Prince Gallitzin State Park

Hiking   -  Biking   -  Mountain Biking   -  Horseback Riding   -  Picnicking   -  Swimming   -  Boating   -  Fishing   -  Hunting   -  Disc Golfing   -  Education   -  Cross-country Skiing   -  Snowmobiling   -  Ice Fishing   -  Iceboating   -  Organized Group Tenting   -  Cabins   -  Camping Cottages   -  Camping

Picnicking: Picnic tables are available throughout the park. Many picnic tables are adjacent to the swimming area in Muskrat Beaches 1, 2 and 3. Four 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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Swimming: Muskrat 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 food concession, modern bathhouses, dressing rooms, disc golf, volleyball courts and a large picnic area are in and around the swimming area.

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Boating: up to 20 hp motors permitted
The 1,635-acre Glendale Lake has nine public boat launching areas conveniently located throughout the park, along with three public mooring facilities for sailboats, pontoon boats and runabouts. Marina slips are available at Beaver Valley and at Prince Gallitzin marinas. A watercraft concession and marina provides various services, including: watercraft rentals, lake tours, repairs to boats and motors, and the sale of fuel.

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.

Visit the U. S. Geological Survey Web site for the water level of Glendale Lake. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv/?site_no=01541340&PARAmeter_cd=00062

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Fishing: The 1,635-acre Glendale Lake is a warm-water fishery with bass, pike and muskellunge as the most common game fish. There is also a good population of panfish that includes crappie, bluegill and perch. Killbuck Run is stocked with trout. 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 and Firearms: About 5,900 acres are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are deer, turkey and small game.

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.

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Hiking: 32.65 miles of trails
The trails pass through many habitats and near the lake. For trail descriptions explore trails.

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Biking: 2.3 miles of trails
All bicyclists may use park roads open to public travel. Campers may cycle the 2.3-mile multi-use trail around the perimeter of the campground. For an around-the-park road tour, go to www.theAlleghenies.com. Follow the link to Cycling, Cycling on Road, Choose a Tour, Marina Mania tour.

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Mountain Biking: 20 miles of trails
In the northern part of the park, the 20-mile snowmobile trail network is open for mountain biking and hiking. Bikers should follow the rules of the road and common courtesies.

For more information on mountain biking, contact the park office or www.theAlleghenies.com. Follow the link to Mountain Biking, Choose a Tour, Killbuck Run tour. The Web site has maps, que sheets and additional information.

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Horseback Riding: All equestrian trails can be accessed from the Beaverdam Boat Launch.

A riding stable adjacent to park property on Marina Road offers rides of varying degrees of difficulty and length on park property.

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Disc Golfing: A nine-hole disc golf course is located around the Muskrat Beach #2 day use area. The course wraps through varied terrain and provides challenging shots in wooded and field areas. Score cards and course maps can be picked up at the bulletin board at the far right of the parking area next to Tee #1. Scenic views of Glendale Lake and surrounding areas of the park provide a tranquil place to recreate after disc golfing.

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Stay the Night

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Camping: flush toilets, warm showers, some electric hook-ups
A 398-site tent and trailer campground is open from the second Friday in April to the last Monday in October. Facilities and services offered in the campground include: camp store with coin-operated laundry, swimming beach, boat mooring area, boat rental, playgrounds, paved sites, showers, flush toilets and sanitary dump stations.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

Make a reservation.

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Free Camping for Campground Hosts: 7 host positions
The campground host sites have amenities that include 50-amp electric service and water and sewer hookup. The Crooked Run Campground has host sites on each of seven main loops that have 43 to 84 campsites each. Each loop has its own washhouse. The host is required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a two-week minimum stay. On the loop or loops assigned, host responsibilities include light maintenance tasks at campsites, litter pickup, evening checks of washhouses, and promoting good public relations with campers. Some loops are closed seasonally, reducing the number of hosts needed in the spring and fall. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

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Camping Cottages: The three camping cottages in the campground have a deck and windows that overlook the lake. Each cottage sleeps five people in a single bunk and double/single bunk beds and has electric lights, outlets and heat. The cottages are available from the second Friday in April to the last Monday in October. One cottage is ADA accessible.

Make a reservation.

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Modern Cabins: Ten modern cabins are for rent year-round. Cabins are furnished and have a living area, kitchen/dining area, shower room, and two or three bedrooms. Two bedroom cabins sleep six people (one double bed and two bunks), while three bedroom cabins sleep eight people (one double bed and three bunks). One cabin is ADA accessible.

Explore the cabin map.

Explore cabins for more information.

Make a reservation.

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Organized Group Tenting: A rustic tenting area may be reserved by organized adult and youth groups from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. There are picnic tables, restrooms and drinking water. A shower house is within easy walking distance.

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: Seven miles of marked trails are available for this popular wintertime activity.

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Snowmobiling: Registered snowmobiles may use the 20-mile trail network. 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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Ice Fishing: The 1,635-acre Glendale Lake is popular for ice fishing. Common species caught through the ice are perch, walleye, pike and crappies. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is four inches thick and carry safety equipment.

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Iceboating: Iceboats must display a state park launch permit.

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Environmental Education and Interpretation

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An environmental education specialist offers a wide variety of environmental education and interpretive programs seasonally. Through hands-on activities, guided walks and programs, participants gain appreciation, understanding and develop a sense of stewardship toward the natural and cultural resources of the park. Recreational programming includes interpretive kayak and pontoon boat tours of Lake Glendale. Curriculum-based environmental education field learning experiences are available for K – 12 school groups, youth organizations and homeschool associations.

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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Wind Turbine: The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) installed small-scale wind turbines to show how alternative energy can reduce pollution and lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.

For hundreds of years, traditional windmills harnessed wind energy to pump water or grind grain. Today's modern equivalent – the wind turbine – uses wind energy to generate electricity which has far less impact on the environment than energy generation based on fossil fuels.

To see how much energy is generated by the park's small-scale wind turbine, and how much energy is used daily, weekly and monthly visit the wind turbine page.

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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.

 

The diverse habitats of Prince Gallitzin State Park provide great opportunities for viewing wildlife. Please observe wildlife from a distance and do not feed wildlife.

The 1,635-acre Glendale Lake, with its 26 miles of shoreline, is home to many species of fish, birds and animals. Wyerough Branch and the upper reaches of Slatelick and Mudlick branches are covered in wetland plants and are a good places to see ducks, herons and rails. In the spring and fall,waterfowl stop at the lake to rest on their migrations north and south.

The forests of the park are excellent for seeing many species of birds, especially warblers and vireos.

The fields in the park are excellent for seeing butterflies. Prince Gallitzin State Park, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, has begun to enhance the Headache Hill area to improve wildlife diversity and create wildlife viewing areas.

Feeding wildlife is prohibited. When animals become dependent on humans for food, this brings animals and humans into close contact which can lead to potentially dangerous situations. Human food is often of little nutritional value to animals and can make animals sick and unhealthy.

Prince Gallitzin

Prince Gallitzin State Park is named for Father Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin. Born in Holland (Netherlands) on December 22, 1770, he was the only son of Prince Dimitri Alexievitch Gallitzin, Russian Ambassador to Holland, and his wife Amalia Von Schmettau Gallitzin.

In 1792, young Gallitzin arrived in the United States and became intrigued at the contrast between the terrible social and political state of France and the civil and religious liberty that had become fundamental principles in the social structure of the new country. He determined to devote his life to being a Catholic priest and entered the Sulpician Seminary in Baltimore. On March 18, 1795, Gallitzin was ordained as one of the earliest people in the United States upon whom the full orders of the priesthood were conferred. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States and was first assigned to the Conewago mission near the Susquehanna River and south of present day Harrisburg.

Prince Gallitzin, the son of Russian nobility, played an important role in the settling of central and northern Cambria County. There were a large number of widely scattered farms throughout the region. Father Gallitzin was responsible for establishing the first Catholic Church between the Susquehanna and the Mississippi (St. Michael’s Parish) and the town of Loretto. He arranged the construction of a gristmill, tannery and sawmill. He taught children and for many settlers was their doctor, lawyer and banker.

Father Gallitzin never returned to his homeland and died in Loretto on May 6, 1840. His contributions are remembered in several place names in Cambria County, including the town of Gallitzin, Gallitzin Springs, as well as Prince Gallitzin State Park.

Father Gallitzin, for all his great deeds and hard work helping the settlers of the region, will forever be known as the “Apostle of the Alleghenies.”

Park History

In the 1930s, much of the area that is now Prince Gallitzin State Park was forested and laced with trout streams and beaver dams. The Pennsylvania Game Commission owned much of the land. The local economy was depressed and the population of the area was declining. It was in this atmosphere that the idea of a park was conceived.

In 1935, during the Great Depression, the National Park Service proposed to establish several Recreation Demonstration Areas in Pennsylvania. A project was proposed and approved for this area, but was never implemented. The project proposal map is on file in the park office and has an uncanny resemblance to Prince Gallitzin State Park.

In 1955, the Patton Chamber of Commerce and the Patton Sportsmen proposed a 30-acre dam in the Killbuck Area. In March of that same year, Dr. Maurice K. Goddard, Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters, met with the Patton Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Goddard approved of the idea and from that beginning, the original concept rapidly expanded.

On April 4, 1957, Governor George M. Leader announced plans for “Pennsylvania’s largest and most complete state park” and land acquisition began. The park was to have a 1,760-acre lake and “provide the people of this State with the finest recreation facilities.”

Money derived from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund, recently authorized by the state legislature, was to pay for the proposed two million dollar project. Secretary Goddard said, “No other areas that I have seen in the Commonwealth has this unique combination of characteristics. I predict we will be able to fulfill the desires of the Legislature much beyond their expectations in the development of this outstanding park.”

The park was one of Pennsylvania’s largest parks at the time. From July 8 to July 15, 1967, the park hosted the National Campers and Hikers Association convention. There were 26,500 people camped in the fields around Headache Hill. The convention brought national awareness to the park and Pennsylvania.

In April of 1970, Crooked Run Campground opened, the docks at Beaver Valley Marina opened, and the first seasonal park naturalist conducted lectures and walks.

Further improvements like the addition of hiking trails, cabins and upgrades to facilities continue to make Prince Gallitzin one of the finest recreational facilities in Pennsylvania.

Dam Data

• Type of Dam – flood control and recreation
• Completed – 1960
• Length – 1,964 feet
• Height – 60 feet
• Width at Top – 25 feet
• Normal Lake Level – 8.5 feet below the spillway
• Largest flood Event – Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The lake rose 5 feet holding back 10.75 billion gallons of water.
• Unique Fact – water has never flowed through the spillway

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.

Join a Friends Group

Friends of Prince Gallitzin State Park

The Friends of Prince Gallitzin State Park formed in January, 2007, to provide already active volunteers at the park additional ways to contribute to the conservation and preservation of the park and its resources. The mission of the Friends of Prince Gallitzin State Park is to endeavor to preserve and enhance the natural and built resources of Prince Gallitzin State Park, while promoting education and recreation for all visitors now and in the future.

The Friends of Prince Gallitzin State Park formed as a chapter of the PA Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF). PPFF is a private, non-profit organization that works to develop resources which compliment the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). PPFF’s mission is to enhance Pennsylvania’s parks and forests, protect Pennsylvania’s natural resources, and support conservation and environmental programs.

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's friends group - see above

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.

Prince Gallitzin State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Johnstown and Cambria County Convention and Visitors Bureau. www.visitjohnstownpa.com

Rock Run Recreation Area: This 6,000-acre park has over 50 miles of trails for dirt bikes and four-wheelers. www.rockrunrecreation.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

Prince Gallitzin State Park Map (.pdf) (2,456 kb, 5/12)
Prince Gallitzin State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (1,144 kb, 5/12)
    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

Crooked Run Campground Map (.pdf)  (2,380 kb, 3/13)
    large print version of the brochure (.rtf)

Cabin Map

Prince Gallitzin State Park cabin map (.pdf) (49 kb, 3/11)

Hospital Map

Nearest hospitals to Prince Gallitzin State Park (.pdf) (317 kb, 3/11)

Directions Map

Prince Gallitzin State Park Directions Map (.pdf) (191 kb, 3/11)

Bird Checklist

Prince Gallitzin State Park Bird Checklist (.pdf) (2,060 kb, 3/11)