BELTZVILLE STATE PARK
In Carbon County, the 2,972-acre Beltzville State Park is developed around the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project, Beltzville Dam. Beltzville Lake is 949 acres with a shoreline of 19.8 miles. The park is along the Pohopoco Creek with recreation areas around the lake.
Recreational facilities are a result of a cooperative effort of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources-Bureau of State Parks and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
A 525-foot 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. A bathhouse with showers and a first aid building are near the beach. First aid is available at the park office during the off-season. Recreational scuba diving is prohibited. A food and refreshment concession at the swimming beach is open daily, weather permitting, during the summer season, Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The 949-acre Beltzville Lake has a maximum boating speed of 45 miles per hour. Most types of recreational boats are permitted on the lake. Please check with the park office if there is a question as to the type of watercraft permitted. It is unlawful to operate a boat equipped with inboard engines with out-of-the-transom or straight stack type exhausts, wet or dry. Sleeping overnight on watercraft is prohibited. Day use mooring is not permitted in the boat rental cove area. The areas east of Preacher?s Camp launch and Pine Run Cove are excellent for canoeing and other non-powered watercraft.
The areas east of Preachers Camp launch and Pine Run Cove are restricted to ?no wake? speed.
Boat Rental:
A boat rental concession, west of the swimming beach, is open daily during the summer season and weekends in May and September. It rents paddleboats, canoes, rowboats, pontoons, and small and large motorboats.
Launching and Mooring:
A three-lane boat launching ramp, accessible courtesy dock, wide gravel beaching area, and parking for cars and trailers are at Pine Run East Launch along the northern shore of the lake. A two-lane launch ramp and parking for cars and boat trailers are at Preacher?s Camp launching area on the southern shore. Seasonal mooring of canoes is available at Preacher?s Camp. An accessible courtesy dock and lifter is in the day use area near the beach.
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.
Beltzville State Park is located near Allentown, Bath and Bethlehem
Wooded and open picnic areas are in the Pine Run West Day Use Area, which has modern restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, parking areas and day use mooring for boats. Playfields are around the wooded picnic area with an accessible children?s playground between Picnic Pavilion Four and the beach. Beltzville has four picnic pavilions that may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS to reserve a picnic pavilion. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Picnic pavilions One and Four are accessible.
When you travel Beltzville's 15 miles of trails, you will see wooded pathways, old roads and many creek valleys. Saw Mill Trail, which is just west of the dam breast, offers a diverse historical hike. The trail has remains of a gristmill raceway, a dam and gateways, small ponds, a slate quarry from the 1700s, a wetland and a stream.
The trails vary in length. A short description of each trail can be found in the ?Beltzville Trail Guide.? A copy of the guide is available from the park office.
The park environmental interpretive center and amphitheater serve as the focal point for interpretive programs conducted by the park environmental education specialist from March through November. School groups, scouts, civic organizations and the general public can learn about the natural and historical resources of the area. The Watershed Education program is available to high school and middle school students. The program examines the water resources within the watershed surrounding Beltzville Dam. The environmental interpretive center is accessible.
For information on other attractions and accommodations, please contact the Carbon County Tourist Promotion Agency, 570-325-3673, and/or the Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, 800-POCONOS.
The Overlook Rotunda, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is just off of Pohopoco Drive and provides a complete view of the dam and the lake. Local fossil specimens, models of the outlet works tower and other exhibits, including a geological history of the area are on display at the rotunda.
Adjacent to the park is the Pennsylvania Game Commission?s Beltzville Wildlife Management Project. Public hunting is permitted during all established seasons. For information contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Northeast Division, 877-877-9357.
B C Bait Inc
861 Indian Hill Rd
Lehighton, PA
(610) 377-5131
Palmerton Rod & Gun Club Inc
RR 1
Palmerton, PA
(610) 377-3404
Bowmanstown Rod & Gun Club
525 Club Rd
Palmerton, PA
(610) 852-4051
Slatington Skeet & Sporting Assoc
8112 Skeet Club Rd
Slatington, PA
(610) 767-0800
Kriss Pines Trout Fishing Lake
469 Forest St
Lehighton, PA
(610) 377-3010
Beaver Run Rod & Gun Club
RR 2
Lehighton, PA
(570) 386-4471
Sunny Rest Lodge
425 Sunny Rest Dr
Palmerton, PA
(610) 377-2911
Beechwood
RR 1
Lehighton, PA
(570) 386-4449
Beltzville is five miles east of Lehighton, just off of US 209. From the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, take Exit 74 and follow the signs to the park.
great place to be baptized and have a church outing cant wait it will take place july 15th
My son is very interested in finding fossils, of any type, I hear this its a great place to find them. There is a comment above supporting this, has anyone else had success?
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