Ralph Stover State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ralph Stover State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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The view of Tohickon Creek from the top of High Rocks during autumn.
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 Ralph Stover State Park
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Elevation | 256 ft (78 m) |
| Established | 1931 |
| Named for | Ralph Stover |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Ralph Stover State Park |
Ralph Stover State Park is a cool state park in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It's about 45 acres big! People love coming here for exciting whitewater kayaking on Tohickon Creek. It's also famous for rock climbing on a huge rock called High Rocks. This rock is made of sandstone. The park is located near Point Pleasant, just off Pennsylvania Route 32.
Contents
History of Ralph Stover State Park
The Lenape people, who lived here long ago, named the creek. "Tohickon" means "Deer-Bone-Creek" in their language. Ralph Stover State Park was once home to a gristmill. This mill was built by the park's namesake, Ralph Stover, in the 1700s. You can still see parts of the old mill and its water channel near Tohickon Creek.
The Stover family gave their land to Pennsylvania in 1931. During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped build fun things at the park. The WPA was a program started by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It gave jobs to people who didn't have work. Later, in 1956, the famous author James A. Michener donated the High Rocks area to the park. Even though some maps might show "High Rocks State Park," it's always been part of Ralph Stover State Park.
Fun Things to Do at Ralph Stover State Park
Rock Climbing at High Rocks
High Rocks is a huge rock face, about 200 feet tall! It's made of a smooth, red rock called argillite and some crumbly shale. Climbing here can be a bit tricky because the rocks are slippery and break easily. Still, it's a popular spot for local climbers. There are over sixty different climbing paths here. Climbers use different styles like trad climbing and top roping. There are also some spots for bouldering.
Kayaking and Fishing in Tohickon Creek
Tohickon Creek is perfect for whitewater kayaking in the spring. This is when the winter snow melts and makes the water flow fast. Sometimes, water is released from Lake Nockamixon, which also creates great kayaking conditions. The creek is also a good place for fishing. You can find fish like smallmouth bass, sunfish, carp, and catfish. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission also adds trout to the creek for anglers.
Hiking and Picnics
There's a nice hiking trail that is about 1 mile long. It goes past the old mill's water channel. You can also enjoy a shaded picnic area right by Tohickon Creek. For amazing views, head to the top of High Rocks. It's a beautiful spot to see the scenery.
Nearby State Parks to Explore
If you like Ralph Stover State Park, here are some other state parks nearby:
- Benjamin Rush State Park (Philadelphia County)
- Bull's Island Recreation Area (New Jersey)
- Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park (New Jersey)
- Delaware Canal State Park (Bucks and Northampton Counties)
- Evansburg State Park (Montgomery County)
- Fort Washington State Park (Montgomery County)
- Hacklebarney State Park (New Jersey)
- Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (Northampton County)
- Neshaminy State Park (Bucks County)
- Nockamixon State Park (Bucks County)
- Norristown Farm Park (Montgomery County)
- Spruce Run State Park (New Jersey)
- Round Valley State Park (New Jersey)
- Tyler State Park (Bucks County)
- Voorhees State Park (New Jersey)
- Washington Crossing State Park (New Jersey)
Weather and Climate at Ralph Stover State Park
Ralph Stover State Park has a climate with hot summers and cold winters. It gets rain all year round. Summers can be humid, and sometimes it gets very hot. The highest temperature ever recorded here was 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9°C) on July 22, 2011. The wettest day was August 27, 2011, when it rained almost 7 inches (176 mm)!
Winters are cold, and the lowest temperature recorded was -14.2 degrees Fahrenheit (-25.7°C) on January 22, 1984. It can also feel much colder with the wind chill. The park usually gets about 30 to 36 inches (76 to 91 cm) of snow each year. February is usually the snowiest month.
| Climate data for Ralph Stover State Park (Ranger Station), 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1981-2018 | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70.2 (21.2) |
77.9 (25.5) |
86.7 (30.4) |
93.5 (34.2) |
94.5 (34.7) |
95.0 (35.0) |
102.0 (38.9) |
98.9 (37.2) |
97.0 (36.1) |
89.0 (31.7) |
80.1 (26.7) |
74.4 (23.6) |
102.0 (38.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38.4 (3.6) |
41.8 (5.4) |
50.2 (10.1) |
62.5 (16.9) |
72.5 (22.5) |
81.0 (27.2) |
85.2 (29.6) |
83.4 (28.6) |
76.6 (24.8) |
65.2 (18.4) |
54.1 (12.3) |
42.7 (5.9) |
62.9 (17.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 29.6 (−1.3) |
32.4 (0.2) |
40.0 (4.4) |
51.0 (10.6) |
60.7 (15.9) |
69.8 (21.0) |
74.3 (23.5) |
72.7 (22.6) |
65.4 (18.6) |
53.8 (12.1) |
44.1 (6.7) |
34.2 (1.2) |
52.4 (11.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.8 (−6.2) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
39.4 (4.1) |
48.9 (9.4) |
58.5 (14.7) |
63.4 (17.4) |
61.9 (16.6) |
54.1 (12.3) |
42.3 (5.7) |
34.1 (1.2) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
41.9 (5.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −14.2 (−25.7) |
−5.7 (−20.9) |
0.5 (−17.5) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
39.5 (4.2) |
46.0 (7.8) |
40.4 (4.7) |
33.5 (0.8) |
22.6 (−5.2) |
10.0 (−12.2) |
−3.0 (−19.4) |
−14.2 (−25.7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.45 (88) |
2.79 (71) |
3.86 (98) |
4.10 (104) |
4.29 (109) |
4.35 (110) |
5.01 (127) |
4.04 (103) |
4.46 (113) |
4.29 (109) |
3.73 (95) |
4.05 (103) |
48.42 (1,230) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 67.3 | 63.8 | 59.4 | 58.1 | 62.7 | 68.3 | 68.3 | 70.9 | 72.2 | 70.1 | 69.3 | 69.3 | 66.7 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 20.1 (−6.6) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
27.0 (−2.8) |
36.8 (2.7) |
47.9 (8.8) |
58.9 (14.9) |
63.2 (17.3) |
62.7 (17.1) |
56.2 (13.4) |
44.3 (6.8) |
34.7 (1.5) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
41.6 (5.3) |
| Source: PRISM | |||||||||||||
Ecology: Plants and Animals
The natural plants in Ralph Stover State Park are mostly hardwood trees. These include different kinds of Oak trees. This area is known for its beautiful Eastern hardwood forests.
