Ryerson Station State Park
Encyclopedia
Ryerson Station State Park is a 1164 acres (471.1 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Richhill Township, Greene County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. It was previously home to Ronald J. Duke Lake, a 52 acres (21 ha) artificial lake on the North Fork of the Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek
, that was constructed in 1960, but drained in 2005 due to structural concerns about the dam. Ryerson Station State Park is 3 miles (5 km) from Wind Ridge just off Pennsylvania Route 21
very close to the West Virginia
state line.
who were resisting the settlement of the Ohio River Valley by the United States. Ownership of the land in this part of Pennsylvania was disputed among several parties including Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Native Americans.
The state acquired the land in 1958. Duke Lake was completed with the construction of a dam in 1960 and finally the park was opened in 1967.
overlooking the park. There are 48 sites for tent
s and travel trailer
s. There are no flush toilets or showers at the camp site. Group tenting is permitted in the large group tenting area. Two wooden cottages are available for rent. The cottages have electric lights and outlets as well as double and single bunks that sleep up to five, wooden floors, windows, skylights, a porch, fire ring, and picnic table
.
Over 275 picnic tables are available for use on the ground of Ryerson Station State Park. The park also has five pavilions
. There is a small playground in the main picnic area.
Hunting is permitted in 1000 acres (404.7 ha) of Ryerson Station State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
. The common game species are Ruffed Grouse
, Eastern Gray Squirrel
s, Wild Turkey
and White-tailed deer
. The hunting of Groundhog
s is prohibited.
Duke Lake had been stocked
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
with trout
in the spring and again in the fall. Non-powered and electric powered boats with current registration from any state and having a launching or mooring permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission had been permitted onto the waters of the lake. Gasoline powered boats were prohibited.
In July 2005, Duke Lake was drawn down due to concerns about the structural integrity of the dam across the North Fork of the Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek. As of March 2010, the lake bed remains dry.
Structural cracks in the Duke Lake Dam are reported to be the result of longwall mining
.
The swimming pool is open from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm beginning Memorial Day
weekend and ending Labor Day
weekend. The park has 11 miles (17.7 km) of hiking trails. The trails pass through several different habitats, mature forests, evergreen plantations, wet valley bottoms and fields.
The snow covered slopes of the park are opened to sledding and toboggan
ing when the weather permits. Duke Lake is open for ice fishing
and ice skating
. Fish and skate at your own risk as the thickness of the ice is not monitored by the park staff. Cross-country skiing
and snowmobiling
are permitted on some of the hiking trails.
The nearest Pennsylvania state park (at 38 miles (61 km) is:
Greene County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, 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. It was previously home to Ronald J. Duke Lake, a 52 acres (21 ha) artificial lake on the North Fork of the Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek
Wheeling Creek (West Virginia)
Wheeling Creek is a tributary of the Ohio River, 25 miles long, in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in the United States, with a watershed extending into southwestern Pennsylvania. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of...
, that was constructed in 1960, but drained in 2005 due to structural concerns about the dam. Ryerson Station State Park is 3 miles (5 km) from Wind Ridge just off Pennsylvania Route 21
Pennsylvania Route 21
Pennsylvania Route 21 is a long east–west state highway in the US state of Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at the West Virginia state line in Richhill Township, where PA 21 continues into West Virginia as West Virginia Route 891. The eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 40...
very close to the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
state line.
History
The park is named for Fort Ryerson. This fort was constructed by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1792 as a refuge from the raids of the local Native AmericansNative 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...
who were resisting the settlement of the Ohio River Valley by the United States. Ownership of the land in this part of Pennsylvania was disputed among several parties including Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Native Americans.
The state acquired the land in 1958. Duke Lake was completed with the construction of a dam in 1960 and finally the park was opened in 1967.
Recreation
There is a camping facility on a ridgeRidge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
overlooking the park. There are 48 sites for tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
s and travel trailer
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
s. There are no flush toilets or showers at the camp site. Group tenting is permitted in the large group tenting area. Two wooden cottages are available for rent. The cottages have electric lights and outlets as well as double and single bunks that sleep up to five, wooden floors, windows, skylights, a porch, fire ring, and picnic table
Picnic table
A picnic table is a modified table with attached benches, designed for eating a meal outdoors .-Uses:...
.
Over 275 picnic tables are available for use on the ground of Ryerson Station State Park. The park also has five pavilions
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
. There is a small playground in the main picnic area.
Hunting is permitted in 1000 acres (404.7 ha) of Ryerson Station State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania 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"...
, Eastern Gray Squirrel
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...
s, Wild 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...
and 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...
. The hunting of Groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s is prohibited.
Duke Lake had been 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...
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...
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...
in the spring and again in the fall. Non-powered and electric powered boats with current registration from any state and having a launching or mooring permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission had been permitted onto the waters of the lake. Gasoline powered boats were prohibited.
In July 2005, Duke Lake was drawn down due to concerns about the structural integrity of the dam across the North Fork of the Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek. As of March 2010, the lake bed remains dry.
Structural cracks in the Duke Lake Dam are reported to be the result of longwall mining
Longwall mining
Longwall mining is a form of underground coal mining where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice . The longwall panel is typically 3–4 km long and 250–400 m wide....
.
The swimming pool is open from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm beginning Memorial Day
Memorial 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 ending 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. The park has 11 miles (17.7 km) of hiking trails. The trails pass through several different habitats, mature forests, evergreen plantations, wet valley bottoms and fields.
The snow covered slopes of the park are opened to sledding and toboggan
Toboggan
A toboggan is a simple sled which is a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people down a hill or other slope for recreation. Designs vary from simple, traditional models to modern engineered composites...
ing when the weather permits. Duke Lake is open for ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
and ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
. Fish and skate at your own risk as the thickness of the ice is not monitored by the park staff. 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...
and snowmobiling
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
are permitted on some of the hiking trails.
Nearby state parks
The following state park is within 32 miles (51.5 km) of Ryerson Station State Park:- Prickett's Fort State ParkPrickett's Fort State ParkPrickett's Fort State Park is a West Virginia state park north of Fairmont, near the confluence of Prickett's Creek and the Monongahela River, and two miles from Interstate 79...
(West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
)
The nearest Pennsylvania state park (at 38 miles (61 km) is:
- Hillman State ParkHillman State ParkHillman State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Hanover Township, Washington County in the United States. It is about west of Pittsburgh. The park opened in the late 1960s and has been managed for hunting by the Pennsylvania Game Commission since the early 1980s. The park also has hiking,...
(Washington CountyWashington County, Pennsylvania-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
)