Mt. Pisgah State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Smithfield, Springfield,

Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...

and West Burlington Townships, Bradford County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

in the United States. The park is located almost exactly halfway between

and Towanda, along Pennsylvania State Route 3019, near

U.S. Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...

, at the base of Mt. Pisgah. The park is bordered by Mill Creek, Mt. Pisgah County Park and State Game Land 289. Mill Creek which flows through the park has been dammed and forms Stephen Foster Lake a man-made lake.

History

The land on which Mt. Pisgah State Park is located was not settled permanently until the early 19th century. The first settlers migrated from

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

. They cleared the land of its dense old-growth forest of

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accepts ...

and hardwood trees for

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

. The stumps were stacked in fence rows, which still form the boundary of some of the old fields in the park. The land was used primarily for farming until 1969 when it was purchased by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known also as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour and minstrel music during the Romantic period. He wrote more than 200 songs, inc ...

Lake, named for the famed composer and former resident of Tioga County, was formed by damming Mill Creek in 1977. Mt. Pisgah State Park was opened to the public in 1979.

Recreation

Stephen Foster Lake

Stephen Foster Lake is open to boating,

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

ice fishing Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities. Shelters Longe ...

, and

ice skating Ice skating is the self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. Ice skating may be per ...

. Gas powered boats are not permitted on the lake. Electric powered and non powered boats must have proper registration with any state. The boat launch is on the northern shore near a dock, restrooms, parking and a boat renting concessionaire. Anglers will find

perch Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Per ...

, bass, crappie and bluegill in Stephen Foster Lake. Ice fishing is permitted but only when the ice is at least thick. The thickness of the ice is monitored at the boat launch and fishing dock. Ice skating is permitted in the monitored areas.

Hunting

Hunting Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...

is permitted on about of Mount Pisgah State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. The common game species are

ruffed grouse The ruffed grouse (''Bonasa umbellus'') is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. It is non-migratory. It is the only specie ...

, squirrels,

turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

and rabbits. The hunting of

groundhog The groundhog (''Marmota monax''), also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. The groundhog is a lowland creature of North America; it is found through mu ...

s is prohibited. Hunting is permitted on the adjacent State Game Land 289.

Swimming

The swimming pool is open on weekends beginning

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

weekend through mid-June when the schools in Pennsylvania are closed for the summer. Following the dismissal of school, the pool is open daily until mid-August when school begins. From mid-August until Labor Day weekend, the pool is open only on the weekends. The pool closes for the season at the conclusion of Labor Day weekend. The hours of operation are 11:00 am until 7:00 pm. Lifeguards are on duty when the pool is open.

Picnics

The picnic area overlooks the lake near the swimming pool. It is partially wooded and visitors may choose between sunny or shaded picnic areas. There is a

sand volleyball Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two or more players on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side of the ...

court and horseshoe pit near the picnic area.

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within of Mt. Pisgah State Park: ''Note: shows Mt. Pisgah State Park'' *

Hills Creek State Park Hills Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Charleston Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Hills Creek Lake, a man-made lake, is the focal point of the park. It is open for year-round recreation. Hills Creek ...

( Tioga County) * Newton Battlefield State Park ( Chemung County, New York) *

Worlds End State Park Worlds End State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. The park, nearly surrounded by Loyalsock State Forest, is in the Loyalsock Creek valley on Pennsylvania Route 154 in Forks and Shrewsbury Townships southeast ...

( Sullivan County)

References

External links

Mount Pigsah State Park
at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources {{authority control State parks of Pennsylvania Protected areas established in 1979 Parks in Bradford County, Pennsylvania Nature centers in Pennsylvania Protected areas of Bradford County, Pennsylvania