Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - 5

PINE GROVE FURNACE
STATE PARK
by Samuel J. Rob
photos by the author
P
ine Grove Furnace State Park is a 696-acre state
park surrounded by the 85,500-acre Michaux
State Forest (named after a French botanist
sent to America in 1785 to collect plants for the
King of France's royal gardens). Located primarily
in Cumberland, Franklin, and Adams counties in
southcentral Pennsylvania, the park is best known as
the midpoint of the 2,186-mile Appalachian Trail (AT).
The park is both a historical site and a recreational
destination for hikers, anglers, kayakers, cross-country
skiers, mountain bikers, all-terrain vehicle (ATV)
riders, and snowmobilers.
Park highlights include: the historic furnace for
which the park is named, the free AT Museum (located
in a 200 year old grist mill and the first museum in
America devoted solely to hiking), two lakes (25-acre
Laurel Lake and 1.7-acre Fuller Lake), a campground,
a general store (where AT thru-hikers can partake
in the store's challenge to eat a half gallon of ice
cream at one sitting), and the English Tudor-style
Ironmaster's Mansion (built in 1829) that serves as
a hiker hostel and a special events venue. Both lakes
have swim beaches, and Laurel Lake has kayak and
canoe rentals in season. There is also a boat launch
for those with their own watercraft-electric motors
only. Both lakes contain healthy populations of
bass, panfish, perch, pickerel, and trout. Mountain
Creek, a beautiful trout stream that flows through the
heart of the park, is stocked. The upper reaches of
Mountain Creek, as well as tributaries such as Toms
Run, contain both Brook Trout and Brown Trout.
This park contains a portion of America's most
famous trail, so it is a popular spot for hikers.
Whether hiking the steep .75-mile Pole Steeple Trail
to the top of Piney Mountain for scenic views, the
popular Koppenhaver Trail (1 mile) and Sunset
Rocks Trails (8-mile loop), the Buck Ridge Trail
(6 miles) connecting the park to the Kings Gap
September/October 2022
5

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - 7
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2022 - Cover4
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