Lyman Run State Park

Hiking   -  ATV Trail   -  Geocaching   -  Picnicking   -  Swimming   -  Boating   -  Lake Fishing   -  Stream Fishing   -  Hunting   -  Education   -  Snowmobiling   -  Ice Fishing   -  Ice Skating   -  Camping

Picnicking: The shaded picnic area has picnic tables, charcoal grills, hot charcoal disposals, modern restrooms, drinking water and a play area. One picnic pavilion may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. When unreserved, the picnic pavilion is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Make a reservation.

Swimming: The 300-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 for swimming. A modern bathhouse with flush toilets, changing rooms, snack bar and boat rental is the centerpiece of the beach area.

Boating: electric motors only
Boating facilities on the 45-acre Lyman Run Lake include a launching ramp and a courtesy dock. The mooring area holds 60 boats. A permit, available at the park office, is needed for the mooring area.

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.

Lake Fishing: The 45-acre Lyman Run Lake is noted for its exceptional water quality and provides excellent trout fishing. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks the lake with rainbow and palomino trout throughout the fishing season.

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

Stream Fishing: Lyman Run from Lyman Run Lake to West Branch Road is approved trout water and stocked each spring. The upper Lyman Run basin is a wild brook trout enhancement area. From the inflow to Lyman Run Lake upstream, 5.3-miles of Lyman Run and all its tributaries are excellent for wild brook trout fishing. Anglers should consult the Summary of Fishing Regulations and Laws for current restrictions and creel limits.

Hunting and Firearms: About 505 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey and bear. Hunting is also permitted in the adjacent Susquehannock State Forest.

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: 6 miles of trails
The hiking trails link to many miles of trails in Susquehannock State Forest. Unless noted below, all trails are marked with rectangular yellow blazes. There are trailhead and intersection signposts.

Spur Line Trail - easies hiking - The bumps on this trail are the remains of old railroad ties from the Goodyear Brothers logging railroad that hauled tan bark and hemlock logs during the lumbering era. Spur Line Trail ascends slowly from Lower Campground up to Rock Run Road. To the right along Rock Run Road is Lyman Run Vista. Hikers can complete a loop by continuing on the road then turning right onto Rock Run Trail.

Rock Run Trail - more difficult hiking - Along this aptly named trail are very large boulders. Rock Run Trail descends rapidly from Rock Run Road to intersect Spur Line Trail near Lower Campground.

Beehive Trail - more difficult hiking - The massive, old stumps along this trail show signs of ancient wildfires. Beehive Trail was built by the CCC in the 1930s and connects Dagget Run Campground and Rock Run Road. Wildcat Trail intersects Beehive Trail making a loop.

Wildcat Trail - more difficult hiking - Along this trail is a small upland bog that has northern cotton grass and several majestic old growth hemlock trees. Wildcat Connector connects Wildcat Trail with Rock Run and Spur Line trails.

Lyman Run Trail - more difficult hiking - Hike from one end of the park to the other following Lyman Run through many habitats and on a railroad trace. Lyman Run Trail can be accessed in Lower Campground, at the spillway, or where it intersects the Susquehannock Trail System. Until a bridge is installed hikers must make a wet crossing of the creek between Lower Campground and the Spillway.

Susquehannock Trail System: This 85-mile trail loop traverses some of the most rugged, mountainous terrain in northcentral Pennsylvania. This trail system also passes through Denton Hill, Patterson and Ole Bull state parks.

ATV Trail: Lyman Run State Park is an access point for 43 miles of ATV trail in Susquehannock State Forest. Restrooms and the food concession at Lyman Beach are within walking distance of the specially located “ATV-only” parking lot. ATV trailer parking is limited to five trailers. Additional parking is available at the Bureau of Forestry (Denton Hill) trailhead.

Geocaching: In this high tech treasure hunting game a Web site lists hidden containers called geocaches that players using GPS devices locate outdoors.

Lyman Run hosts a geocache for the Legacy of Conservation Geocaching Trail. Collect all 30 cards of notable Pennsylvanian environmentalists to receive a special coin.

Stay the Night

Camping: flush toilets, warm showers, some electric hook-ups
Daggett Run and Lower campgrounds offer separate camping areas with a total of 35 RV and tent campsites. Each campsite contains a picnic table, fire ring and lantern hanger. Twenty-nine campsites have electricity. Six campsites are walk-ins. The campgrounds have modern washhouses with hot water, flush toilets and showers. The campgrounds are open from the second weekend in April to the end of deer season in December. A sanitary dump station is in Lower Campground. Pets are permitted on designated sites in both campgrounds.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

Make a reservation.

Free Camping for Campground Hosts: 1 host position
The campground host site has 50-amp electric service. Host is required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a two-week minimum stay. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

Winter Activities

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

Snowmobiling: A 43-mile loop trail in Susquehannock State Forest passes through Lyman Run State Park.

Ice Fishing: Lyman Run Lake provides ice fishing for rainbow and palomino trout during the winter months. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment.

Ice Skating: Lyman Run Lake provides ice skating at the swimming area. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment.

Environmental Education and Interpretation

April through October an environmental interpretor presents resource-oriented programs and interpretive walks like guided hikes and kayak programs. Schools, organizations and clubs may request programs on a variety of topics including watersheds and stream ecology. Additional information is available at the park office.

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.

Lyman Run State Park was named for Major Isaac Lyman, an American Revolutionary War soldier believed to be the second permanent settler in Potter County. In 1809, Lyman built his home in nearby Lymansville (now Ladonna), east of present day Coudersport.

In the 1880s, large stands of white pine were harvested and floated down Lyman Run to Pine Creek and on to Williamsport. In the 1890s, the Goodyear Brothers purchased most of the land drained by the West Branch of Pine Creek.

In 1905, Frank and Charles Goodyear constructed a large camp and engine terminal in the area that now is the park day use area. From this base, steam locomotives pulled log trains through the ten miles of main line and 30 miles of spur lines. Many of the spur lines were steep, with grades of up to ten percent.

Each day, up to 100 train cars of logs were hauled out of Lyman Run to the sawmill in Galeton. At night, trains hauled hemlock bark to leather tanneries in Galeton, Westfield and Elkland.

The land changed hands several times until it was purchased by the R. J. Gaffney Company, who cut the remaining hardwoods for a wood chemical plant on the West Branch Pine Creek. Logging ceased in 1913.

For forest fire and watershed protection, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchased the land in and around Lyman Run in the 1920s.

In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built Camp S-88 in the area that currently is the park maintenance area. The young men of the camp completed forestry improvements and road construction projects. Toward the end of World War II, the camp housed German prisoners-of-war. After the war, the camp seasonally housed migrant workers who harvested the local potato crop.

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

Construction of Lyman Run Dam began in 1951. Lyman Run State Park opened to the public in 1955. The dam was replaced in 2009.

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.

Lyman Run State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Potter County Visitors Association. www.visitpottercounty.com

While at Lyman Run State Park, visit nearby attractions. The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is on US 6 between Coudersport and Galeton. The museum is operated and administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is a representation of an early logging camp complete with a sawmill, steam locomotive, blacksmith shop and bunkhouse. The many exhibits will take you back to the turn of the century with the "wood hicks" and "bark peelers." 814-435-2652

Also, 39 miles east on US 6 are Leonard Harrison and Colton Point state parks. These parks overlook the Pine Creek Gorge, known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

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

Lyman Run State Park Map (.pdf) (387 kb, 9/11)
Lyman Run State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (339 kb, 9/11)
    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

Lyman Run State Park Campground Map (.pdf)  (798 kb, 2/13)
    large print version of the brochure (.rtf)