Best Fishing and Boating in PA State Parks Raccoon Creek by Dennis Tubbs State Park photo-Dennis Tubbs Located in southern Beaver County, In 1945, the site offi cially became Rac- Raccoon Park Road is the main road Raccoon Creek State Park is a west- coon Creek State Park. through the park from U.S. Route 30. ern Pennsylvania jewel. Conveniently Raccoon Lake, a main attraction of Shortly after entering the park, Lake found only a short drive from down- the park, provides many opportuni- Side Lodge Road is located on your town Pittsburgh on PA Route 18 just ties for boating and fi shing. Regu- right and leads to the boat ramp near north of U.S. Route 22, the park en- lations permit only electric-motored the dam breast, where there is a mod- compasses 7,572 magnifi cent acres. powerboats and non-powered boats, erate amount of parking. The second Raccoon Lake encompasses 101 acres. but the lake is easily accessible with boat access is located just off Raccoon In the 1930s, the National Park two boat launches and 42 mooring Park Road in a small, protected cove Service created the Raccoon Creek spaces. Motorized boats must display to the right of the road. This access National Recreation Demonstration a current boat registration. Non-pow- has limited roadside parking but is Area. Workers from the Civilian Con- ered boats must display one of the fol- adjacent to the boat mooring area. servation Corps (CCC) and the Works lowing: PA boat registration, Fish & Both ramps have adequate space Progress Administration (WPA) built Boat Commission launch permit, or a for launching trailerable boats. Al- the park’s recreation facilities and be- mooring permit from the Bureau of though both of these launch points gan conservation work on park lands. State Parks. are suitable for canoes and kayaks, (article continued on page 34) www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • July-August 2007 31 Park Office Beach Hiking Trail 1300 To East Liverpool, To Rochester, To US 30, 15 Mi. 20 Mi. Contact Station Lifeguard Station Cross-country Skiing 6 Mi. 1250 RACCOON CREEK STATE PARK Little Blue Symbols Boat Rental Mountain Bike Trail 1250 Pleasant 1200 Mean Accessible 1150 Boat Launch & Mooring Snowmobile Trail 1250 N 1200 Public Phone P 168 SR 3030 1100 u 11 1150 m 30 Ice Skating Equestrian Trail 18 00 1200 1200 105 p 1150 Restrooms k 1150 0 i Hills n Modern Cabins Parking Hollow Road 1200 Food Concession Road 1150 Camping Unpaved Road 1100 Picnic Area 1050 Organized Group Tenting State Park No Hunting Picnic Pavilion 1100 1250 1150 1050 Backpacking Shelter, State Park Hunting 1200 Service HARSHAVILLE Amphitheater reservation required 1200 Hunting Early Goose 1250 1250 Interpretive Center Showerhouse/Restrooms 1200 Season Only 1150 Creek Playfield Sanitary Dump Station 1150 CONTOURS ARE ON Appaloosa 1100 1100 1150 1100 50 FT. INTERVALS Spur Trail 1150 1150 1100 Raccoon Loop Backpacking Trail – Green Blaze 1200 1200 Traverse Multi-use Trail – Yellow Blaze Kings 1250 Hanover 1200 Trail 1050 sa Creek Road Fork KENDALL o 1150 lo 11 a Kendall 1100 Centu p 00 h Ap Sipp SR 3032 ry 1150 Farm Road Little 1200 Pioneer Martin 1100 Road 1150 1050 Wison Nort Run 120 1250 McKenzie 1100 Road 1000 1200 Run 1250 0 1050 Drive Lincoln All 105 950 STATE 1000 ison 0 115 Road 1050 110 0 1100 GAME 0 100 1150 1050 Hardens Forest Pa Highway l 0 om LAND 1000 1150 Road 1000 in Trave 950 1150 Heritage 1050 o Road 189 1200 1100 rse Pinto 1150 Trail 1200 1250 B 1200 u c Trail 1100 Nichol k s To PA 151 k 105 Run i Road n 0 Loop Wetland #2 1150 Trail 1000 Trai 1200 Trail www.fish.state.pa.us 950 s Park 1150 l Cree 900 Road k Heron Tr 1150 850 Trail Sioux Forest 1100 1250 1100 1050 1000 1000 1150 #3 Camp Gate 900 1200 1150 1150 950 Trail . Backbone 1000 1150 1000 1200 1150 950 Dam 1000 Forest 1150 1150 1100 Tra 1 Road Dam 11 il 900 Shafer #1 00 2 950 Trail 1150 1100 1050 1050 Lakeside 3 Rock Lawrence 1200 Traverse 3 1150 Recreation 1000 Lodge Spillway Creek Hall 4 Creek Linsly 5 Outdoor 1000 Creek Trail Wildflower 00 950 12 1250 1100 Lake Traverse Road Center Trail 900 Reserve Upland 950 1100 1050 6 1100 1000 1050 1150 Tr. 1. Old Field Trail Heritage Trail Raccoon 900 Lake Valley 950 1100 2. Max Henrici Trail 1050 1000 Beach Tr. 4 3. Audubon Trail 1250 1200 Gate 1150 4. Jennings Trail Johnan Road Mineral Springs 1150 5. Meadow Trail Ridge d Trail Kings Creek Roa Loop Trail 6. Old Wagon Road Cemetery gs Frankfort Gate n Sprin age oo 1150 Mineral 1100 1200 Heritage Racc 1200 Spring, Herit 1150 68 Water Falls Trail 1100 1150 51 Ohio 989 1150 Roadside 1000 Aliquippa To Imperial, 7 Mi. River18 West 30 Franklin 00 Pittsburgh, 25 Mi. 30 Hookstown Park 11 60 Road 900 BEAVER 168 1050 1000 950 79 Road 1100 151 1100 Keifer 65 Roadside 168 East RACCOON Springs 1150 CREEK Clinton 1200 Hozak ALLEGHENY 1150 1/2 0 1 2 KILOMETERS Frankfort 30 60 18 Springs Hillman 1100 Florence Imperial AndersonSR 3042 1150 WEST VIRGINIA 22 School 978 Cain 22 50 11 1/2 1/4 0 1/2 1 MILE 11 1050 Burgettstown 50 1200 1100 1050 Bridgeville 00 N Atlasburg 11 Road 1000 980 FRANKFORT Map courtesy of the Pennsylvania 950 18 79 1000 50 SPRINGS SCALE: 1" = APPROX. 0.5 MILE 900 WASHINGTON Wingfield Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 1150 Road To US 22 Run 32 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • July-August 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • July-August 2007 33 fi shermen with and restrooms with hot showers. a handicapped- There are also sites available for rent accessible fi sh- with modern cabins that include a ing pier near furnished living area, kitchen/dining the beach area. room, and toilet/shower room. The There are many park’s pristine beauty and simple sport fi sh at comfort of the modern cabins make Raccoon Lake. an excellent combination for pleas- The Fish & Boat ant getaways or inexpensive vaca- Commission tions for those families who want to stocks coldwa- experience Pennsylvania’s wonderful ter fi sh such as fi shing, wildlife and nature. The park brook and rain- includes 45 miles of hiking trails, 17 bow trout in the miles of biking trails and 16 miles of photos-Art Michaels photos-Art main lake and in horseback riding trails. many people launch their non-pow- feeder streams. The lake is stocked Adjacent to the boat rental and ered boats at the beach area where a with trout fi ve times annually, but beach swimming area is a food con- small, grassy section separates a large Raccoon Lake is most noted for excel- cession that is open from 11 a.m. to parking lot from the water’s edge. lent year-round catches of crappies. 6 p.m. seven days a week from Me- Some of Raccoon Lake’s best fi sh- Among the morial Day weekend ing is found at the mouth of the cove many Raccoon until Labor Day. For just after launching from the access Lake amenities a current menu and point on Raccoon Park Road. The is a boat rental operating times, call shoreline to the right after leaving the located near 724-899-4177. In- cove is the location of a series of habi- the entrance clement weather may tat structures that were place several to the beach. affect business hours. years ago. These structures continue Parking is to Raccoon Creek to hold fi sh. Habitat structures were the right of State Park is a legacy, also placed directly across the lake the entrance created by a society from the mouth of the cove. There to the beach experiencing a great you’ll also fi nd an ample population in the area of depression and pre- of fi sh that makes for excellent an- the main park. served by decades of gling. This location is a short distance The facility dedicated people. It from the Lake Side Lodge Road access offers various is a gift of opportu- point. It’s also the spot where a 7- to types of boats nity from people of 8-pound largemouth bass was caught for rent in- the past to any who and released in 2006. cluding row- wish to experience the Shoreline fi shing is found just off boats, canoes, nature and beauty of Raccoon Park Road between the boat kayaks and paddleboats. They also Pennsylvania in the present. ramp and the beach area. An easy provide fi shing tackle, bait, camping walking path follows the shoreline in supplies, refreshments and fi rewood Dennis Tubbs is the Fish & Boat Com- this area. for sale. Discounts are available for mission’s Southwest Region aquatic re- The largemouth bass caught last groups, organizations, Scouts, camp- sources program specialist. season was an unusual catch for ers, seniors, students and frequent Raccoon Lake, but that might be at- renters. The boat rental opens on the More Information tributed to a relocation of fi sh from fi rst day of trout season and operates Visit these web sites to fi nd di- Dutch Fork Lake, Green County. until mid-October. rections to the park and to learn When Dutch Fork Lake was drained For more information about boat more about Raccoon Lake: because of diffi culties with the dam, rentals, call 724-899-4130.