| Bald Eagle State Park | |
| Iucn Category: | II |
| Map: | USA Pennsylvania#USA |
| Location: | Centre, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates: | 41.0417°N -77.6033°W |
| Area Acre: | 5900 |
| Elevation: | 958feet |
| Established: | July 4, 1971 |
| Named For: | Bald Eagle Creek |
| Governing Body: | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
Bald Eagle State Park is a 5900acres Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and other smaller streams and covering 1730acres. Bald Eagle State Park is at the meeting point of two distinct geologic features. The Allegheny Plateau is to the north and the Ridge and Valley area of Pennsylvania is to the south. The park is in the Bald Eagle Valley off Pennsylvania Route 150 in Howard, between Milesburg and Lock Haven.
The park is named for the Lenape chief, Woapalanne, meaning bald eagle. Chief Woapalanne lived in the area for a brief period of time during the mid-18th century in a village that was on Bald Eagle Creek Path, part of the much more extensive Great Indian Warpath that stretched from New York into the Carolinas. This path was used by the Iroquois to conduct raids on the Cherokee in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Pennsylvania Route 150 follows this path in some areas near Bald Eagle State Park.[1]
Bald Eagle Creek is one of the few navigable tributaries of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Centre County. This made it a vital part of the transportation network in Centre County's early days. The Bald Eagle and Spring Creek Navigation canal was built from the Pennsylvania Canal at Lock Haven up Bald Eagle Creek and Spring Creek into Bellefonte in 1848. This canal was damaged by flooding in 1867[2] and went out of service. It was replaced by the Bald Eagle Valley Railroad, which completed its line along the valley in 1865.[1]
The availability of transportation and vast natural resources drew the iron industry and later the lumber industry to Bald Eagle Valley. The Eagle Ironworks was built in 1810 by Roland Curtin, an immigrant from Ireland. The ironworks produced iron along Bald Eagle Creek until it was closed in 1922. At first charcoal was used to fire the furnaces. This charcoal was produced locally by colliers who harvested timber from the mountainsides and slowly burned the logs to produce charcoal. Later the furnaces were adapted to use coal, another of Pennsylvania's plentiful natural resources.[1] [3]
The demand for lumber products reached the Bald Eagle area in the mid-to-late 19th century. Vast stands of old-growth forest were harvested and sent down the West Branch Susquehanna River to the sawmills at Williamsport. The once abundant stands of pine, oak, hickory, chestnut and hemlock were stripped from the hills and valleys. The land in the valley was converted to farmland and is still farmed today. The forests on Bald Eagle Mountain have since regrown forming an extensive second growth forest.[1]
Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir is a 1730acres reservoir that was built in 1971 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of a flood control project on the Susquehanna River basin. The lake was created by damming Bald Eagle Creek. It stretches upstream for 8miles and has 23miles of shoreline. The park is at an elevation of .[4]
The lake is named for Foster Joseph Sayers a World War II hero. Sayers grew up in Marsh Creek. He received the Medal of Honor for acts of bravery on November 12, 1944, near Thionville, France. His Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:
Unlimited horsepower motorboats are permitted on Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir. Boats equipped with inboard engines with over the transom or straight-stack type exhausts are not permitted. All boats must have current registration with any state. Boaters must adhere to the speed-limit of 45mi/h and follow the counterclockwise pattern when navigating the lake. The marina has 369 docking slips that are available to rent seasonally or daily. Inland Marine and Power Sports operates the marina and provides various services to the public.[1]
There are six boat launches at Bald Eagle State Park. All are open 24 hours with parking and restroom facilities.
Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir is a warm water fishery. Fishing is permitted from the shore, on boats and from an ADA accessible pier located at the main boat launch in the central park area. The common game fish are largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, and channel catfish. Tiger muskellunge have not been stocked in this lake for at least 10 years. They were briefly introduced to take care of a non-native species, which are no longer a threat.[1]
Swimming is permitted on a beach stretching 1200feet along the lake. The beach is open Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend. The beach area includes a playground, snack bar, baby changing rooms, restrooms, and parking.[1]
There are four picnic area at Bald Eagle State Park.
Hunting is permitted on about of Bald Eagle State Park. The most common game species are squirrels, turkey, rabbits, pheasant and white-tailed deer. The hunting of groundhogs is prohibited. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.[1]
Bald Eagle State Park has of trails that are open for hiking and cross-country skiing. Some of the trails pass through areas that are open to hunting—hikers and skiers are asked to wear blaze orange when using the trails during the hunting seasons. All trails are open year-round at 8:00 a.m. and are closed at sunset.[5]
Russel P. Letterman campground is a modern campground with 97 campsites, three cottages, two yurts, hot showers, an amphitheater, a sanitary dump station and two volleyball courts. There is a paved parking area at each campsite as well as a picnic table and fire ring. All campsites have an electrical hook-up. The primitive camping area 3 has 5 walk-in sites and 35 sites for small campers. Outhouses are available, as well as sinks with running water.[1]
The following state parks are within 30miles of Bald Eagle State Park:[6] [7] [8]