Several notable annual events take place at the park — Punkin’ Chunkin’, a part of the Ironman 70.3 race and more.

Additionally, the park features a wide array of events, amenities, trails, campsites and a beach.

Fun fact: it’s also the home of the biggest swamp white oak in Pennsylvania.

Here’s everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Bald Eagle State Park — and maybe more:

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS A colorful yellow bird — likely a goldfinch or oriole — is pictured sitting in a tree at Sycamore Loop in spring 2026, at right.

HISTORY

Bald Eagle State Park opened its gates on July 4, 1971, following the construction of the 100-foot-tall Foster Joseph Sayers Dam, which was completed in 1969. The first areas in the park which were opened were two boat launches near Hunter’s Run and a fishing pier “just west of the causeway at Howard,” according to a July 2, 1971 Express article.

The article continued, noting that Lt. Col. Gerald M. Boyd, acting district engineer, had requested the public to stay near the completed facilities, since construction of the rest of the park had not finished yet.

The first superintendent at the park was listed as Anthony Miele. According to his obituary, Miele served in this role for 28 years, retiring in 1999.

But of course, like most things in this area, the history of the park predates the park itself.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS One of the many pavilions at Bald Eagle State Park is pictured. This one sits near the beach area, however, pavilions can be found in multiple locations throughout the park.

The park’s website records the name Bald Eagle (including park, valley, creek and mountain) as coming from an 18th century Lenape chief, whose name, Woapalanne, translated to bald eagle.

Much can be said about the history of Bald Eagle Creek, especially, which served as a crucial link in the 19th century industrialization of the region. This connects to the short-lived canal system and much longer-lived Curtain Iron Works, but for the park’s purposes, one of the most critical developments in this era was logging.

The old-growth forest was harvested, stripped and shipped, and the remaining land was largely converted to agriculture. Some of the land, which is now included in the park, was farmland during this era.

Today, Bald Eagle State Park is covered by largely second-growth forest, although sporadic old giants remain. One such, a very old swamp white oak near the Sycamore Loop camping area, is a well-known and often-photographed landmark at the park. A state champion — denoting the biggest of its species in Pennsylvania — it was measured in 2022 as having a trunk circumference of 18.5 feet. Official height and spread measurements are a little older, with a 2008 measurement showing a height of 88 feet and a spread of 118 feet.

ACTIVITIES

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS The champion swamp white oak near the amphitheater at Bald Eagle State Park is seen a few years ago.

Camping

The Russell P. Letterman Campground contains the majority of the camping amenities at Bald Eagle State Park, with 94 campsites, as well as cabins and a pair of yurts which are available for stays. Perhaps more notably, the campground also features full restrooms, with warm water, showers and toilets.

The campsites range from rustic capabilities to various amperages of electric hookup, all the way to full-service, including not just electric but also water and sewer.

In addition, Bald Eagle State Park features a separate rustic camping area, with another 68 campsites, mixed between walk-to tent sites and sites for camping vehicles.

If these more classic camping accommodations aren’t to your liking, however, Bald Eagle State Park features one more unique lodging: the Nature Inn, a 16-room, full-service eco-lodge that is, as of this writing, the only facility of its type across Pennsylvania’s state park system.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS A section of the beach is pictured in spring 2026.

Within the park itself, it is also unique for being the only facility which allows alcohol consumption. It also is used from time to time as a host for weddings, social retreats and conferences.

Hiking

Bald Eagle State Park features 14.5 miles of trails, most of which are rated as easy or moderate. Some of the grades — especially towards the interior of the park — can get a little steep, with some rocks and roots around. However, most of the trails are much more on the gentle side, with the 1.5-mile Butterfly Trail, 2-mile Skyline Drive Trail, 0.5-mile Swamp Oak Trail and 1.75-mile Woapalanne Path all rated as “easiest.” The “more difficult” trails include the 2.3-mile Hunter Run East Trail, 2.2-mile Hunter Run West Trail and 5.6-mile Lakeside Trail — the park’s trio of loop trails, where hikers begin and end at the same spot.

Some of these trails, in addition to serving hikers, are also rated for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Some trails — not all — also feature a variety of amenities, such as picnic tables, drinking water and various types of restrooms.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS Clouds reflect on the still water near one of the waterside walkways at Bald Eagle State Park.

Fishing and hunting

The park, like many in the area, offers a wide array of hunting and fishing options.

For fishing, the Foster Joseph Sayers Lake itself, which comprises 1,730 acres, plus miles of shoreline, is well-stocked with crappie, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge, channel catfish and both large- and small-mouth bass. Additionally, nearly a third of the lake’s acreage is usable for ice fishing during the winter months.

For hunting, the park allows — during established seasons — hunting, trapping and dog training opportunities. The park’s website lists common game species as including deer, turkey, waterfowl and rabbits. Contact the park for more information.

Also, keep in mind that the park is well-traveled with hikers and campers. Far more people will be around during hunting seasons than just hunters. That said, hunting is also available at several nearby state game lands, so coming to the park to camp and then hunting elsewhere is also an option.

Boating and Swimming

Of course, with a body of water the size of the lake, boating is also a popular pastime. Unlimited horsepower motors are permitted on the lake, but other types of boats are also popular, including sailboats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. There are six boat launches which can be used to access the lake, as well as a marina which features a concession stand. When open — between Memorial and Labor Day, as well as some fall weekends — the boating concession offers rentals of boats and sells fuel.

All boaters are expected to follow a counter-clockwise traffic pattern on the lake.

The lake also features a 1,200-foot beach, which is also open between Memorial and Labor Day. The beach features a playground, changing rooms and restrooms.

Check with the park for posted swimming rules.

Picnicking

There are many picnic tables, grills and pavilions scattered throughout the park, with the majority of the pavilions focused near the beach area. Other pavilions can be found at the Schencks Grove Picnic Area, near Marina Cove, as well as the Winter Launch, Point Picnic, Skyline Drive Picnic Area and Bald Eagle Boat Launch. Pavilions can be reserved months in advance for a fee, with unreserved pavilions available to visitors, first-come, first-serve.

Conservation and Education

Bald Eagle State Park features a huge range of species, as the park contains multiple ecosystems, including woodlands, wetlands, streams, fields and more. Additionally, some of the field ecosystems are currently in the process of natural succession — by which one biome gradually converts to another over time. This transition can widen the range of species that you can observe in one place.

The park is a paradise for birders, with migrating birds, songbirds, and lakebirds all present at various times of the year. If you would like more information on birding at Bald Eagle State Park, the park created a brochure which lists common birds in the park and their most likely habitats to try to find them.

Of course, birds are far from the only family of wildlife that you can observe at the park. The number of biomes within the park also affords for a lot of various species of insect, with butterflies and dragonflies both serving as popular subjects. Aquatic insects such as water striders are also always fun to watch.

From spring to fall, the park offers a full calendar of educational events run by a naturalist to enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the outdoors. Most are free, with the park’s website listing what’s going on there up to about a month out. These events also run in The Express’s In the Parks section, which appears in every Saturday edition on the outdoors page.

Accessibility

The park features an array of ADA-compliant options throughout many of the previously listed categories. One of the yurts, a deluxe cottage, two cottages, the Nature Inn and four campsites are all explicitly marked for ADA accessibility. This is also true of five of the nine picnic pavilions, one of the boating launches, one of the fishing piers, the beach, the scenic view and the amphitheater — which is used for many of the educational programs.

In addition, the scenic view features a colorblind viewfinder, equipped with a special lens to enhance the viewing experience for red-green colorblind individuals.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS A colorblind viewfinder, located at Bald Eagle State Park's scenic view, is equipped with a special lens to enhance viewing for those with red-green colorblindness.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS A playground is pictured near the beach at Bald Eagle State Park.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS The boating concession stand is pictured, along with some of the boats available for rent during the warmer months.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS The amphitheater near Sycamore Loop is pictured. In the background at right, you can see the crown of the champion swamp oak.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS One of the cottages at Bald Eagle State Park is seen.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS If you prefer traditional tent camping, that is absolutely something that you can do at Bald Eagle State Park, too.

ARIANNA McKEE/THE EXPRESS A roadside sign beckons fishermen down a path to the water's edge at a small inlet at Bald Eagle State Park.