Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area
Tucked in the side of Conococheague Mountain, Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area is a quaint picnic and hiking area. A short loop trail leads to a partially completed railroad tunnel with historic interpretation at the trailhead. The park also provides access to the Iron Horse Trail for day and overnight hiking. The park takes its name from nearby Big Spring, whose waters form the scenic Shermans Creek.
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Picnicking: The picnic tables and picnic pavilions throughout the park are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunting: Big Spring povides access to hunting in Tuscarora State Forest. Complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site. Hiking: 1 mile of trails Winter ActivitiesSnowmobiling: Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area serves as a trailhead providing parking, restrooms and access to the extensive snowmobile trail system in Tuscarora State Forest.
In an EmergencyContact a park employee or dial 911. Nearest Hospital In the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, logging companies lumbered the area. Trees were hauled from the stump to the mill on the Perry Lumber Railroad. This narrow gauge railroad had a terminus at the east end of the park. The trees were cut to supply tanneries, barrel manufacturers and charcoal furnaces. A tannery near the spring operated from early in the 1800s until 1860. In 1871, an axe handle factory was started in the old tannery. The Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad laid tracks through the park to link to the Path Valley Railroad in Franklin County. Their tunnel through Conococheague Mountain failed and the Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad went out of business. During the early 1900s, the area was a community picnic area accessible by road and railroad. The Commonwealth developed the current facility in 1936 with Civilian Conservation Corps Camp S-111. For more information on the CCC, visit the Civilian Conservation Corps Online Archive. Keep in TouchAdd yourself to the DCNR's online community to receive info on this park, or parks in general. Volunteering
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Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Make a DonationTo 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 ProgramsWe love when young people ask us how to get involved!
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
Come Work with UsPennsylvania 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 ThinkContact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park. Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area Nearby AttractionsInformation on nearby attractions is available from the Pennsylvanias Capital Region Vacation Bureau, 800-995-0969. www.pacapitalregions.com Colonel Denning State Park: This quaint park offers camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, picnicking, hunting, cross-country skiing and ice skating and is in the scenic Doubling Gap along PA 233. Tuscarora State Forest: The 90,968-acre forest is open to hunting, fishing and general recreation. Four miles east of the park is the Hemlocks State Forest Natural Area. This old growth stand of our state tree is magnificent. The National Park Service designated the Hemlocks area as a National Natural Landmark in 1973. 717-536-3191 Maps and Downloadables
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: Recreational GuideBig Spring State Forest Picnic Area Map (.pdf) (45 kb, 3/11)  The 45-acre Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area is 5.5 miles southwest of New Germantown, Perry County, along PA 274. Big Spring State Park
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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. 
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