Description
Gifford Pinchot State Park, a 2,338-acre full service park, is in northern York County along PA 177 between the towns of Rossville and Lewisberry. The park consists of reverting farm fields and wooded hillsides with the 340-acre Pinchot Lake serving as a prime attraction.
Geography:
The park and it's lake are located within the woodlands and farmlands of York County, Pennsylvania, near the crossroads of Interstate 81, Interstate 83, Route 76 (PA Turnpike), and Route 15, which provide access to a variety of Mid-Atlantic cities and destinations within a days' drive. Nearby metropolitan areas are York and Harrisburg.
Recreation:
The park offers boating, fishing, disc golfing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming. Winter activities, including ice fishing, ice boating, cross-country skiing, and ice skating are also popular.
Facilities:
Campground: The campground features restroom bathhouses with wash sinks within walking distance. Communal water hydrants are available throughout the campground. A dump station is accessible for an additional fee. A designating swimming area for overnight guests is available when the beach is open for swimming. A playground, a volleyball court, and horseshoe pits are available. The campground also features a designate boat launch for overnight guests. Firewood and Ice is available for purchase.
Organized Group: Group Tenting Areas are able to be reserved by formal organizations, religious assemblies, youth groups, and other organized entities. The Group Tenting Areas feature a restroom bathhouse with a wash sink within walking distance. Picnic tables and fire rings to accommodate the area's capacity are present. A designating swimming area for overnight guests is available when the beach is open for swimming. A playground, volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits are available. Firewood is available for purchase.
Yurts: Yurts are round Mongolian-style tents that sit on a deck. The Yurts sit lakeside with water-front access. A yurt sleeps five people. Heat, electricity, and a cooking stove top are available, but no fans. A picnic table and a fire ring with a grill are available outside the yurt. A communal water hydrant is available in the yurt colony. Restroom bathhouses with wash sinks are within walking distance. A designating swimming area for overnight guests is available when the beach is open for swimming. A playground, volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits are available. Firewood and Ice is available for purchase.
Cottages: Lakeside with water-front access. A cottage sleeps five people. Heat and electricity are available, but no fans or cooking apparatus. A picnic table and a fire ring with a grill are available outside the cottage. A communal water hydrant is available in the cottage colony. Restroom bathhouses with wash sinks are within walking distance. A designating swimming area for overnight guests is available when the beach is open for swimming. A playground, volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits are available. Firewood and Ice is available for purchase.
Cabins: Sleep 6 or 8 people. Cabins are comprised of bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen. The kitchen features, cabinets, countertop, stovetop and oven, microwave, refrigerator and freezer, and a dining room table that accommodates the capacity of the cabin. Also featured outside the cabin are a covered porch, a picnic table, and a fireplace with a grill.
Pavilions: Feature picnic tables that seat 80 people. Lighting and electric are provided when reserved. Restrooms are within walking distance. Large charcoal grills are featured at each pavilion. Horseshoe pits are adjacent to each of the pavilions. Disc Golf Courses: The Boulder Woods 18-hole course is perfect for those who want to develop their Disc Golf skills, while the Quaker's Challenge course offers 18 holes of championship-length competition. Both courses are open to the public and are free to play. Score cards and course maps are available on-site.
Nearby Attractions:
Local attractions include orchards, farmers' markets, and wineries. Just minutes up the road, Roundtop Mountain Resort offers year-round opportunities for family fun www.skiroundtop.com. York County offers an abundance of factory tours, including Utz Potato Chips, Harley Davidson, and Snyder's Pretzels. The nearby PA State Capital, Harrisburg, hosts a variety of museums, restaurants, and events. Hershey Park and other Hershey attractions are approximately 30 miles northeast. Historic Gettysburg is approximately 32 miles southwest.
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