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R. B. Winter State Park
R. B. Winter State Park covers 695 acres of the Ridge and Valley Province in central Pennsylvania. Located within Bald Eagle State Forest, the park lies in a shallow basin surrounded by rocky ridges covered with an oak and pine forest. The focal point of the park is Halfway Lake which is filled by spring-fed mountain streams and contained by a hand-laid, native sandstone dam. Open year-round, the park provides diverse opportunities for recreation. |
Explore
Directions - Weather - Recreation - Hiking - Winter Activities - Winter Report - Environmental Education - Calendar of Events - Accessibility - History - Natural Resources - Nearby Attractions - Volunteers - Rules and Regs - In an Emergency - Contact Us - Downloadables and Maps
Park Advisories
| 8/26/2008 9:14:00 AM | A drawdown of Halfway Lake will begin on September 2, 2008. The drawdown is needed to start the construction of the new wall along the southern shore of the lake. Also the buoy lines will be removed and swimming will not be permitted. The project is anticipated to be completed by late November at which time the lake will be re-filled. |
| 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 |
| 4/4/2007 9:45:00 AM | The cabin at R.B.Winter is not accessible to persons with disabilities. The ADA label in the brochure beside the park is a misprint. This notice is in effect until the cabin brochure is reprinted. |
Directions
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The park is in Union County on PA 192, 18 miles west of Lewisburg. |
Recreational Opportunities
Hiking - Trail Biking - Picnicking - Swimming - Fishing - Hunting - Wildlife Watching - Cross-country Skiing - Snowmobiling - Ice Fishing - Cabin - Camping Cottages - Camping
Camping: modern sites, some with electric
The 59-site campground accommodates tents, trailers and motor homes. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, lantern holder and a fire ring. Some campsites have electric hookups. The campground provides showers, hand washing facilities, a sanitary dump station, drinking water and a playground. All campsites are completely shaded, close to a playfield, and within easy walking distance to all other park facilities. Open from the second Friday in April until mid December, the sites differ slightly in elevation and scenery.
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 has amenities that include 50-amp electric service and water hookup. The host is required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a two-week minimum stay. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.
Camping Cottages: The three cottages sleep five people in single bunks and double/single bunks, and have wooden floors, windows, skylights, porch, picnic table, fire ring, electric lights and outlets, and a small baseboard heater.
Modern Cabin: A modern two-story log cabin is available for year-round rental. The cabin has a furnished living area, kitchen/dining area, 1 ½ baths, four bedrooms, and front and back porches. Renters need to provide their own bed linens, bathroom articles, kitchenware and utensils. The cabin is rented on a minimum two-day basis during the off-season and on a weekly basis during the summer. Explore cabins for more information.
Make a reservation |
Picnicking: About 250 picnic tables are dispersed throughout the park. Charcoal grills, drinking water fountains, restrooms, horseshoe pits, play areas, and other park facilities are within easy access from picnic areas. Three separate picnic pavilions may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved pavilions are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Make a reservation
Hiking: The hiking trails pass through a variety of terrains with only short stretches of steep inclines. Complete trail descriptions are on the trails page.
Fishing: The park is a cold-water fishery, stocked with brown, rainbow and brook trout. With the exception of the swimming area, the lake and its tributary streams are open to public fishing. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks the lake and Rapid Run regularly during the season. Many anglers gather near the sandstone dam or the fishing pier. For ice fishing information, see Winter Activities.
For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.
Trail Biking: Mountain biking is permitted on all but Rapid Run and Mid State trails, and a section of Overlook Trail. R.B. Winter State Park provides access to 25 off-road mountain bike trails located in Bald Eagle State Forest. Riders will find over 48 miles of trails with nearly 100 miles of connecting forestry roads. The Central Mountains Shared-Use Trail System brochure provides general information about a number of the trails. The brochure also contains a map showing trails of varying lengths and difficulty. Maps are available at the park office and the mountain bike trailhead in the main parking lot.
Swimming: The swimming beach features 300 feet of white sand. The 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. The beach area includes restrooms, dressing facilities, a beach volleyball court and a children’s play area. A seasonal food and refreshment concession is at the beach house. The limited menu includes hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cold drinks and ice cream.
Hunting and Firearms: About 487 acres of R. B. Winter State Park are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, bear, wild turkey, woodcock, squirrel and grouse. 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.
191,858 acres of the surrounding Bald Eagle State Forest are also available for hunting and trapping.
For complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.
Winter Activities
Explore the Winter Report for current snow and ice depths. Ice Fishing: The ice on Halfway Lake is not monitored so be sure the ice is four inches thick and carry safety equipment. Cross-country Skiing: Five miles of park trails provide easy skiing with connecting trails and roads on surrounding state forest land. |
Snowmobiling: Registered snowmobiles are permitted on park roads which lead to 30 miles of designated trails in the north division of Bald Eagle State Forest. Trailhead facilities at the park include heated restrooms, garbage cans, parking and unloading areas. Conditions permitting, daily snowmobiling begins sometime in December until April 1. Maps and information are available at the park office.
Environmental Education and Interpretation
R. B. Winter State Park offers a wide variety of environmental education and interpretive programs on a year-round basis. Through hands-on activities, guided walks and evening programs, participants gain appreciation, understanding, and develop a sense of stewardship toward the natural and cultural resources.
Curriculum-based environmental education programs are available to schools, youth organizations and homeschool associations. Group programs must be scheduled in advance by calling the park office. Popular topics for students include adaptations, bird life, amphibians, reptiles, geology, wetland or forest ecosystems, watersheds and aquatic studies.
Teacher workshops are available on the Bureau of State Parks curriculum Watershed Education. Other educator workshop topics include schoolyard habitat, songbird education, and environmental education and children’s literature.
Several special events including a history day and the winter Snowfest are conducted each year. The “Halfway Herald” includes a schedule of upcoming programs and activities and is available from the park office or learning center.
Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.
Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.
Halfway Run Environmental Learning Center/Sheary-Linn Amphitheater: Equipped with many educational tools, the center is a classroom and base for educational programs, and features a hands-on science area, a computer center with environmental software, a library of field guides, classic environmental works and children’s books, and displays of native wildlife. Visitors can test their knowledge of lumber on the Wall of Woods display. Others enjoy sitting at the center’s observation window listening to birds gathered at the microphone- equipped feeding station. Large porches provide opportunities to relax and enjoy the surrounding forest scenery. Near the center is the new Sheary-Linn Amphitheater where outdoor interpretive programs are presented.
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)
Nearby State Parks and Forests
R.B. Winter State Park oversees and maintains the facilities at three nearby state parks that offer additional opportunities for recreation.
Ravensburg State Park, located in Clinton County on PA 880, received its name because ravens once resided in the steep rocky ledges located throughout the park. Twenty-one non-reservable, tent-camping-only sites are available. Visitors can also enjoy hiking, picnicking and cold-water fishing.
McCalls Dam State Park, located in the east end of Centre County, can be reached by McCalls Dam state forest road which connects to PA 192. Pioneers built a dam to provide waterpower for a sawmill. Later, the dam was used in a series of splash dams to float logs down the Susquehanna River. Limited facilities include non-flush toilets, parking and a small picnic area.
Sand Bridge State Park, located on PA 192 east of R.B. Winter, includes picnic tables, pavilions and restrooms. The park also offers stream fishing. For more information on Ravensburg State Park, McCalls Dam State Park, or Sand Bridge State Park contact the park office at R.B. Winter State Park.
Bald Eagle State Forest comprises 195,624 acres of land surrounding R. B. Winter State Park. Various recreational activities are possible including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and pleasure driving. Eight parcels of land within Bald Eagle State Forest have been designated as natural or wild areas. One of these, the Halfway Run Natural Area, borders the east boundary of R. B. Winter State Park. Unusual geologic features and wetlands make this site valuable for scientific observation and the protection of unique plant and animal communities.
Nearby Attractions
For information on local attractions and accommodations:
Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau, 570-524-7234
In an Emergency
Contact a park employee or dial 911.
A public phone is available at the park office.
For directions to the nearest hospital, look on bulletin boards or at the park office.
Nearest Hospital:
Evangelical Community Hospital
1 Hospital Drive
Lewisburg, PA 17837
570-522-2000
For More Information Contact
R. B. Winter State Park
17215 Buffalo Road
Mifflinburg, PA 17844-9656
570-966-1455
Manager: Bob Deffner
E-mail: rbwintersp@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.
