Bendigo State Park

Picnicking: Over 150 picnic tables are located in several picnic areas. Within these areas are charcoal grills, drinking water, four horseshoe pits, restrooms and three picnic pavilions. Picnic pavilions may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Pavilion #1 is ADA accessible.

Make a reservation.

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Swimming: The pool is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, unless otherwise posted. Depth ranges from three to five feet. Certified lifeguards staff the pool. The pool has an ADA accessible lift.

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Canoeing and Kayaking: The East Branch of the Clarion River is scenic and appropriate for beginning boaters under normal conditions. A canoe launch is three miles upstream along Kilgus Road. Best water conditions are generally in the spring.

Motorboats must display a current boat registration. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park offices; launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Complete information on boating rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

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Fishing: The East Branch of the Clarion River flows through the park and is an excellent fishery. The river is stocked with trout and is home to many cold-water species. A fishing platform behind the pool allows for easy access for children and the elderly.

Complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

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Environmental Education and Interpretation

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Bendigo State Park offers year-round environmental education and interpretive programs. Hands-on activities, guided walks and historical talks are offered to park visitors. Participants will gain an appreciation and understanding of the natural world and develop a sense of stewardship for the park’s natural resources. Group programs must be arranged in advance and may be scheduled by calling the park office.

Bendigo SnowFest: Held on the first Saturday in February, visitors can participate in a variety of outdoor activities, including snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sled-riding and geocaching. Children and adults of all ages are welcome at this celebration of winter in the Pennsylvania Wilds. The SnowFest will have alternate activities in the event of no snow.

Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.

Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.

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Access for People with Disabilities

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If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

 

Bendigo

The Bible, boxing and a mystery named Bendigo State Park.

William Abednego Thompson (1811 - 1880) was born into a poor family in Nottingham, Britain. The last of 21 children, Thompson was one of triplets named for three young men who escaped a furnace in the Book of Daniel.

Thompson began bare-knuckle boxing as a way to make money. Due to his bobbing and weaving style, he was nicknamed Bendy Abednego, which eventually evolved into Bendigo. He was popular with fans because of his wild behavior in the ring, like doing flips, taunting his opponent, and avoiding punches. Thompson became the champion of all of Britain, before retiring and becoming a Methodist preacher. There are no records of Thompson ever leaving Britain.

In 1895, Alfred Truman began a lumbering operation on a small creek that fed into the East Branch of the Clarion River.

He built a small town to support the mill. The mill and town lasted for the five years it took to cut the timber, then some of the equipment was shipped away and the rest was razed. The town was forgotten.

It was also forgotten how, why or when the creek and the town were named for a left-handed boxer from Britain nicknamed Bendigo.

The Park

The history of the area in and around Bendigo State Park is an example of why to never give up a dream.

Chartered in 1887, the Johnsonburg and Clermont Railroad linked the towns and mills of the area to haul the timber to the market. Visitors drive the old railroad trace when they drive the main park road. When the timber was exhausted, the railroad, sawmills and towns slowly disappeared.

Bendigo State Park began in the 1920s as a community project of the nearby town of Johnsonburg. Seeking a place for a swimming pool and picnicking area, the planners chose an area that people were already using, the land that had once been the village of Bendigo. The lumber company who owned the property gave 100 acres to the county to be a park.

In 1936, during the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) began building roads and facilities in Bendigo Community Park, but the money ran out before the park and pool could be completed. People swam in the river behind the dam that had been built, and enjoyed the picnic tables and grills.

Floods destroyed many of the facilities in 1942, but the stonewall and dam on the East Branch of the Clarion River survived. Due to the debris, the park lay nearly abandoned, but was still used as a swimming hole and picnic area.

The process began in August of 1948, and in April of 1949, the late State Senator George B. Stevenson introduced the bill that transferred the property to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Improvements were made to the park facilities, including the building of a swimming pool. Bendigo State Park opened in 1954, finally realizing the dreams of the community.

Keep in Touch

Add yourself to the DCNR's online community to receive info on this park, or parks in general.

Volunteering

Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.

Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.

• Sign up to be a Conservation Volunteer
  OR
• Contact your local state park directly and ask for the Conservation Volunteer coordinator - you'll be hooked up with an interesting and appropriate project in Pennsylvania's natural resources.
   

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. www.paparksandforests.org

Make a Donation

To a park - find this park's address below

To a park or the Bureau of State Parks - Pennsylvania Parks and Forestry Foundation www.paparksandforests.org

Through a purchase at a park gift shop

Thank you for your support!

Education Programs

We love when young people ask us how to get involved!

DiscoverE has programs for young people ages 4 to 17, provided by Pennsylvania State Park educators. By combining recreation and education, we hope to motivate children to learn more and return often, leading to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and conservation leadership. 

In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems. 

ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors.

Explore education for more information on these and other programs.

Explore the Calendar of Events to find a program near you.

iConservePA

Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. Take conservation personally.

Come Work with Us

Pennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available.

Tell us What You Think

Contact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park.

Bendigo State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Northwest Pennsylvania Great Outdoors www.pagreatoutdoors.com

Elk State Park: This beautiful park contains the lake formed by the East Branch Dam. Recreational opportunities include unlimited horsepower motorboating, water-skiing, hiking, fishing and hunting.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recreation Area: The East Branch Dam of the Clarion River was finished in 1952 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dam provides flood protection and recreational opportunities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates a recreation area by the East Branch Dam that has camping with facilities, sanitary dump station and boat launch.

State Game Land 25: This 24,523-acre wooded area consists of long narrow valleys and flat mountaintops. Visitors are welcome to hunt, fish, hike and bird-watch. A large stone marker at the entrance to State Game Land 25 in Glen Hazel commemorates the purchase of this land in 1920. State Game Land 25 was the first purchase by the Pennsylvania Game Commission from the proceeds of hunting license fees. John MacFarlane Philips, Game Commission member from 1905-1924, worked tirelessly to develop a statewide system of public hunting grounds and game refuges, and this land purchase was significant in those efforts. The marker was erected in 1948 by sportsmen and friends of Philips.

Elk State Forest: The western section of this 195,911-acre forest is adjacent to Elk State Park. Hiking, birding, fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation is permitted on state forest land.

Explore Pennsylvania Wilds

Pennsylvania Wilds is two million acres of public lands for hiking, biking, fishing, boating, hunting and exploration in northcentral Pennsylvania. Within the twelve-county region are: 29 state parks, eight state forest districts (1.3 million acres); 50 state game lands and Allegheny National Forest (500,000 acres). www.pawilds.com

Maps and Downloadables

Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.

You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf).

Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files:
For Windows users, right click on the link then left click on "Save target as" to download the file to your computer. For Mac users, hold down the "Options" button and click on the link, then select "Save" to download the file to your computer.

Recreational Guide

Bendigo State Park Map (.pdf) (245 kb, 3/11) 
Bendigo State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (356 kb, 4/13)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)

Interactive GIS Map

The interactive map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources.