Poe Paddy State Park

A fly fisherman wades in Penns Creek at Poe Paddy.

Poe Paddy State Park is located at the confluence of Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek, a trout angler’s paradise featuring the nationally recognized green drake mayfly hatch in June. Hikers also walk Mid State Trail through the 250-foot long Paddy Mountain Railroad Tunnel. Poe Valley State Park is nearby.

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Directions - Weather - Recreation - Winter Report - Accessibility - History - Calendar of Events - Nearby Attractions - Volunteers - Rules and Regs - In an Emergency - Contact Us - Downloadables and Maps

Park Advisories

8/5/2008 9:16:00 AM

Firewood Advisory: Invasive Beetles found in Firewood Threaten Forests! Before bringing firewood to a Pennsylvania State Park, please read the information in the linked page about a very real threat to forests in Pennsylvania and all of North America. Firewood Advisory

Directions

Poe Paddy State Park is in Centre County, Pennyslvania.

From US 322, near the top of Seven Mountains, follow signs for Poe Valley State Park. On Big Poe Road, continue past Poe Valley State Park for three miles to Poe Paddy State Park.

From Millheim, go west on PA 45 for 1.5 miles, then follow signs south for 12 miles to the park.

No paved roads lead to the park.
Access to Poe Paddy during the winter months may be limited. Winter maintenance is not performed on park roads or state forest roads that access Poe Paddy. Caution must be used when traveling to Poe Paddy during the winter season.

Recreational Opportunities

Hiking - Picnicking - Fishing - Snowmobiling - Organized Group Tenting - Camping

Camping: vault toilets
The campground has rustic toilets and drinking water. Campers can use the sanitary dump station at nearby Poe Valley State Park. Two small Adirondack-style lean-tos and 38 tent and trailer campsites are open from the second Friday in April until late October. Access is not guaranteed in the winter months. Pets are permitted on designated sites.

Explore the campground map.

Explore camping for more information.

Click on this orange button with an arrow in it to make an online reservation.

Make a reservation

Free Camping for Campground Hosts: one host position in the rustic campground
The campground host site has amenities that include 30-amp electric service. The host is required to assist park personnel for 40 hours per week with a four-week minimum stay. Contact the park office for additional information and availability.

Organized Group Tenting: Qualified adult and youth groups can rent one group tenting area, which is open from the second Friday in April to mid-December, weather permitting. The group tenting area holds up to 50 people and has picnic tables, water and vault toilets. Advance reservations are recommended.

Explore organized group tenting for more information.

Fishing: Excellent trout fishing is available in Penns Creek, which flows by the Poe Paddy campground. Fantastic fly hatches emerge from Penns Creek. The nationally known Green Drake Hatch usually occurs in late May or early June.

For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Picnicking: Picnic tables and two pavilions with four picnic tables each are available for year-round use.

Hiking: The Mid State Trail, with orange rectangular blazes, passes through Poe Paddy. You can hike through the 250-foot long Paddy Mountain Railroad Tunnel on the Mid State Trail by following the trail upstream along Penns Creek, crossing a pedestrian bridge and then going to the tunnel.

Snowmobiling: Marked gravel roads in the area are open for registered snowmobiles after deer season in December. Please remember roads also are used by motor vehicles. ATV’s are prohibited on state park or state forest roads. Explore the Winter Report for current snow and ice depths.

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.

History

Poe Paddy lies on the site of Poe Mills, a prosperous, but short-lived, lumbering town of the 1880s and 1890s. Poe Mills had a population of over three hundred in 1890.

Built in 1879, the main railroad ran very near Poe Mills and a spur track ran to the Poe Paddy area. Many small, temporary timber railroads were built through most of the mountain valleys. Poe Creek was dammed to provide water to the steam-powered sawmill. In the early 1900s, a scenic excursion train ran a loop from Milroy to Poe Paddy and back.

In the mid-1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps had a camp in the valley and built Poe Paddy and Poe Valley state parks and many of the roads in the area. The park’s unusual name comes from Poe Mountain to the west and Paddy Mountain to the east.

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

Nearby Attractions

The surrounding 195,000 acres of Bald Eagle State Forest has many outdoor recreational opportunities. 570-922-3344

For information on nearby attractions, contact the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, www.centralpacvb.org.

In an Emergency

Contact a park employee or dial 911.
For directions to the nearest hospital, look on bulletin boards or at the park office.

Nearest Hospital:
Mount Nittany Medical Center
1800 East Park Avenue
State College, PA 16803
814-231-7000
or
Lewistown Hospital
400 Highland Avenue
Lewistown, PA 17044
717-248-5411

For More Information Contact

Poe Paddy State Park
c/o Reeds Gap
Milroy, PA 17063-9735
717-667-3622
Manager: Rory Bower

E-mail: reedsgapsp@state.pa.us
An equal opportunity employer

Make online reservations or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.

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