Natural Areas

Boulder Field at Hickory Run State Park

How Did the Natural Areas Program Begin?

The idea to form state parks natural areas came from State Parks 2000, the Bureau‹s strategic plan. The policy creating the program says that these sensitive areas need to be protected for scientific study, environmental educational opportunities and for future generations.

The Natural Areas program for state parks complements the Bureau of Forestry's Natural and Wild Area program. In order to ensure that nature will take its due course in these designated areas, human activity is severely limited; no human habitation will be allowed, no research will be conducted in the areas without express written permission of the director, buildings and other on-site improvements will be restricted to a minimum safety standard and the only timber cutting and insect and disease control allowed will be for public safety or when activities or events threaten the natural values of the area.

With the designation of the first nine outstanding natural areas in 1993, the program was off to a fine start. Thirteen additional areas have since been added to the program. In an ongoing selection process, other areas will be reviewed, evaluated and set aside for the education and enjoyment of future generations.

Natural Area Definition

A Natural Area is an area within a state park of unique scenic, geologic or ecological value which will be maintained in a natural condition by allowing physical and biological processes to operate, usually without direct human intervention. These areas are set aside to provide locations for scientific observation of natural systems, to protect examples of typical and unique plant and animal communities and to protect outstanding examples of natural interest and beauty.

Glens Natural Area of Ricketts Glen State Park

National Natural Landmarks

Of the 22 state park natural areas, seven are National Natural Landmarks. A National Natural Landmark is a nationally significant natural area that has been designated by the Secretary of the Interior. To be nationally significant, an area has to be one of the best examples of a type of biological community or geological feature in a physiographic province.

The goals of the National Natural Landmark program:

• To encourage the preservation of sites illustrating the geological and ecological character of the United States.
• To enhance the scientific and educational value of sites thus reserved.
• To strengthen public appreciation of natural history.
• Foster a greater concern for the conservation of the nation's natural heritage.

The national designation, although highlighting the significance of the site, does not provide specific guidelines for management. By designating areas under its own program, the Bureau of State Parks has guaranteed protection of these sites with a set of management guidelines and restrictions.

For more information, visit the National Natural Landmark Web site.

What Parks have Pennsylvania State Park Natural Areas?

Select the region below to go to the parks in that region.
If you can't use the map, use the text links below.

Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region   -   Northeast Pennsylvania Mountains
Pittsburgh and Its Countryside   -   Philadelphia and the Countryside
Pennsylvania Wilds   -   The Alleghenies and Her Valleys

Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region

Black Jack Swamp - 725 acres
Palustrine scrub-shrub and emergent wetlands adjacent to Pymatuning Lake. Provides habitat for plant and animal species of concern.
Pymatuning State Park Crawford County

Clark Island - 161 acres
Mature forest of hardwoods and white pines containing an inland, lake-fed pond. Provides habitat for plant species of concern.
Pymatuning State Park Crawford County

Gull Point Special Management Area - approximately 67 acres
This National Natural Landmark has a large variety of habitats (bay, sand dune, heath, marsh, pond, etc.) which are critical for migrating shore birds and waterfowl. Provides habitats for many rare plants and animals.
Presque Isle State Park Erie County

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Pennsylvania Wilds

Black Moshannon Bog - 1,992 acres
Wetlands adjacent to the southwest arm of the lake comprise the finest reconstructed bog in Pennsylvania. Includes many rare plants associated with sphagnum bogs.
Black Moshannon State Park Centre County

Forest Cathedral - 555 acres
This National Natural Landmark has old-growth stands of white pine and eastern hemlock. Many trees are over 300 years old.
Cook Forest State Park Clarion / Forest counties

Pine Creek Gorge - 699 acres
This National Natural Landmark is a portion of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Park vistas on east and west rims overlook scenic gorge. Contains rare plants.
Colton Point and Leonard Harrison state parks Tioga County

Swamp Forest - 246 acres
Perched water table gives rise to palustrine wetland of old growth eastern hemlocks and white pines at the headwaters of Brown's Run.
Cook Forest State Park Clarion / Forest counties

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Northeast Pennsylvania Mountains

Bender/Black Bear Swamps - 1,600 acres
Acidic shrub swamps; openings contain spagnum moss, rare plants and animals.
Tobyhanna State Park, Monroe County

Boulder Field - approximately 16 acres
This National Natural Landmark is a unique geological formation of periglacial origin, impressive due to ts flatness and large size.
Hickory Run State Park Carbon County

Fall Brook - 34 acres
This area contains many old-growth hemlocks and includes a steep gorge with picturesque stream and several waterfalls.
Salt Spring State Park Susquehanna County

Glens Natural Area - 2,845 acres
This National Natural Landmark is the branches of Kitchen Creek and their scenic waterfalls flow through old growth forests of eastern hemlock, white pine and mixed oak.
Ricketts Glen State Park Luzerne County

Mud Run - 1,335 acres
Remote mountain stream lined with rhododendron and eastern hemlock and buffered by a mature hardwood forest. The stream contains a viable native trout population.
Hickory Run State Park Carbon County

Mud Swamp - 152 acres
Remote emergent wetland containing rare plant species of concern.
Hickory Run State Park Carbon County

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Pittsburgh and Its Countryside

Ferncliff Peninsula - 104 acres
This National Natural Landmark is a peninsula formed by a bend in the Youghiogheny River. The area contains abundant wildflowers, old growth hemlocks, mixed oak forests and plant species of concern.
Ohiopyle State Park Fayette County

Hemlock Trail - 5.8 acres
Scenic area of old growth eastern hemlock. The area includes a picturesque portion of Laurel Hill Creek which contains a viable native trout population.
Laurel Hill State Park Somerset County

Slippery Rock - 92 acres
Floodplain forest of northern hardwoods and adjacent palustrine and shrub-scrub wetlands containing diverse and rare plants.
Moraine State Park Butler County

Slippery Rock Gorge - 1,296 acres
This National Natural Landmark is a steep gorge with numerous rock outcrops and boulders. Northern hardwood-conifer forests contain areas of old growth forests and rare plants.
McConnells Mill State Park Lawrence County

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The Alleghenies and Her Valleys

Rapid Run - 39 acres
Old growth forest of white pine and eastern hemlock containing areas of emergent wetlands, springs and sphagnum bogs.
R. B. Winter State Park Union County

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Philadelphia and the Countryside

Pine Swamp - 98 acres
Acidic broadleaf swamp containing rare plant species. Characteristic features include vegetated sphagnum hummocks and mucky, water-filled channels.
French Creek State Park Berks County

Nockamixon Cliffs - 28 acres
Cliffs rise nearly 300 feet above the Delaware River. Provides habitat for rare alpine plant species of concern.
Delaware Canal State Park Bucks County

River Islands - 102 acres
Seven islands in the Delaware River containing natural plants communities and many rare plants.
Delaware Canal State Parks Bucks County

Tidal Marsh - 71 acres
Freshwater intertidal zone along the shores of the Delaware River and Neshaminy Creek containing many rare plants.
Neshaminy State Park Bucks County

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