Reeds Gap State Park
Encyclopedia
Reeds Gap State Park is a 220 acres (89 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Armagh Township, Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. The park is largely a wilderness area with large white pine
and hemlock
trees. Honey Creek
flows through the park, providing a habitat for trout
. Reeds Gap State Park is 7 miles (11.3 km) from U.S. Route 322
near Milroy
in New Lancaster Valley and Bald Eagle State Forest
.
, a geologic formation caused by Honey Creek
in a ridge, Hightop. This water gap was a natural gathering location for wild animals and it became a hunting ground for Native Americans
and later the European settler
s. These settlers named the area New Lancaster Valley. The gap became a gathering area for the homesteaders in the Mifflin County area. They gathered at the gap for bush meetings to listen to traveling evangelists
and enjoy community fellowship. These meetings lasted until the 1920s.
Edward and Nancy Reed built a sawmill
along Honey Creek in the mid-19th century. At this time the area was part of the lumber boom that swept through the wooded mountains of Pennsylvania from the mid-to-late 19th century and early 20th century. The Reeds operated the sawmill on Honey Creek for many years, until it was torn down and moved to Virginia
by their son John. The trees were soon gone and the land was purchased by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 15, 1905. Parts of the land purchased by the state became Reeds Gap State Park and Poe Valley State Park
.
. The common game species are Ruffed Grouse
, squirrels
, turkey
, white-tailed deer
, and black bears
. Honey Creek is stocked
with trout
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
. There is a population of native trout in Honey Creek and its tributaries.
weekend and closed Labor Day
weekend. A much shallower "kiddie" pool was adjacent to the main pool. It was announced in March 2009 that both the adult pool and kid pool will not be reopening for the 2009 season, "amid mounting safety concerns and a long list of structural problems." The pool will be demolished, and not rebuilt. There are four wooded picnic areas at Reeds Gap State Park with 3 pavilions.
trails at Reeds Gap State Park. Reeds Gap Spur Trail is the longest at 18 miles (29 km). It begins at the park office and crosses over Reeds Gap to Poe Valley State Park. The other trails are all under 2 miles (3.2 km) and pass through the woods and follow the banks of Honey Creek. The trails are open to cross-country skiing
during the winter months. Campers are limited to using tents in the rustic camping area.
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States. The park is largely a wilderness area with large white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
and hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...
trees. Honey Creek
Honey Creek (Pennsylvania)
Honey Creek is a tributary of Kishacoquillas Creek in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Honey Creek drains the northeast end of the Kishacoquillas Valley. Treaster Run joins just downstream of the community of Locke Mills...
flows through the park, providing a habitat for trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. Reeds Gap State Park is 7 miles (11.3 km) from U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926...
near Milroy
Milroy, Pennsylvania
Milroy is a census-designated place in the Kishacoquillas Valley of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Milroy is located at ....
in New Lancaster Valley and Bald Eagle State Forest
Bald Eagle State Forest
Bald Eagle State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #7. The main office is located in Laurelton in Union County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The forest is found in Centre, Clinton, Mifflin, Snyder, and Union Counties...
.
History
Reeds Gap is a natural water gapWater gap
A water gap is an opening or notch which flowing water has carved through a mountain range. Water gaps often offer a practical route for road and rail transport to cross mountain ridges.- Geology :...
, a geologic formation caused by Honey Creek
Honey Creek (Pennsylvania)
Honey Creek is a tributary of Kishacoquillas Creek in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Honey Creek drains the northeast end of the Kishacoquillas Valley. Treaster Run joins just downstream of the community of Locke Mills...
in a ridge, Hightop. This water gap was a natural gathering location for wild animals and it became a hunting ground for Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and later the European settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s. These settlers named the area New Lancaster Valley. The gap became a gathering area for the homesteaders in the Mifflin County area. They gathered at the gap for bush meetings to listen to traveling evangelists
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and enjoy community fellowship. These meetings lasted until the 1920s.
Edward and Nancy Reed built a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
along Honey Creek in the mid-19th century. At this time the area was part of the lumber boom that swept through the wooded mountains of Pennsylvania from the mid-to-late 19th century and early 20th century. The Reeds operated the sawmill on Honey Creek for many years, until it was torn down and moved to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
by their son John. The trees were soon gone and the land was purchased by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 15, 1905. Parts of the land purchased by the state became Reeds Gap State Park and Poe Valley State Park
Poe Valley State Park
Poe Valley State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Penn Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. Poe Paddy State Park is to the west. The forests of the park surround the Poe Lake. Poe Valley State Park is in isolated Poe...
.
Hunting and fishing
Hunting is permitted on 96 acres (38.8 ha) of Reeds Gap State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game CommissionPennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
. The common game species are Ruffed Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
, squirrels
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, and black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
. Honey Creek is stocked
Fish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
with trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
. There is a population of native trout in Honey Creek and its tributaries.
Swimming and picnics
A swimming pool was built in 1965 to replace the dam in Honey Creek. It was shallow at both ends, reaching its greatest depth of five feet in the middle. Diving was prohibited. Lifeguards were stationed at the pool from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm. The main lifeguard post was located on the west side of the pool at its deepest point. The pool opened on Memorial DayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend and closed Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend. A much shallower "kiddie" pool was adjacent to the main pool. It was announced in March 2009 that both the adult pool and kid pool will not be reopening for the 2009 season, "amid mounting safety concerns and a long list of structural problems." The pool will be demolished, and not rebuilt. There are four wooded picnic areas at Reeds Gap State Park with 3 pavilions.
Hiking, cross-country skiing and camping
There are 5 hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails at Reeds Gap State Park. Reeds Gap Spur Trail is the longest at 18 miles (29 km). It begins at the park office and crosses over Reeds Gap to Poe Valley State Park. The other trails are all under 2 miles (3.2 km) and pass through the woods and follow the banks of Honey Creek. The trails are open to cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
during the winter months. Campers are limited to using tents in the rustic camping area.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Reeds Gap State Park:- Bald Eagle State ParkBald Eagle State ParkBald Eagle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Joseph Foster Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and other smaller streams and covering . Bald Eagle State Park...
(Centre CountyCentre County, PennsylvaniaCentre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
) - Greenwood Furnace State ParkGreenwood Furnace State ParkGreenwood Furnace State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is near the historic iron making center of Greenwood Furnace. The park includes the ghost town of Greenwood that grew up around the ironworks, old roads and...
(Huntingdon CountyHuntingdon County, PennsylvaniaHuntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
) - Little Buffalo State ParkLittle Buffalo State ParkLittle Buffalo State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Centre and Juniata Townships, Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is a historical destination as well as a recreational destination. Visitors to the park can cross a covered bridge and observe a restored and...
(Perry CountyPerry County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 43,602 people, 16,695 households, and 12,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 79 people per square mile . There were 18,941 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
) - McCalls Dam State ParkMcCalls Dam State ParkMcCalls Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Miles Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is in the eastern most tip of Centre County, south of Clinton County and north of Union County. McCalls Dam State Park is in a remote location on a dirt road between...
(Centre County) - Penn-Roosevelt State ParkPenn-Roosevelt State ParkPenn-Roosevelt State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Harris Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Rothrock State Forest. Penn-Roosevelt State Park is miles from U.S...
(Centre County) - Poe Paddy State ParkPoe Paddy State ParkPoe Paddy State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Haines Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. Poe Valley State Park is to the east. The park is at the confluence of Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek. Poe Paddy State Park is...
(Centre County) - Poe Valley State ParkPoe Valley State ParkPoe Valley State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Penn Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. Poe Paddy State Park is to the west. The forests of the park surround the Poe Lake. Poe Valley State Park is in isolated Poe...
(Centre County) - Ravensburg State ParkRavensburg State ParkRavensburg State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Crawford Township in Clinton County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is in a gorge carved by Rauchtown Run through the side of Nippenose Mountain. Ravensburg State Park is of wooded land that is almost entirely surrounded by Tiadaghton...
(Clinton CountyClinton County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
) - R. B. Winter State ParkR. B. Winter State ParkR. B. Winter State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Hartley Township, Union County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is in the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania and is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. R. B. Winter State Park is in a shallow basin that is surrounded by ridges...
(Union CountyUnion County, Pennsylvania-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,624 people, 13,178 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile . There were 14,684 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
) - Sand Bridge State ParkSand Bridge State ParkSand Bridge State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Lewis Township, Union County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is the smallest state park in Pennsylvania and consists of a picnic area just off Pennsylvania Route 192. It has three picnic pavilions that were built by the...
(Union County) - Whipple Dam State ParkWhipple Dam State ParkWhipple Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Whipple Lake is a man-made lake on that was originally built during the height of the lumber era that swept through Pennsylvania in the late 19th and early 20th...
(Huntingdon County)