Clear Creek State Park

Hiking   -  Picnicking   -  Swimming   -  Canoeing   -  Fishing   -  Hunting   -  Education   -  Cross-country Skiing   -  Sledding   -  Yurts   -  Cabins   -  Camping

---

Picnicking: Picnic tables and charcoal grills are available throughout both parks. Clear Creek has five picnic pavilions, one of which is ADA accessible. 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.

Make a reservation.

---

Swimming: The 180-foot sand beach is open from late-May to mid-September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Swim at your own risk. Please read and follow posted rules. The swimming beach is in a small man-made lake. Soda machines are nearby.

---

Canoeing: The Clarion River provides excellent canoeing especially during the spring and fall. The river is rated Class C (beginner) with an average downward flow of four miles per hour. Two popular canoe trips, 4 and 10 miles in length, are a popular attraction. Rental canoes are available from commercial sources outside of the park. Clear Creek offers a public canoe launch.

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.

The following concessionaries offer canoe, kayak and tube rentals:
Cook Forest Canoe Rental www.cookforestcanoe.com
Pale Whale   www.canoecookforest.com
Pine Crest http://users.penn.com/~pinecrest/PC-canoe.html

---

Fishing: The Clarion River borders the park and provides fishing for trout, warm-water game fish and panfish. At Clear Creek State Park, native trout inhabit Clear Creek and trout are stocked seasonally. PA Fish and Boat Commission laws apply.

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

---

Hunting and Firearms: About 1000 acres of Clear Creek State Park are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, squirrel, bear and turkey. Over 10,000 acres of adjacent state forests and over 500,000 acres of Allegheny National Forest are also open to hunting.

Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible hunting information.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owner's car, trailer or leased campsite. The only exception is that law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms may carry said firearm concealed on their person while they are within the park.

Complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.

---

Hiking: 25 miles of trails
The trails begin in the scenic Clear Creek Valley and follow the Clarion River and wander across the surrounding hillsides to several scenic overlooks. Rhododendron and mountain laurel abound throughout the park and many varieties of wildlife, including deer, bear, turkey and grouse inhabit the park.

---

No Feeding Wild Animals: Black bears are native to this area. All food should be put away after use and kept in a tight, secure container in the trunk of a car or in a camper. Feeding wild animals is pro-hibited. When wildlife loses its fear of people, these ani-mals can become pests, and dangerous situations can result.

---

Stay the Night

---

Camping: flush toilets, warm showers, electric hook-ups
The wooded campsites at the park have a picnic table and fire ring. Access is not guaranteed during severe winter weather. Clear Creek State Park has 53 campsites, two are ADA accessible. Showers and flush toilets and a sanitary dump station are available. Near the campground are a nine-hole disc golf course and a concrete basketball court.

Clear Creek State Park offers a canoe/kayak camping area at the southern end of the campground. This area is for individuals and groups traveling on the Clarion River by canoe or kayak. Use of these sites is limited to one night and are for tent use only. Maximum group size is eight and the cost is $4 per person for a Pennsylvania resident and $5 per person for a non-resident.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

Make a reservation.

---

Free Camping for Campground Hosts: 1 host position
The campground host site amenities include 30-amp electric service. Hosts are required to stay a minimum of two weeks and must be available 24 hours daily to assist park personnel. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

---

Yurts: The two round, Mongolian-style tents at Clear Creek State Park are on wooden decks and sleep four people in bunk beds. Yurts have a cooking stove, refrigerator, countertop, table, chairs, electric heat and outlets, fire ring, picnic table and are adjacent to a water pump.

Make a reservation.

---

Rustic Cabins: 22 rustic cabins are near the Clarion River and are available from the second Friday in April until the third Friday in December. The rustic cabins are minimally furnished. Each cabin has beds, mattresses, refrigerator, table and chairs and is heated by a wood fireplace or gas heater. Occupants must provide their own bedding, cookware and tableware. Cabins sleep 4, 6 or 8 people. Extra cots are not available. Frost-free water faucets are outside. A showerhouse is nearby. One cabin is ADA accessible.

The cabins must be rented for one week, except in the spring and fall rental season. Firewood is not provided. Alcoholic beverages and pets are prohibited.

Explore the cabin map.

Explore cabins for more information.

Make a reservation.

---

Winter Activities

---

Explore the Winter Report for the current snow and ice depths.

---

Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing: Snowshoeing is permitted on all trails. Cross-country skiing is recommended on selected trails on the map

---

Sledding: There is a two-acre slope on the pipeline near Pavilion 3.

---

Environmental Education and Interpretation

---

Through hands-on activities, guided walks and evening programs, participants gain appreciation, understanding and develop a sense of stewardship toward natural and cultural resources.

Curriculum-based environmental education programs are available to schools and youth groups. Teacher workshops are available. Group programs must be scheduled in advance by calling the park office.

At Clear Creek State Park programs are offered spring through fall. A visitor center with logging and nature exhibits is open spring through fall. The Ox Shoe Self-guiding Historical Trail takes one hour to hike and reveals the logging history of the Black Forest of Pennsylvania.

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

Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.

---

Access for People with Disabilities

---

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

 

Clarion River

River corridors are natural transportation routes and so the Clarion River corridor has a great diversity of plants and animals. Great blue heron, mergansers, kingfisher and bald eagle are common river residents.

The Clarion River is designated a Wild and Scenic River for its scenic beauty, water quality, and archaeological significance.

The first public campsites at Clear Creek were opened in 1922. In May 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) greatly expanded the recreational facilities. By the time they departed in 1937, they had built the cabins, the swimming area, the food concession building, restrooms, trails, bridges and roads.

For more information on the CCC, explore the Civilian Conservation Corps Online Archive.

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.
   

Scouts and organized groups can earn free camping by completing service projects.

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.

Clear Creek State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from:

For information on services and accommodations in the area, contact: Cook Forest Area Vacation Bureau www.cookforest.org
Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau www.pagreatoutdoors.com

Cook Forest State Forest: Adjacent to Clear Creek State Park, this 10,113-acre area provides hunting, fishing, hiking and general recreation. Scenic views of the surrounding area may be seen from Bear Town Rocks.

Allegheny National Forest: This large, 506,465-acre area is the only national forest in Pennsylvania and has general outdoor recreation. www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/

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

Clear Creek State Park Map (.pdf) (473 kb, 3/11)
Clear Creek and Cook Forest State Parks Recreational Guide (.pdf) (719 kb, 3/11)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)

Interactive GIS Map

The Interactive GIS 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 and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.

Campground Map

Clear Creek State Park Campground Map (.pdf) (814 kb, 2/13)
    large print version of the brochure (.rtf)

Cabin Map

Clear Creek State Park Cabin Map (.pdf)  (202 kb, 7/12)

Directions Map

Clear Creek State Park Directions Map (.pdf) (168 kb, 3/11)