Fowlers Hollow State Park

Hiking   -  Mountain Biking   -  Horseback Riding   -  Picnicking   -  Fishing   -  Hunting   -  Cross-country Skiing   -  Snowmobiling   -  Camping

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Picnicking: Picnic tables and a limited number of grills are available in a wooded setting. A large play field is nearby. The one picnic pavilion may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. If unreserved, the picnic pavilion is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Make a reservation.

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Fishing: Fowler Hollow Run traverses the park and provides trout fishing. The stream receives a pre-season stocking of brook trout.

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

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Hunting and Firearms: Hunting is permitted on adjacent state forest lands. Terrain is moderately hilly to mountainous and favors turkey and deer.

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.

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Hiking: There are miles of trails throughout Tuscarora State forest. Fowlers Hollow State Park is a trailhead for a variety of hiking trails within and connecting to the trail system of the Tuscarora State Forest. The Tuscarora Trail is nearby. Be sure to acquire a Tuscarora State Forest Public Use Map before hiking on forest lands.

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Mountain Biking: Alfarata and Beaston trails, which are extensive trails in Tuscarora State Forest, meet in Fowlers Hollow State Park. Mountain biking is also permitted on park roads.

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Horseback Riding: Alfarata and Beaston trails, which are extensive trails in Tuscarora State Forest, meet in Fowlers Hollow State Park

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Stay the Night

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Camping: rustic sites
Twelve campsites with electric hookups and six walk-in tent sites are available. The campground opens the weekend that the southern trout season opens, and closes in mid-December. All campsites have a picnic table and fire ring. There are flush toilets, water spigot and sanitary dump station, but no showers. Pets are permitted.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

Make a reservation.

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Free Camping for Campground Hosts: 1 host position
The campground host sites amenities include 50-amp electric service. Hosts are required to assist park personnel Friday through Sunday and those holidays occurring on Monday. A two week minimum stay is required, but would prefer a one month stay. Responsibilities include assisting with light maintenance and housekeeping. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

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Winter Activities

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

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Cross-country Skiing: There are two miles of designated trail southwest of the campground. Skiing is also permitted in all areas of the park.

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Snowmobiling: Fowlers Hollow has parking and a restroom. It serves as a trailhead to the 46-mile trail network in Tuscarora State Forest. Snowmobiles may be operated on designated trails and roads from the day following the last deer season in December until April 1, weather permitting.

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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.

 

In 1901, the Perry Lumber Company began logging operations in the area by building a narrow gauge logging railroad along the unused Path Valley Railroad grade from New Germantown to what is now Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area. The railroad then expanded south into Bowman Hollow and around the end of Rising Mountain into what is now Fowlers Hollow State Park. The company engine was named the Alfarata after the American Indian princess in the poem the Blue Juniata.

The company did not have a large, stationary sawmill, but used five portable sawmills, one of which was used in Fowlers Hollow. The loggers cut lumber and shipped hemlock bark to the Newport Extract Plant.

By 1905, the lumber was exhausted and the Perry Lumber Company sold all of its equipment. In 1907, the company sold 2,573 acres to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

In the early 1930s, unemployed local men, through the Works Progress Administration (WPA), constructed many of the facilities in Fowlers Hollow State Park.

 

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.

Fowlers Hollow State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau. www.hersheyharrisburg.org

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.

Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area: The 45-acre Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area is 5.5 miles southwest of New Germantown, along PA 274. Tucked in the side of Conococheague Mountain, the 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 picnic area also provides access to the Iron Horse Trail for day and overnight hiking.

Tuscarora State Forest: The 91,000-acre forest is open to hunting, fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiling and general recreation. Four miles east of the park is the Hemlocks State Forest Natural Area, an old growth stand of our state tree. The National Park Service designated the Hemlocks area as a National Natural Landmark in 1973. 717-536-3191

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

Fowlers Hollow State Park Map (.pdf) (392 kb, 3/11)
Fowlers Hollow State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (333 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

Fowlers Hollow State Park Campground Map (.pdf)  (862 kb, 2/13)
    large print version of the brochure (.rtf)