Salt Springs State Park

Last updated
Salt Springs State Park
Fall Brook, Salt Springs State Park, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (16 March 2008).jpg
Fall Brook passes through Salt Springs State Park
USA Pennsylvania location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Salt Springs State Park in Pennsylvania
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Salt Springs State Park (the United States)
Location Franklin, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, United States
Coordinates 41°54′50″N75°51′59″W / 41.91389°N 75.86639°W / 41.91389; -75.86639 Coordinates: 41°54′50″N75°51′59″W / 41.91389°N 75.86639°W / 41.91389; -75.86639
Area405 acres (164 ha) [1]
Elevation1,211 ft (369 m) [2]
Established1973
Governing bodyPennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Website Salt Springs State Park

Salt Springs State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Franklin Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The park is home to massive hemlock trees that are over 500 years old and are among the largest trees in all of Pennsylvania. The Fall Brook Natural Area within the park is recognized as a part of the Old-Growth Forest Network. [3] The park also features a gorge with three waterfalls on Fall Brook. Salt Springs State Park is 7 miles (11 km) north of Montrose, just off Pennsylvania Route 29. The park is the only state park in Pennsylvania that is managed by a non-profit organization, [4] the Friends of Salt Springs Park. The state owns 405 acres (164 ha) of land and the Friends own an additional 437 acres (177 ha) bringing the total amount of protected land to 842 acres (341 ha).

Contents

History

Hemlocks

The first settlers came to the Salt Springs area in the 1790s, and found an area of unbroken forest that was dominated by the eastern hemlock tree. The settlers focused on clearing the land for farming. Many of the trees were simply burned, while others were used to build log cabins. Eventually the settlers began stripping the hemlocks of their bark for use in tanneries, while other trees were harvested for the lumber industry. Sawmills soon appeared on Silver Creek and other streams in the area. However, not all the old hemlocks were harvested. Those still standing in and about Fall Brook Gorge were left because the area had become a recreation destination as soon as the early 19th century. [1]

Salty Springs

Salt Springs State Park is named for the salt springs found on the south side of Fall Brook. The Native Americans of the area used the springs as a salt supply for many years. The settlers also extracted salt from the waters of Salt Spring. Numerous entrepreneurs attempted to extract salt from the springs for a profit, but most failed because it simply was not possible to extract enough salt. [1]

Oil prospecting

Oil prospectors were the next group to try to make a living from the Salt Springs area. Pennsylvania was in the midst of an oil boom in the late 19th century after oil had been discovered near Titusville, 280 miles to the west. The North Penn Oil and Gas Company sunk a test well in 1902. They quickly failed, plugged the well and left the area. Methane gas escaped from the well and was used by the Wheaton family, owners of a nearby dairy farm. They used this gas, released by the oil prospectors, for many years to provide lighting for their home and gas for their stove. [1]

From farm to state park

The non-profit organization, "Friends of Salt Springs Park", was established in 1994 to help protect and preserve the park. Pennsylvania had acquired the land in 1973, but had been financially unable to preserve the historic buildings or develop the parks lands. When the historic buildings on the former Wheaton Farm were slated to be demolished, a group of concerned citizens teamed together to preserve the farm buildings and develop the park. They signed a 10-year contract with Susquehanna County to become the caretakers of the park in 1995. The contract was renewed in 2005, 2010, and 2012. [4]

A stand of hemlocks along Hemlock Trail at Salt Springs State Park Eastern Hemlock grove, Salt Springs State Park.jpg
A stand of hemlocks along Hemlock Trail at Salt Springs State Park

The Wheaton family owned the lands of Salt Springs State Park from 1840 until 1973, when they sold their land to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The family established a dairy farm on the land and invited tourists to enjoy the towering hemlocks and Fall Brook Gorge. [1]

The buildings of the Wheaton farm are used today by the park for numerous purposes. Wheaton House, a timber framed post and beam structure crafted from eastern hemlock, holds the offices of "The Friends of Salt Springs Park". A second farm house provides rental income to help support the Friends' work. [4] A carriage barn next to the Wheaton House is built entirely of hemlock timbers with hand hewn beams and sawed posts. It also has a foundation of native stone, built without mortar. It and the dairy barn provide space for programs, historical displays, and events. [1]

Recreation

All of the park is open to hunting, except for the 30 acres designated as a nature preserve in the Fall Brook Gorge area. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are ruffed grouse, squirrels, turkey, and white-tailed deer. The hunting of groundhogs is prohibited. Fall Brook and Silver Creek are designated trout fisheries by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which stocks the streams with trout prior to the spring trout season. [1]

Salt Springs State Park has 12 sites for rustic tent camping and 3 cottages that are available for rent on a weekly or nightly basis. [1]

There is a small picnic area between Silver Creek and Fall Brook with tables and grills. There also is a large timber frame pavilion near Salt Spring. This pavilion is a former barn. In 2014, a second pavilion was constructed in a nearby meadow. [1]

Trails

Salt Springs State Park has 15.65 miles of trails that are open to hiking and cross-country skiing. These trails pass through old-growth forest, overlook the gorge, and wind their way through fields and woods. [1]

Fall Brook Trail - is a 1 mile difficult trail that is marked with red blazes. The trail begins across the creek from Wheaton House and follows Fall Brook up a steep hill and passes three waterfalls. Fall Brook Trail ends at Bunny Trail. [1]
Silver Creek Trail is a 1-1/2 mile easy trail that is marked with red blazes. It begins behind a dairy barn and follows Silver Creek through a forest of hemlocks with a fern understory. The trail ends with a steep climb through a hardwood forest near Meadow Trail. [1]
Meadow Trail is a 0.8-mile (1.3 km) easy trail that is marked with yellow blazes. It is reached from the Silver Creek Trail or Buckley Road. Meadow Trail is a loop that passes through meadows and by relict stone foundations. [1]
Hemlock Trail is a 0.4-mile (0.64 km) moderate trail that is not marked. The trail passes through an old-growth forest of eastern hemlock and reaches Salt Springs gorge. A gorge observation platform is accessed from Hemlock Trail. [1]
Another view of some hemlocks along Hemlock Trail Mossy.jpg
Another view of some hemlocks along Hemlock Trail
Woodland Trail is a 0.25-mile (0.40 km) easy trail that is marked with blue blazes. It loops off Hemlock Trail through the old growth forest. Hikers will need to climb over or go around a 300-year-old hemlock that has fallen across the trail. [1]
Hardwood Trail is a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) moderate trail that is marked with yellow blazes. The trail begins at the picnic area and ends at Woodland Trail. It passes through a stand of mixed hardwoods. [1]
Upland Trail is a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) moderate trail that is marked with red blazes. It loops off Hardwood Trail and climbs a hillside that his covered with mixed hardwoods. [1]
Bunny Trail is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) moderate trail that is marked with orange blazes. It is a loop that begins and ends at a parking lot that is off Buckley Road. The trail passes through a mixed forest and by several springs. [1]
Cliff Trail is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) moderate trail that is marked with blue blazes. It closely follows Bunny Trail in some places. Cliff Trail passes by ferns, a pond and large boulders. [1]
Connector Trail is a 1.7-mile (2.7 km) easy trail that is marked with white blazes. It connects Wetland Trail and Fall Brook Trail. The trail goes through a ravine and crosses the Wetland Trail bridge. [1]
Wetland Trail is a 0.6-mile (0.97 km) easy trail that is marked with blue blazes. It runs along the south bank of Fall Brook and passes through a wetland. [1]
Summit Trail is a 1-mile (1.6 km) moderate trail that is marked with red blazes. It climbs a gentle rise on the Friends of Salt Springs State Park property. The summit is relatively flat and is covered with a mix of widely spaced trees. [1]
Overlook Trail is the shortest trail in Salt Springs State Park at just 0.2-mile (0.32 km). It was designed with handicapped accessibility in mind. It connects the falls overlook with a parking lot and Fall Brook Trail. [1]
Friends Trail is a moderate 1.9-mile (3.1 km) trail marked with white blazes. It is accessed from either the Hardwood Trail, with which it connects, or from the parking lot on Buckley Road. From Hardwood Trail, it meanders south, crosses Buckley Road, and continues through a meadow, into woodlands, along an old logging trail, and through re-growth forest before connecting to Summit Trail. [4]
Gorge Trail is a moderate 0.5-mile (0.80 km) trail marked with blue blazes. It runs between Buckley Road and Salt Springs Road, along the west rim of the Fall Brook gorge. From Salt Springs Road, after a short, but rigorous ascent, it levels out and meanders a bit between the top of the gorge and an outcropping of shale (which the Wheatons "mined" for their own use). [4]
Border Trail is a moderate to difficult 2.1-mile (3.4 km) trail marked with blue blazes. It begins behind the dairy barn, following Silver Creek Trail into the woods. When Silver Creek branches off to the left, the Border Trail continues straight until it reaches the western park border. Then it bears right and continues north, eventually curving right again and returning to Silver Creek Trail. [4]

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Salt Springs State Park: [5] [6] [7]


Related Research Articles

Cloudland Canyon State Park State park in Georgia, United States

Cloudland Canyon State Park is a 3,485 acres (14.10 km2) Georgia state park located near Trenton and Cooper Heights on the western edge of Lookout Mountain. One of the largest and most scenic parks in Georgia, it contains rugged geology, and offers visitors a range of vistas across the deep gorge cut through the mountain by Sitton Gulch Creek, where the elevation varies from 800 to over 1,800 feet. Views of the canyon can be seen from the picnic area parking lot, in addition to additional views located along the rim trail. At the bottom of the gorge, two waterfalls cascade across layers of sandstone and shale, ending in small pools below.

Tuscarora State Park State park in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Tuscarora State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 1,618 acres (655 ha) in Rush, Ryan, Schuylkill Townships, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The most prominent features of the park are Locust Mountain and Tuscarora Lake. The park is named for the Tuscarora Indians, who lived in the area, following the Tuscarora War in North Carolina, until they were forced out by the colonial settlers of Pennsylvania. Tuscarora State Park is 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Tamaqua just off of Pennsylvania Route 54.

Worlds End State Park Park in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

Worlds End State Park is a 780-acre (316 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The park, nearly surrounded by Loyalsock State Forest, is in the Loyalsock Creek valley on Pennsylvania Route 154, in Forks and Shrewsbury Townships southeast of the borough of Forksville. The name Worlds End has been used since at least 1872, but its origins are uncertain. Although it was founded as Worlds End State Forest Park by Governor Gifford Pinchot in 1932, the park was officially known as Whirls End State Forest Park from 1936 to 1943.

McConnells Mill State Park

McConnells Mill State Park is a 2,546 acres (1,030 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Perry and Slippery Rock Townships, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park features a deep scenic gorge with the restored watermill and a covered bridge at the bottom, accessible by a roadway that winds between large, room-sized boulders on the hillside. McConnells Mill State Park is along the Slippery Rock Creek just southwest of the intersection of US 422 and US 19.

Blue Knob State Park

Blue Knob State Park is a 6,128-acre (2,480 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Kimmel, Lincoln, and Pavia townships in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The average annual snowfall at the park is about 12 feet (370 cm). The park is named for Blue Knob, the second highest mountain in Pennsylvania at 3,146 feet (959 m). It is the location of Blue Knob All Seasons Resort, the ski slope in Pennsylvania with the highest elevation. Blue Knob State Park is just off Interstate 99 on Pennsylvania Route 869 west of Pavia.

Greenwood Furnace State Park State park in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania

Greenwood Furnace State Park is a 423-acre (171 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is near the historic iron making center of Greenwood Furnace. The park includes the ghost town of Greenwood that grew up around the ironworks, old roads and charcoal hearths. Greenwood Furnace State Park is adjacent to Rothrock State Forest and on the western edge of an area of Central Pennsylvania known as the Seven Mountains. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 305, 20 miles (32 km) south of State College.

French Creek State Park State park in Pennsylvania, United States

French Creek State Park is a 7,977-acre (3,228 ha) Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek. It is located in the Hopewell Big Woods. The park is the home of two lakes: Hopewell Lake, a 68-acre (28 ha) warm water lake, and Scotts Run Lake, a 22-acre (8.9 ha) cold water lake. The state record smallmouth bass was caught in Scotts Run Lake. There are extensive forests, and almost 40 miles (64 km) of hiking and equestrian trails. The park is also friendly to mountain bikers, having some renowned technical trails. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, which features a cold blast furnace restored to its 1830s appearance, is surrounded by the park. The Six Penny Day Use Area and Group Camp are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. French Creek State Park is located off of Pennsylvania Route 345 to the south of Birdsboro.

Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area

Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area is a 783-acre (317 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Middle Paxton and Wayne Townships, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the United States.

Colton Point State Park State park in Pennsylvania, US

Colton Point State Park is a 368-acre (149 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is on the west side of the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, which is 800 feet (240 m) deep and nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 m) across at this location. The park extends from the creek in the bottom of the gorge up to the rim and across part of the plateau to the west. Colton Point State Park is known for its views of the Pine Creek Gorge, and offers opportunities for picnicking, hiking, fishing and hunting, whitewater boating, and camping. Colton Point is surrounded by Tioga State Forest and its sister park, Leonard Harrison State Park, on the east rim. The park is on a state forest road in Shippen Township 5 miles (8 km) south of U.S. Route 6.

Stokes State Forest

Stokes State Forest is a state park located in Sandyston, Montague and Frankford in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. Stokes comprises 16,447 acres (66.56 km2) of mountainous woods in the Kittatinny Mountains, extending from the southern boundary of High Point State Park southwestward to the eastern boundary of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

Leonard Harrison State Park Park in Pennsylvania, USA

Leonard Harrison State Park is a 585-acre (237 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is on the east rim of the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, which is 800 feet (240 m) deep and nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 m) across here. It also serves as headquarters for the adjoining Colton Point State Park, its sister park on the west rim of the gorge. Leonard Harrison State Park is known for its views of the Pine Creek Gorge, and offers hiking, fishing and hunting, whitewater boating, and camping. The park is in Shippen and Delmar Townships, 10 miles (16 km) west of Wellsboro at the western terminus of Pennsylvania Route 660.

Bald Eagle State Park

Bald Eagle State Park is a 5,900-acre (2,388 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and other smaller streams and covering 1,730 acres (700 ha). Bald Eagle State Park is at the meeting point of two distinct geologic features. The Allegheny Plateau is to the north and the Ridge and Valley area of Pennsylvania is to the south. The park is in the Bald Eagle Valley off Pennsylvania Route 150 in Howard, between Milesburg and Lock Haven.

Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area State park in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area is a 949.49-acre (384.24 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Lower Paxton and Middle Paxton Townships, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The land for the conservation area was donated to the state by real estate developer Alex Boyd in 1999. Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area is a sanctuary for mature trees and an environment education study area. The park is on Blue Mountain just off Pennsylvania Route 443.

Little Buffalo State Park

Little Buffalo State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 923 acres (3.7 km2) in Centre and Juniata Townships, Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is a historical destination as well as a recreational destination. Visitors to the park can cross a covered bridge and observe a restored and operating grist mill. The park is also home to Holman Lake a popular fishing lake in Perry County and several hundred acres are open to hunting. Little Buffalo State Park is a mile southwest of Newport just off Pennsylvania Route 34.

Prompton State Park State park in Wayne County, Pennsylvania

Prompton State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 2,000 acres (809 ha) in Clinton and Dyberry Townships, Wayne County, Pennsylvania in the United States. This park, which was established in 1962, is officially listed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as being undeveloped. This means that it is officially a state park but the PA-DCNR is not currently managing the park. However, the lands of the park are open to visitors. Friends of Prompton State Park, a grassroots organization is working to take over management of the park in much the same way that Salt Springs State Park in Susquehanna County is managed by The Friends of Salt Springs Park. Northeast Sports Ltd. of Honesdale sponsors several outdoor sports events that are held at the park. Prompton State Park is 4.2 miles (6.8 km) west of Honesdale on Pennsylvania Route 170.

Frances Slocum State Park

Frances Slocum State Park is a 1,035-acre (419 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Kingston Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Frances Slocum Lake is a 165-acre (67 ha) man-made, horseshoe-shaped lake that is a popular fishing and boating destination. The park is 5 miles (8.0 km) from Dallas and 10 miles (16 km) from Wilkes-Barre.

Lake Winfield Scott Lake in Georgia, United States

Lake Winfield Scott is an 18-acre (7.3 ha) mountain lake located 10 miles (16 km) south of Blairsville, Georgia in Union County. The lake, which is owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, is the source of Cooper Creek. It is the centerpiece of the Forest Service's Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, a park which features hiking, fishing, boating and other outdoor activities. At 2,854 feet (870 m) elevation it is one of Georgia's highest altitude lakes. The various habitats surrounding the lake support a wide assortment of plants and animals.

Hammersley Wild Area

Hammersley Wild Area is a 30,253-acre (12,243 ha) wild area in the Susquehannock State Forest in Potter and Clinton counties in north-central Pennsylvania in the United States. It is the largest area without a road in Pennsylvania and the state's second largest wild area. The wild area is named for Hammersley Fork, a tributary of Kettle Creek, which flows through the area. The wild area includes 10.78 miles (17.35 km) of the Susquehannock Trail System, an 85-mile (137 km) loop hiking trail almost entirely on state forest land.

Pine Creek Gorge A gorge carved by Pine creek in Pennsylvania, United States

Pine Creek Gorge, sometimes called The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is a 47-mile (76 km) gorge carved into the Allegheny Plateau by Pine Creek in north-central Pennsylvania.

The Little Wilson Creek Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it is intended to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contribute to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools. Over half of the ecosystems in the United States exist within designated wilderness.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "Salt Springs State Park". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  2. ↑ "Salt Springs State Park". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey. August 30, 1990. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  3. ↑ "PA - Fall Brook Natural Area - Salt Springs State Park". Old-Growth Forest Network. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Friends of Salt Springs Park". Friends of Salt Springs Park. Retrieved 2014-12-23.
  5. ↑ "Find a Park by Region (interactive map)". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  6. ↑ 2007 General Highway Map Susquehanna County Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). 1:65,000. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 2007-07-28.Note: shows Salt Springs State Park
  7. ↑ Michels, Chris (1997). "Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation". Northern Arizona University . Retrieved 2008-04-23.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.