Discover Dutch Country Roads' Great Places to Picnic
Pine Grove Furnace State Park

1100 Pine Grove Road
Gardners, PA 17324
717-486-7174

Steeped in natural and historical features, the 696-acre Pine Grove Furnace State Park is in a beautiful mountain setting in southern Cumberland County. The two lakes in the park are the 25-acre Laurel Lake and the smaller Fuller Lake, which is 1.7-acre.

The park is easily reached from I-81. Visitors should take Exit 37 to PA 233 south then travel for eight miles.

Picnicking: Many picnic tables are scattered in several locations of the park. Charcoal grills, drinking water and restrooms are available. Two picnic pavilions (seating 80 and 140) may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Boating: electric motors only
Boating is permitted only on the 25-acre Laurel Lake, which has a boat launch, 85 mooring spaces and a boat rental.

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

Fishing: The common fish in the 25-acre Laurel Lake and the smaller 1.7-acre Fuller Lake are pickerel, perch and stocked trout. Mountain Creek, which flows through the park, has brown, brook and rainbow trout. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations apply.

For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Biking: All park roads and service roads are open to bicycles unless posted otherwise. A two-mile section of the Cumberland County Bike Trail connects the Furnace Stack Day Use Area with Laurel Lake Day Use Area. Bicyclists are advised to use caution because all trails are shared with pedestrian traffic and some are open to motor vehicles. Pennsylvania state law requires all bicyclists under the age of 12 to wear an approved helmet. A bicycle rental concession is available at the boat launch at Laurel Lake.

Swimming: Two beaches are open from May to September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, unless otherwise posted. Please read and follow posted rules for swimming when lifeguards are off-duty.

Swimmers at Laurel Lake and especially at Fuller Lake are advised to exercise caution because of the extreme depths and cold subsurface waters.

In the summer season, a snack bar is available at each beach.

Hiking: Pine Grove Furnace State Park has four miles of trails, and connections to longer trails, like the Appalachian Trail. Explore Trails for detailed trail descriptions.

Camping: no showers, vault toilets
About 70 tent and trailer sites are available year-round. Access cannot be guaranteed in severe winter weather. The campground offers drinking water, non-flush toilets and a sanitary dump station. A seasonal camp store is 0.25-mile from the campground. Sites 37 and 38 are accessible.

Pines Cabin: An accessible, two-story frame house is available year-round. It has a modern kitchen, bathroom, dining room, living room, central heat and three bedrooms that sleep eight people. Modern cabin prices apply.

Paymasters Cabin: An historic, stone, two-story house is available year-round. It has a modern kitchen, bathroom, dining room, living room, central heat and two bedrooms that sleep six people. Modern cabin prices apply.

Wildlife Watching

The diverse habitats of Pine Grove Furnace State Park support a variety of wildlife through all seasons. The historic use of the area during the iron furnace period created a varied combination of open areas, wetlands, and vegetation that make the area unique to wildlife.

Spring and fall is the time of bird migrations. Pine Grove Furnace State Park is an area of forest with interspersed ponds and wetlands and is a rest stop for many migrating forest birds. Warblers, vireos and thrushes stop to rest and eat before flying on to their breeding or winter homes. Laurel Lake and its shoreline wetlands are a beacon that lures waterfowl. Merganser, Canada goose, mallard, loon, teal and many other ducks can be seen swimming, diving and dabbling for vegetation and small fish. Wild turkey and woodcock call from open areas.

Winter is a good time to see woodpeckers and evidence of their presence. Pine Grove Furnace has at least six species of woodpeckers.

Summer is the time of lush green vegetation and growing young animals. In thickets and along roads, watch for spotted fawns and frantic bluebirds searching for food to feed their hungry chicks. Butterflies reach their peak numbers and can be seen floating from flower to flower in the fields and wetlands.

In the fall, the deciduous trees lose their chlorophyll and their leaves reveal beautiful reds, oranges and yellows. This is a time that many animals are preparing for the winter season ahead. There is a growing population of black bears in the area and you may see one putting on weight for the winter hibernation. Beavers may be seen working on lodges and dams in the upper channels of Laurel Lake at twilight.