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Greenwood Furnace State Park
Nestled in the mountains of northeastern Huntingdon County, historic Greenwood Furnace State Park offers a unique recreational experience. The park is on the western edge of an area of Central Pennsylvania known as the Seven Mountains. It is an area of rugged beauty, abundant wildlife, breathtaking vistas and peaceful solitude. The park covers 423 acres, including a six-acre lake, and is surrounded by an 80,000-acre block of Rothrock State Forest. The park office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday year-round, and daily during the summer season. |
A walk through historic Greenwood Furnace evokes images of the community that flourished here from 1834 to 1904. Greenwood Furnace was a busy industrial complex, with all the noise and dirt of a 19th century ironmaking community. The village throbbed with life: the roaring of furnace stacks, the shouts of the workmen, the hissing of the steam engine, the creaking of wagons loaded with charcoal, and the cast house whistle signaling another pour of molten iron. The furnaces were hot (3,000 degrees Fahrenheit) and cast clouds of smoke and cinders into the air, which rained down indiscriminately on grass, people, livestock and buildings, rendering everything sooty and gray. At night, the fire’s red glow lit the sky, probably allowing residents to walk about without lanterns. Greenwood Furnace was a village built around an inferno.
Explore
Directions - Weather - Recreation - Trails - Winter Report - Environmental Education - Calendar of Events - Accessibility - History - Wildlife Watching - Nearby Attractions - Volunteers - Rules and Regs - In an Emergency - Contact Us - Downloadables and Maps
Park Advisories
| 10/7/2008 9:29:00 AM | Starting in the 2009 camping season, pets will be permitted on campsites 44 through 51. If camping with a pet, you will be able to access the remainder of the park by walking down the campground road and out the campground. Pets are not permitted in other parts of the campground or washhouse. Please remember to bring in all pet products at night to avoid attracting local critters and always clean up after your pet. Your cooporation is greatly appreciated. |
| 8/5/2008 9:16:00 AM | Firewood Advisory: Invasive Beetles found in Firewood Threaten Forests! Before bringing firewood to a Pennsylvania State Park, please read the information in the linked page about a very real threat to forests in Pennsylvania and all of North America. Firewood Advisory |
Directions
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The entrance to the park is on PA 305; a 10-minute drive west of Belleville or a 35-minute drive southeast of State College. |
Recreational Opportunities
Hiking - Picnicking - Swimming - Fishing - Hunting - Orienteering - Wildlife Watching - Winter Activities - Camping
Camping: modern sites, some with electricity Trailers and motor homes may use a convenient, sanitary dump station at the campground entrance. The maximum stay is 14 days during the summer season and 21 days during the off-season. Campers must vacate the park for 48 hours between stays. |
Explore the campground map.
Explore camping for more information.
Make a reservation
Free Camping for Campground Hosts: one host position in the modern campgroundThe campground host site amenities include 50-amp electric service, with water and sewer hookup. Firewood is provided. Hosts are required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a four (4) week minimum stay. Responsibilities include posting camping permits, performing light maintenance, and overseeing the self-serve firewood/ice concession. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.
Swimming: A 300-foot sand beach is open from late-May to mid-September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Swim at your own risk. Please read and follow posted rules for swimming. A dressing area and restroom are nearby.
Fishing: The six-acre Greenwood Lake is regularly stocked with trout. Ice fishing is permitted. All Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws and regulations apply.
For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.
Hunting and Firearms: About 320 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey and grouse. Special state park hunting regulations and Pennsylvania Game Commission laws apply. Most of the adjacent Rothrock State Forest lands are open to hunting.
Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for accessible hunting information.
Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment must be kept in the owner’s car.
For complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.
Picnicking: Picnic tables and seven picnic pavilions are in a spruce and pine grove setting close to the beach. Unreserved pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis. A playground, snack bar, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts and a ball field make this area popular for picnics and reunions.
Make a reservation |
Snack Bar: A food and refreshment concession near the beach serves visitors in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend.
Orienteering: The self-guiding course starts across the road from the Visitor Center/Park Office. Maps of the course are available at the Visitor Center/Park Office.
Hiking: Many trails within the park and surrounding state forest offer hikers scenic views and glimpses of historical ruins from the 1800s ironmaking community. Explore Trails for trail descriptions.
Winter Activities: Ice skating is popular on the lake. Ice depth is not monitored. The park serves as a snowmobiling trailhead after the end of deer season in December. Several miles of ungroomed cross-country ski trails are in the park and on adjacent state forest lands. Parking, restrooms and picnic facilities are available at the park. Additional designated parking areas are within the state forest. Trail maps are available at the park office or state forest office. Explore the Winter Report for current snow and ice depths.
Environmental and Historical Interpretation
Interpretive programming at the park is centered on the former Greenwood Furnace and the company town that grew up around it. Archeological work and extensive research has done much to uncover not only the physical plant, but also the social structure of the community.
Year-round interpretive programming makes a visit to Greenwood Furnace an interesting educational experience. Guided walks, living history and evening programs interpret much of the natural and historic resources of the park. Programs for school and civic groups are offered by appointment. School programs are offered free and are custom-tailored to meet the teacher’s educational needs. A Teacher’s Guide to Greenwood Furnace is available to educators on request.
Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.
Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.
Several special events are held throughout the year. Old Home Days Heritage Festival is held in early August. An archaeology day camp is held in late June. The Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering, a weekend of music-related workshops, is held in September. Check out the Calendar of Events or contact the park office for details.
Greenwood Historic Walking Tour: Greenwood Furnace was once a thriving ironmaking village. Today, only a handful of its 127 buildings remain. This walking tour explores a portion of the historic district and includes parts of the town, tramway, historic roads and charcoal hearths. A free guide to the historic district is available at the park office and visitor center.
Blacksmith Shop: This historic building has displays on the history of the park and offers blacksmithing demonstrations in the summer. It is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the summer months and weekends in the May, September and October.
Visitor Center/Park Office: The Visitor Center/Park Office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There are temporary exhibits on display.
Gift Shop: A gift shop in the Visitor Center/Park Office sells a variety of items, including Smokey Bear memorabilia, historical and natural books, music, videos, historical and children's nature books, field guides, T-shirts and sweatshirts, postcards, and other items. Hours are the same as the Visitor Center/ Park Office hours. Visa, Discover Card, MasterCard, and debit/check cards are welcome. Proceeds benefit Pennsylvania State Parks.
Access for People with Disabilities
If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks:
888-PA-PARKS (voice)
888-537-7294 (TTY)
711 (AT&T Relay Services)
Wildlife
Wildlife is abundant in the area. The alert observer may see white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and many species of small game. Duck, great blue heron and occasionally osprey visit the lake. During early evening hours in late May and June, whip-poor-will sing their unique call.
Feeding wild animals such as bear, raccoon, duck, goose, and skunk is strongly discouraged. When wildlife loses its fear of people, these animals become pests and dangerous situations can result. Please help in maintaining healthy wildlife populations by not feeding the animals.
Conservation Volunteers
Many volunteer opportunities are available at Greenwood Furnace. Conservation volunteers are needed to assist with trail maintenance, historical research and demonstrations, work with environmental education staff in teaching groups that visit the park, act as campground hosts and receptionists for the visitor center, and help with special events and projects. For more information, contact the park office.
Explore for more information on volunteering for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Nearby State Parks and Forests
Whipple Dam State Park: This day use park has swimming, boating, picnicking, fishing, boat rentals in the summer and the 22-acre Whipple Lake. The upper end of the lake is wetlands that are best accessed by canoe. A variety of waterfowl and wildlife live in the park.
Penn-Roosevelt State Park: Located in the heart of the western section of the Seven Mountains and surrounded by a large block of Rothrock State Forest, Penn Roosevelt is for people who like to get away from civilization and back to nature. The small lake is built in a natural depression known as Stone Creek Kettle. Ruins of the former African-American Civilian Conservation Corps camp can be found in the park.
For more information on Whipple Dam and Penn-Roosevelt state parks, contact the Greenwood Furnace State Park office.
Rothrock State Forest: All three state parks serve as a base for an 80,000-acre block of Rothrock State Forest. The forest is accessible from public highways at more than 27 points and contains over 200 miles of roads. The forest is crisscrossed with numerous hiking trails. The state forests offers; hiking, backpack overnight camping, birding, wildlife photography, hunting and fishing (in season), horseback riding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, auto touring, and other activities. 814-643 2340
Nearby Attractions
For information on nearby attractions, contact these agencies: Huntingdon County Visitor’s Bureau, 888-RAYSTOWN, www.raystown.org, or, Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau, 877-568-9739, www.juniatarivervalley.org.
In an Emergency
Contact a park employee or dial 911.
For directions to the nearest hospital, look on bulletin boards or at the park office.
Nearest Hospital
Lewistown Hospital, Lewistown, Pa. (14 miles) Located ¼ mile off the Electric Avenue Exit of US 322 (east) follow Hospital signs.
717-248-5411
For More Information Contact
Greenwood Furnace State Park
15795 Greenwood Road
Huntingdon, PA 16652-5831
814-667-1800
Manager: Don Coine
E-mail: greenwoodfurnacesp@state.pa.us
An equal opportunity employer
Make online reservations or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.
