Visiting Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County

Bald Eagle State Park is located in Centre County Pennsylvania and covers 5,900 acres. The Allegheny plateau is to the north of the state park and the ridge & valley area is to the south. It's a large park that draws in thousands upon thousands of visitors every year.

When visiting, you'll find in-season summer activities like boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and camping. During the winter season you'll find ice fishing, sledding, ice skating, cross-country skiing, hiking, etc. This state park has something for everyone to enjoy, no matter your age or ability.

Inside the park you'll find the Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir and Dam, which was formed by damming up the Bald Eagle Creek and smaller waterways. This reservoir and waterway covers approximately 1,730 acres. In regards to elevation, it's 958 feet above sea level and was founded on July 4th, 1971.

You'll find an on-site marina where you can rent docking slips daily or seasonally. If you plan on doing any type of boating, you'll want to check in with the marina to find out what's allowed and what's not. You'll find 6 boat launches within the park that are open 24 hours a day that offer parking and public restrooms for guests to use.

Recently we had a brief visit to the Bald Eagle State Park and didn't get to see as much as we would like. When we arrived the weather was beautiful but within 2 hours...some strong storms came through and we had to pack up and leave. Sigh.

We did enjoy our picnic and were hoping to enjoy the beach for some swimming, but thanks to the storm, we didn't make it that far. The sandy beach is open for swimming and activities from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend every year. The beach area includes restrooms, a snack bar, playground and parking is located nearby.

We're planning another visit in the near future up to Bald Eagle State Park and hoping to enjoy a nice picnic and some hiking on our return visit. They have several "marked" hiking trails for you to enjoy. Some of these trails offer easy walking and other's are more advanced.

If you plan on staying overnight, there are campgrounds nearby. The Russell Letterman Campground has close to 100 modern camping sites, a few cottages, hot showers, restrooms, a playground for the kids and activities for guests to enjoy and is located in Howard, Pennsylvania. There are other campgrounds in the area too!

You can learn more about Bald Eagle State Park by visiting the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources online. In addition, we'll be following up this post with another one once we complete our upcoming visit.