Sinnemahoning State Park: A History
Before the Park
Long before there was a lake, the First Fork valley had already seen hard times and hard work. From 1933 to 1936, young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps lived at Lushbaugh Camp (S-130-PA), near today's Brooks Run Cabin. A colorful character named Chauncey "Chance" Logue planted the maples at what's now the 40 Maples Day Use Area. Count them and you'll find 48.
A Park Takes Shape
Once the George B. Stevenson Dam was finished, the land around its new lake was opened to visitors:
- 1958: The park opens to the public, managed by the Bureau of Forestry.
- March 9, 1959: The first recreation facilities are completed: three picnic areas, a beach, four wells, and a boat launch with mooring.
- 1962: Sinnemahoning officially joins the Pennsylvania state park system.
- 1966: One picnic area becomes a campground.
- July 1, 1983: The Bureau of State Parks takes over administration of the dam.
- 2011: The LEED-certified Wildlife Center opens.
A Trail With a Past
The park's Lowlands Trail follows the First Fork on an old railroad bed. The line was built by the Goodyear brothers around the turn of the 20th century and later became part of the Buffalo & Susquehanna and then the Baltimore & Ohio. It's the same stretch of B&O that the 1942 flood destroyed between Sinnemahoning and Austin. Today, two miles from the northern trailhead are ADA accessible, including a wildlife viewing platform.
The Park Today
Sinnemahoning State Park now covers 1,910 acres between the Elk and Susquehannock state forests. The reservoir is about 145 acres, open to electric-motor boats, kayaks, and anglers. The valley is prime habitat for nesting bald eagles, and elk graze the clover planted near the viewing platform, especially at dawn and dusk. In the fall, you can hear bulls bugling across the valley. The Wildlife Center has hands-on exhibits about the history and ecology of the First Fork Valley, and from Memorial Day to Labor Day the park runs pontoon wildlife tours on most Sundays.
Come Full Circle
The valley that once sent its forests downriver, then fought its floods, is now a place to sit quietly and watch eagles. It's well worth the short drive.
Make the park part of your stay. Book Resting Eagle Cabin. Sinnemahoning State Park is about 25–30 minutes away.
More Sinnemahoning history: The Lumber Era | The Floods | The George B. Stevenson Dam
Sources
PA DCNR, History of Sinnemahoning State Park: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/sinnemahoning-state-park/history
USGS Water-Supply Paper 1134-B: https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/1134b/report.pdf
PA DCNR, Sinnemahoning State Park main page: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/sinnemahoning-state-park
PA DCNR, Sinnemahoning SP Hiking: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/sinnemahoning-state-park/hiking
PA DCNR, Sinnemahoning SP Wildlife Watching: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/sinnemahoning-state-park/wildlife-watching
PA DCNR, Sinnemahoning SP Boating: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/sinnemahoning-state-park/boating
Drive time: OSRM/OpenStreetMap, Oct. 18, 2026 (Sinnemahoning to the park office area: 14 mi, about 26 min).