Milton State Park
c/o Shikellamy State Park
Sunbury, PA 17801-1005
570-988-5557

Milton State Park is an 82-acre island on the West Branch Susquehanna River, between the Boroughs of Milton and West Milton. The northern half of the park has day use facilities and the southern half remains in a wooded state for hiking and nature study.

Directions
Access the park via PA 642 off of PA 147 on the east, and from US 15 at West Milton.

Recreational Opportunities

Boating: unlimited hp motors permitted
A boat launch is on the east side of the island. River elevations vary with the seasons and generally are not deep enough for large watercraft.

Motorboats must display a boat registration from any state. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration from any state; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks that are available at most state park offices; launch use permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Fishing: 
The Susquehanna River has warm water and cold water fishing. Common species are smallmouth bass, panfish and catfish.

Picnicking: 
There are picnic tables, drinking water, charcoal grills and restrooms. Please dispose of charcoal in the proper facilities.

Recreations Fields: 
Soccer fields are popular attractions for local clubs and the public.

Hiking: 1 mile of trails
The trails explore the riverine habitats of the north side of the river island.

History

In 1762, Marcus Huling Jr. claimed the big island, which eventually came to be called Montgomery Island. Within a decade, he planted an apple orchard. At this time, this part of the state was claimed by Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Eventually the land came to be controlled by the Straub Brothers, who in 1824 built a dam across part of the river and erected a sawmill and gristmill. The brothers won the contract to build a bridge across the river between the three islands.

The mills eventually became unprofitable and the island was only used as farmland. Floods continually washed away parts of the bridge, which were rebuilt. By the early 1900s, farming ceased and there were now two islands, one of the smaller islands having joined the big island, making it even larger. The island was subdivided to many owners and part became athletic fields. The Milton Rotary Club worked to consolidate the deeds to one title for the Borough of Milton, who then transferred the title to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1966.

The floodwaters of Hurricane Agnes completely covered the island in 1972. Federal relief money helped rebuild the facilities. In 1987, PA 624 was relocated across the island, providing a new boat launch and transferring the final piece of property to state park control.

Natural Resources

The rich soil of the floodplain supports a diversity of vegetation. The southern part of the island is undeveloped and covered in a forest of predominantly silver maple, river birch and sycamore. The island is a rest area for migrating songbirds and waterfowl.