Keystone State Park

The 1,200-acre Keystone State Park is great for day-trips and family vacations year-round. Camping, modern cabins, many trails and a lake are all within walking distance, providing an ideal setting for wildlife watching or outdoor adventures. The park is within easy driving distance from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and its many attractions.

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Directions - Weather  - Recreation  - Trails  - Winter Activities  - Winter Report  - Environmental Education  - Calendar of Events  - Accessibility  - Wildlife Watching  - History  - Nearby Attractions  - Volunteers  - Rules and Regs  - In an Emergency  - Contact Us  - Maps and Downloadables

Park Advisories

Directions

The park is in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, three miles from the intersection of SR 981 and US 22. The park office is on SR 1018 (Keystone Park Road). The campground and cabins are on Stone Lodge Road and can be reached from T 860.

Recreational Opportunities

Trails  - Biking  - Picnicking  - Swimming  - Boating  - Fishing  - Hunting  - Wildlife Watching  - Winter Activities  - Yurts  - Cabins  - Camping Cottages  - Camping

Boating: electric motors only
A public boat launching ramp and mooring area are on the north shore by the breast of the dam.

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.

All watercraft must contain for each occupant a readily accessible U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III or V personal flotation device (PFD) in serviceable condition. Children under 13 years of age and all non-swimmers must wear the approved PFD when boating.

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

Fishing: The 78-acre Keystone Lake has warm water and cold water fishing, with trout stockings throughout the year. Warm-water fish are largemouth bass, tiger muskellunge, northern pike, black crappie, yellow perch, carp and brown bullhead catfish. A fishing area by the spillway is ADA accessible. Fishing is prohibited at the beach, and boat launching and mooring areas. Abandoned mine drainage limits the fishing quality in the stream below the breast of the dam.

Keystone Lake is a Big Bass Lake and special regulations apply. All Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission rules and regulations apply. Fishing licenses are available at nearby issuing agents.

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

Recycling: Keystone State Park is proud to help the environment by participating in a recycling program in the park. Please do your part by using our Recycle Centers, located near each campground and in the beach area, to dispose of cans, glass, and plastics 1 and 2.

Winter Activities: Ice fishing, ice skating, sledding and cross-country skiing are popular when conditions permit. The day use area of the park and the cabins provide excellent opportunities for winter sports. The park is only 30 minutes from the snow country of the Laurel Highlands and Forbes State Forest.

It is recommended that you contact the park office to determine ice and snow conditions in advance of any planned outing. The lake ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is four inches thick and carry safety equipment. Explore the Winter Report for current snow and ice depths.

Biking: Lakeside Trail is excellent for bikes of all types. This two-mile, level trail loops around the lake on park roads and walkways. Trail bikes must stay on park roads or gravel walkways. All other trails are foot-traffic only.

Hunting and Firearms: About half of Keystone State Park is open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey, squirrel, pheasant and grouse. Hunting on the lake and surrounding area is prohibited.

Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day to 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. The park is used by other visitors 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, trailer or camp.

For complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.

Swimming: A 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.

To keep this area clean and safe, no food, beverages or pets are allowed on the sand area of the beach, but only in adjacent, designated areas.

A food concessionaire operates out of the Beach House Complex, which is across the road from the park office. The hours of operation during the summer months are 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. The food concessionaire offers a wide variety of food items, drinks and miscellaneous items for sale. Delivery is available for firewood and ice to all overnight facilities. Call 724-572-1156 for delivery of these items.

Picnicking: Several picnic areas in the park offer picnic tables, parking, drinking water and restrooms. Two pavilions have charcoal grills, drinking water and electric outlets. Pavilion One is on the north side of the lake (closer to the beach) and Pavilion Two is below the breast of the dam. Picnic pavilions may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. If these areas are not reserved, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please keep these areas clean and dispose of hot charcoal in proper receptacles.

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Stay the Night

Camping: modern restrooms with showers
About 100 tent and trailer sites are available from the first Friday of April through the third weekend in October. Lakeside Campground is adjacent to the lake. Hillside Campground is in a more remote area of the park for those wishing more privacy. Both campgrounds have a modern bathhouse. A sanitary dump station is near Hillside Campground. Designated multi-campsites sites allow up to 14 people on one site. Pets are permitted at designated campsites. Explore pets in campgrounds for more information.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

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Camping Cottages: The three camping cottages are in Lakeside Campground and have wooden walls and floors, windows, electric lights and outlets, and a porch. A cottage sleeps five people in a single bunk and a single/double bunk. One cottage is ADA accessible.

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Modern Cabins: The 11 modern cabins are available for rent year-round. These cabins are near the breast of the dam between the two campgrounds. The cabins sleep six people in two bedrooms, one with a double bed and another with two sets of bunk beds. Each cabin has: a modern bathroom with shower; kitchen with stove, refrigerator and microwave; and outside is a picnic table and fire ring with grill. You must bring your own kitchen, bath and bedding necessities. Cabin 11 is ADA accessible.

Explore the cabin map.

Explore cabins for more information.

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Yurts: Located in Lakeside Campground, the two Mongolian-style tents are round, on a wooden deck and have a cooking stove, refrigerator, countertop, table, chairs, electric heat and outlets, fire ring, picnic table, adjacent water pump, and sleep five people in single bunk beds and single/double bunk beds. One yurt is ADA accessible.

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Trails: 6 miles of trails
The six miles of trails are open year-round for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. All trails are rated from easy to moderate with parking available at most of the trailheads. All trails are foot traffic only, except for Lakeside Trail, which is open to bikes.

Davis Run Trail (easy hiking) is a 2.5-mile trail that meanders through wetlands before reaching an upland forest of mixed conifers and mature hardwoods. Along part of the trail the conifers form a scenic tunnel.

Lake Side Trail (easy hiking) is a 2-mile loop around the lake on park roads and walkways. This scenic and fairly level path offers an excellent view of waterfowl and other aquatic life. Bikes are permitted.

McCune Run Trail (easy hiking) is a short trail that leads to an abandoned beaver pond and a wetland meadow. The trail crosses over the remnants of an old beaver dam and connects to Davis Run Trail.

Pine Trail (easy hiking) is a short loop trail through plantations of red, white and table-mountain pine trees. About halfway through the trail, hikers can view farm fields and large chestnut oak trees.

Stone Lodge Trail (easy to moderate hiking) is a 1.4-mile path that starts from the James A. Kell Visitor Center parking lot. This challenging walk starts with a fairly steep climb that winds through hardwoods to ridgetop conifers. With a keen eye you can find remnants of an old springhouse and homestead, nearby large hemlock trees.

Environmental Education and Interpretation

An environmental education specialist offers programs year-round. In the summer months, interpretive nature programs are available to campers and the general public. In the spring, fall and winter there are environmental education programs for school students and scout groups, as well as interpretive programs for the general public. For a schedule of activities or to request a special program, call 724-668-2566.

The ADA accessible James A. Kell Visitor Center is in the overnight area of the park. This historic stone lodge has an introduction to the history, flora and fauna of the park, with a number of interactive displays, educational handouts and historic artifacts.

Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.

Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.

Wildlife Watching

There are many opportunities to see wildlife, but please observe from a safe distance and do not feed wildlife. Keystone State Park hosts a wide range of plant and animal life. These natural attractions offer an exciting adventure for visitors willing to sit, watch and listen for these hidden wonders. Stop at the visitor center for a bird checklist or to learn about the natural sites and wildlife of the area.

Keystone State Park has wildlife watching opportunities in every season.

In spring, wildflowers like hepatica, spring beauty, bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, trout lily and rue anemone bloom before the trees leaf out. Warblers, kinglets, buffleheads, mergansers, herons, osprey and many other birds migrate through the park. Some birds only stop for a brief refueling visit, but others stay for the summer.

In summer, many young birds and mammals are born and can be seen, but be sure not to handle the wild animals. Fireflies dance and display their lights in midsummer. Frogs and insects sing a nighttime chorus in the marsh area in the eastern end of the lake. Yarrow, joe pye weed, ironweed, boneset, fire pink, goldenrods and daisies bloom, providing food for butterflies, which peak in late summer.

The shortening days and cooler temperatures of autumn cause the deciduous trees to drop their leaves, but first the trees erupt with color. Birds migrate south to their winter homes. The temperature is usually perfect for hiking and exploring.

In winter, you can find animal tracks in the snow, and find bird’s nests that are revealed after the leaves fall from the trees. Native birds like chickadees, cardinals nuthatches and woodpeckers travel in groups hunting for seeds and insects. Beaver are visible at the marsh area until the water freezes over.

AMD Wetland Treatment System

Below the dam, across from the entrance road to the cabin colony, is the closed-up entrance to Salem Mine Two.

An orange liquid, called abandoned mine drainage (AMD), seeps from the mine, polluting McCune Run. Four agencies have worked together to put in an AMD Wetland Treatment System. The AMD flows through limestone lined pipes and through several ponds, which removes alkalinity, heavy metals and sediment, before releasing the cleaner water into McCune Run. A series of wayside exhibits explain the mine and the treatment system. The self-guiding tour begins in the parking lot across from Pavilion Two.

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)

Volunteers Needed

Many volunteer opportunities exist at Keystone State Park. Volunteers play a vital role in maintaining the park’s facilities, roads and trails. We are looking for campground hosts, trail and gardening maintenance individuals, and bluebird monitors. We are also looking for help in removing invasive species, litter pick up, and with other projects that you may have an interest in. Volunteers may also help assist the environmental education staff with projects and planned events.

The park is always looking for new and motivated individuals to take part in our monthly workdays organized by park staff and the Friends of Keystone State Park. Some of our Friends of Keystone State Park meet monthly to plan and ponder ways to preserve, promote and improve the historical, natural, and recreational features and opportunities at the park. We welcome you to join us!

Contact the park’s volunteer coordinator at 724-668-2566 for details on how you can become a friend of the park.

Explore here for more information on volunteering for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Nearby Attractions

Forbes State Forest: Over 50,000 acres of land are open year-round for a variety of outdoor activities including; hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking and snowmobiling. For more information contact: Forbes State Forest, 724-238-9533.

For information on the many attractions in this area, contact the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, 800-333-5661. www.laurelhighlands.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:
Latrobe Area Hospital
121 West Second Avenue
Latrobe, PA 15650
724-537-1000

For More Information Contact

Keystone State Park
1150 Keystone Park Road
Derry, PA 15627-3679
724-668-2939
Manager: Kris Baker

E-mail: keystonesp@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.

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