Hills Creek State Park

Hiking   -  Picnicking   -  Swimming   -  Boating   -  Fishing   -  Hunting   -  Cross-country Skiing   -  Sledding   -  Ice Fishing   -  Ice Skating   -  Organized Group Tenting   -  Yurts   -  Cabins   -  Camping Cottages   -  Camping

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Picnicking: There are two picnic areas and three reservable picnic pavilions. Picnic Area No. 1 is at the south end of the lake near the breast of the dam. Picnic Area No. 2 is just north of the swimming beach along a large cove of the lake.

The picnic areas have picnic tables, charcoal grills, picnic pavilion, centrally located drinking fountains and modern comfort stations. The picnic areas are open year-round, but all other day use facilities are closed seasonally. 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.

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Snack Bar: In the day use area, on a hill overlooking the lake and beach, the concession offers a wide variety of food like hamburgers, sandwiches, candy, ice cream, and drinks. It also has milk, camping supplies, firewood and fishing bait. The concession is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, weather permitting. For information concerning the concession operations, call 570-724-2992, or the park office at 570-724-4246.

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Swimming: A sand beach is open from late-May to mid-September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Swim at your own risk. The sandy lake bottom and grass beach are quite popular. The modern bathhouse and snackbar is nearby and open seasonally.

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Boating: electric motors only
The 137-acre Hills Creek Lake has three boat mooring areas with a total capacity of 30 boats. Two of these areas also double as boat launching areas with concrete launching ramps.

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 warm waters of the 137-acre Hills Creek Lake provide excellent fishing for warm-water species. Common fish are muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass, carp, bullhead catfish, bluegill, crappie and yellow perch. The lake record for largemouth bass is just over eight pounds. A valid PA fishing license is required. All Pennsylvania 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.

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Hunting: With the abundance of both large and small game in the area and the additional bonus of 13,000 acres of rugged State Game Land 37 within walking distance of the park, it is easy to understand why hunting and trapping are popular around the park. Hills Creek State Park is closed to hunting because of its small size, but there is an abundance of nearby public lands available for this popular sport.

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.

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Hiking: 5.5 miles of trails

Lake Side Trail - 3 miles - Beginning at the entrance to the camping area this trail follows the lake shore in a westerly direction for about one mile, finally arriving at the Beaver Hut Boating Area. A beaver house plus many signs of beaver activity may be seen in this area. From the boating area the trail generally follows the lake shore in a southerly direction for about one mile, ending at the dam breast of Hills Creek Lake. This section of the trail offers an excellent variety of bird life attracted by seeds from white spruce, red-osier dogwood and viburnums that dominate this moist area. The trail then parallels the park road through Picnic Area No. 1 and passes the park office. It ends at a parking lot beyond the gate on the main entrance road, a distance of about 0.5-mile.

Tauschers Trail - 1.5-miles - This trail circles the northeast section of the park from the cabin area. It winds through pine plantations, dense stands of alder and fields containing numerous wildflowers. Wildlife abounds in this section of the park and it is not uncommon to startle deer or grouse along the trail.

Yellow Birch Trail - 1-mile - This trail starts at the entrance to the camping area but travels in an easterly direction for about one mile. Although short in length, this trail leads through a diversity of forest habitats from stands of hardwoods to hemlock swamps and marsh areas. The observant hiker may see a variety of wildlife and animal signs along with interesting tree development.

Northern Extension of the Mid State Trail - This long-distance backpacking trail passes through the park and connects to the main trail.

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Stay the Night

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Camping: flush toilets, warm showers, some electric hook-ups
The 85-site camping area is at the north end of the park and can be reached by the main park road. The campsites range from grassy open areas to sites dominated by immense hemlock trees. The campground opens the second Friday in April and closes the third weekend in October. Modern washhouses with warm showers, restrooms, and water fountains are in central locations throughout the camping area. A sanitary dump station is just outside the camping area. Six sites are ADA accessible. Pets are permitted on designated sites.

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 site amenities include 50-amp electric service. Hosts are required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a two (2) week minimum stay. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

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Camping Cottages: Three cottages sleep five people in single bunks and double/single bunks, and have wooden floors, windows, electric heat, porch, picnic table, fire ring and electric lights and outlets.

Make a reservation.

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Yurts: These Mongolian-style tents are round, on a wooden deck and sleep four people in two 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.

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Modern Cabins: Ten modern cabins can be rented year-round. Cabins are furnished and have a living area, kitchen/dining area, shower and two bedrooms. Cabin seven is ADA accessible. Cabin renters should bring their own linens and kitchen utensils. Weekly reservations are required during the summer.

Explore the cabin map.

Explore cabins for more information.

Make a reservation.

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Organized Group Tenting: Qualified adult and youth groups may use this 40-person capacity area equipped with picnic tables, pavilion, fire rings, water and flush toilets. Campers may shower in the campground. This wooded peninsula is open from the second Friday in April to the third Sunday in October, weather permitting. Advance reservations are recommended. Some of the larger hemlock, beech, maple and ash trees in the park are found on this very picturesque peninsula.

Explore organized group tenting for more information.

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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: Skiing is permitted on trails and open areas of the park.

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Sledding: This hill at the beach is good for sledding with adequate snow cover.

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Ice Fishing: Ice fishing success in the 137-acre Hills Creek Lake is exceptional for yellow perch, bluegill and an occasional walleye. Be safety conscious when on the ice.

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Ice Skating: Ice skating is permitted at the beach on the natural ice of the lake. Ice thickness is not monitored.

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Environmental Education and Interpretation

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The park operates a seasonal visitor center in the camping area. A variety of interpretive programs are offered between the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.

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.

 

Wildlife abounds in and around Hills Creek State Park. Along with an active beaver colony, there are other water-loving creatures including muskrat, wood duck, great blue heron and osprey. Bald eagles are frequent visitors to the park.

Visitors may see transient black bear, wild turkey, or deer. Hills Creek is also a perfect habitat for rabbit, grouse, pileated woodpecker and woodchuck.

In the spring, Hills Creek Lake becomes home to migrating waterfowl like loon, bufflehead, and common merganser.

Hills Creek Lake

The focal point of the park is a 137-acre lake developed by impounding Hills Creek. The earth dam, built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is 34 feet high and 422 feet long. The basin of Hills Creek Lake is long and narrow ending in an irregular triangle at the north end. The elevation is 1,486 feet and the nearby mountains rise to an elevation of 2,200 feet.

The temperatures and chemical characterizations of the lake support a good warm-water fishery.

The general area now covered by water has almost continually, since the end of the last ice age, been under the influence of beaver dams and beavers. Beavers still abound in the area, including in Hills Creek Lake. The depth of the beaver marsh (vegetation and sediment) is as great as 20 feet deep.

The land, originally known as Kellys Swamp, was purchased in 1950. Within this swamp, at the present location of the swimming beach, was a small mine from which pigment for the paint industry was extracted. The park opened in 1953 and is named for the creek that runs through it. The stream was named after Captain William Hill who settled in the area around 1820.

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.

Hills Creek State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Tioga County Visitors Bureau. www.visittiogapa.com

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recreational facilities around the Tioga and Hammond dams that are six miles north of the park. Also, Leonard Harrison and Colton Point state parks (the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon) are 18 miles west of Hills Creek.

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

Hills Creek State Park Map (.pdf) (394 kb, 9/11)
Hills Creek State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (363 kb, 9/11)
    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.

Campground Map

Hills Creek State Park Campground Map (.pdf) (858 kb, 2/13)
    large print version of the brochure (.rtf)

Cabin Map

Hills Creek State Park Cabin Map (.pdf)  (44 kb, 3/11)

Common Birds Brochure

Common Birds of Hills Creek State Park (.pdf) (409 kb, 3/11)