvania Routes 253 and 53.
Contents
Park History and Its Namesake
Who Was Demetrius Gallitzin?
Demetrius Gallitzin was born in the Netherlands on December 22, 1770. He came from a noble Galitzine family in Russia. When he was 17, he joined the Roman Catholic Church.
In 1792, Gallitzin traveled to the United States. He landed in Baltimore, Maryland. Soon after, he decided to become a priest. He was ordained in March 1795. He was one of the first Roman Catholic priests to be ordained in America.
After working as a missionary in Pennsylvania and Maryland, Father Gallitzin started a settlement. This settlement was called Loretto, Pennsylvania, in what is now Cambria County, Pennsylvania. He founded it in 1799. Loretto grew from a smaller settlement that was given to the Catholic Church.
Father Gallitzin helped Loretto become the first English-speaking Roman Catholic settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. He spent a lot of his own money to buy land. He then gave or sold this land cheaply to new Catholic settlers. He also helped build Loretto by setting up a gristmill (for grinding grain), a tannery (for making leather), and a sawmill (for cutting wood). He also helped educate children and acted as a doctor, banker, and lawyer for the people of Loretto.
Gallitzin passed away in Loretto on May 6, 1840. He was buried near St. Michael's church there. Many places in Pennsylvania are named after him. These include Gallitzin and Gallitzin Springs. Some people even called him "the priest who may have been a tzar." In 2005, he was named a Servant of God. This is the first step toward possibly becoming a saint.
How Prince Gallitzin Park Was Created
People first talked about building a park near Patton in the 1930s. This was during the Great Depression. The National Park Service even planned a recreation area. However, it was never built.
The idea for a park came up again in 1955. The Patton Chamber of Commerce suggested building a dam. They met with Maurice K. Goddard, who was in charge of Pennsylvania's forests and waters. The idea was approved. On April 4, 1957, Governor George M. Leader announced plans for the park. The park was paid for with money from oil and natural gas leases.
A key part of the park plan was building Glendale Dam. This dam created Glendale Lake. Work on the park began on May 3, 1958. The lake started to fill with water on December 2, 1960. Finally, Governor William Scranton officially opened the park on May 29, 1965.
Fun Activities at Prince Gallitzin State Park
Prince Gallitzin State Park offers many ways to enjoy the outdoors. Glendale Lake is a great spot for swimming, fishing, and boating. The park also has 12 miles (19.31 km) of trails. You can use these trails for hiking, and in some areas, for horseback riding, mountain biking, and snowmobiling.
There are over 1,000 picnic tables for visitors. If you want to stay overnight, the park has 437 campsites. You can also rent one of the 10 cabins.
Glendale Lake Adventures
Glendale Lake is a very popular place for boating. Boats with up to 20 horsepower are allowed on the lake. There are nine places to launch boats and two marinas. At the marinas, you can rent boats, get boat repairs, and buy fuel. All boats need to be registered or have a launch permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
Glendale Lake is home to many kinds of fish. You can catch pike, muskellunge, bass, perch, crappie, and bluegill. Bow fishing is also allowed here. The park's beach is open from late May to mid-September. There are no Lifeguards, so you swim at your own risk.
Hunting in the Park
Hunting is allowed in certain areas of Prince Gallitzin State Park. Hunters must follow the rules set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Some common animals to hunt include squirrels, turkey, white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, and rabbits. However, hunting groundhogs is not allowed.
Exploring the Trails
Most of the hiking trails start near the campground, along Crooked Run.
- Crooked Run Trail - This is an easy 1.5-mile (2.4 km) hiking trail. It follows Crooked Run through a forest of hemlock and hardwood trees. The trail forms a loop near where Crooked Run flows into Glendale Lake. Parts of the trail near the lake can be wet and have exposed tree roots.
- Turkey Ridge Trail - This trail is easy to moderate and 1.2-mile (1.9 km) long. It goes through different habitats, so you might see many kinds of birds and animals.
- Exercise Trail - This is an easy 1-mile (1.6 km) hiking trail. It's a mowed grass path with 20 exercise stations along the way. It goes through an open field.
- Peninsula Area Trail - This trail is easy to moderate. Its length changes depending on where you start. The peninsula has old oak trees. There isn't much undergrowth, so you can see Glendale Lake from most spots.
- Deer Trail - This is an easy 0.7-mile (1.1 km) hiking trail. It passes by a food plot kept by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. This trail helps hunters and hikers get to State Game Land 108.
- Footprint Trail - This is an easy to moderate 0.8-mile (1.3 km) hiking trail. It climbs a small hill that looks over Glendale Lake. There are benches along the trail where you can rest and watch birds.
- Forest Trail - This is an easy 0.4-mile (640 m) hiking trail. You might hear chattering red squirrels as you walk through their home of beech, hemlock, and maple trees.
- Lakeshore Trail - This is an easy 1.75-mile (2.82 km) hiking trail. It follows the edge of Glendale Lake through a forest.
- Poems Trail - This is an easy 0.6-mile (970 m) hiking trail. You'll find many poems on markers along the trail. Each poem is about nature, inspired by the park's beautiful surroundings.
- Point Trail - This is a moderate 2.3-mile (3.7 km) hiking trail. It has many exposed tree roots and some fallen trees. The trail follows the shore of Glendale Lake before climbing a small hill.
Nearby State Parks
If you enjoy Prince Gallitzin State Park, you might also like these other state parks within 30 miles (48 km):
