Memorial Lake State Park

Hiking   -  Picnicking   -  Boating   -  Sailing   -  Fishing   -  Cross-country Skiing   -  Ice Fishing   -  Ice Skating  

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Picnicking: Three day use areas are on the north shore of the lake. Picnic tables and charcoal grills are provided in shady groves, along the shoreline and at areas that provide scenic views of the lake.

Memorial Lake has two picnic pavilions that may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Pavilions accommodate up to 70 people and have charcoal grills, 15 amp electrical service (with reservation) and trash/recycling cans. Middle Road Picnic Pavilion is ADA accessible.

Playfields are available near the picnic areas for softball, volleyball and other sports. Two children’s play areas are also available. A one-mile exercise course is in the eastern portion of the park. The course begins and ends at the Middle Road parking area using the Grassland, Overlook and Lakeside trails.

Make a reservation.

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Boating: electric motors only
The 85-acre Memorial Lake has two boat launch ramps and an ADA accessible fishing dock. Eight boat racks and 48 shoreline spaces for overnight mooring are reserveable April through October.

A boat rental has canoes, paddleboats, rowboats, and kayaks from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

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 85-acre Memorial Lake supports warm-water fish species including bass, muskellunge, northern pike, yellow perch, white and black crappie, and various species of pan fish and carp. Anglers can access the lake from shoreline, by wading, or by boat. A shoreline fishing access area is along Hillside Trail. An ADA accessible fishing pier is in the Middle Road Day Use Area. No fishing zones include the boat concession area through mooring area, across the dam bridge and dam breast.

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

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Hiking: 2 miles of trails
The open nature of the park allows visitors to take casual walks through most of the park. Scenic views of the lake provide a tranquil setting, especially during spring and autumn.

All hiking trails are easy walking due to the flat and wide stone surface.

Grassland Trail (0.4 mile) passes by the butterfly field and the Locust Grove.

Hillside Trail (0.25 mile) leads from the Overlook to a fishing access area and terminates at Memorial Lake Road.

Lakeside Trail (0.2 mile) follows the lake shoreline through the mooring area and joins Overlook Trail.

Overlook Trail (0.6 mile) continues through the Hemlock Grove, across the dam breast to a scenic view of the lake.

Woodland Trail (0.6 mile) winds through a wooded wetland

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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: The easy rolling terrain and open nature of the park lends itself to excellent opportunities for short distance cross-country ski trips for the novice and experienced skier.

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Ice Fishing: The 85-acre Memorial Lake is open for ice fishing except for the ice skating area. Muskellunge, northern pike, perch and catfish are common species caught through the ice.

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Ice Skating: A one-acre area is available for ice skating in the Middle Road boat launch/mooring cove.

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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.

 

Birders may observe over 100 different land and water species in the park, especially during the migratory seasons. Turtle platforms, bat and duck boxes, and the butterfly field also offer opportunities to view wildlife.

The U.S. military created Memorial Lake in 1945 to honor the Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers who served in World War I and World War II. As a feature of Fort Indiantown Gap Military Post, the lake provided recreation for soldiers and their families.

In 1965, Memorial Lake was transferred to the Department of Forest and Waters (now the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) and became Memorial Lake State Park. It continues to provide recreational opportunities for military personnel as well as civilians.

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.
   

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.

Memorial Lake State Park

Nearby Attractions

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

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

Memorial Lake State Park Map (.pdf) (347 kb, 3/11) 
Memorial Lake State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (251 kb, 3/11)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)