CANOE CREEK STATE PARK
Canoe Creek State Park, 12 miles east of Altoona, is a modern day use facility developed during the Project 70 expansion era of state parks and was dedicated in 1979. The vast openness of this 958-acre park is exemplified with a panoramic view when cresting the hill on Canoe Creek Road. A 155-acre lake provides excellent year-round fishing, a popular swimming area and enjoyment for small pleasure boaters. Fields and woodlots are managed to provide diversified habitat for small game species and a variety of wildlife.
Canoe Creek?s proximity to nearby communities allows local residents to take a short pleasure drive and enjoy an evening of fishing, picnicking or walking.
Geologic formations in and around the park are rich in limestone. This limestone was extracted and used for many purposes, including supplying a raw material for the once thriving iron and steel industry of Pennsylvania. The park has several old quarry operations. Two calcining plants (limekilns), the Hartman kilns site and the Blair Limestone Company kilns site, operated in the park during the early 1900s. The Blair Limestone Company Kiln remnants are the focus of historical and interpretive programs and displays. This company was a subsidiary of Jones and Laughlin Steel Company of Pittsburgh, PA. The preservation and interpretation of this industrial limekiln site is part of the Path of Progress heritage tour route in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Eight modern cabins overlook the lake. They are within walking distance of the swimming area and are available for year-round rental. The rental period in the summer is one week. During the remainder of the year, they may be rented for a minimum of two days.
The sand beach is open from late-May to mid-September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, unless otherwise posted. Please read and follow posted rules for swimming when lifeguards are off-duty.
The sand beach is 350 feet long and has a grass sunning area and sand play areas. The bathhouse has showers and dressing booths.
A snackbar by the swimming beach carries a variety of fast food and drink items.
Boating: electric motors only
The 155-acre Canoe Lake has boat launching areas are on both sides of the lake. Boat mooring spaces are available along the eastern shoreline. On the west side of the park, the boat rental has rowboats, paddleboats, kayaks and canoes.
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.
The Sunday service at the ampetheater is a great idea,however we wished it could start at nine am more people would attend,even those leaving could make it.We cant sing that early!Lol
I LOVE CANOE CREEK!! my family has gone there since i was very young every summer and we stay in the cabins for a week and it is just BEAUTIFUL!
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