Park Alerts ( 5 Alerts )

• Holman Lake will be drawn down beginning September 11, 2017 to facilitate dam repairs, dredging, and installation of a new ADA accessible fishing pier. The lake will be drawn down as much as 10 feet below normal pool. Fishing and boating will still be permitted during the drawdown, however, depending on the project phase, boating access may be severely limited and boat launches may be unavailable. This could prevent launching trailered boats and limit use to hand-carried boats. Areas of the upper lake including the Upper Boat Launch, Swimming Pool Road Bridge, and Little Buffalo Creek Trail will be closed periodically due to dredging work.

• The docks at the boat launches have been removed due to the lake draw down. The main ramp remains open and usable without the docks.

• The lake is currently drawn down for dam repairs and lake dredging.  The expected dates will be from September 2017 through June 2018, but may change due to weather and construction delays. The lake will be drawn down as much as 10 feet below the normal pool to facilitate the repairs to the dam. Fishing and boating will still be permitted, however, boating access will be severely limited and both boat launches may be unavailable.  This may make it impossible to launch a trailered boat and limit use to hand carried boats.  There may also be times when the lake will need to be closed to boating, fishing, and/or ice fishing.  Areas of the upper lake including the Upper Boat Launch, the Swimming Pool Road Bridge, and the Little Buffalo Creek Trail will be closed periodically due to the dredging operation.

• General Firewood Quarantine: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has enacted a quarantine order for untreated firewood of any kind coming into the state. Any firewood brought into the state must be kiln dried, heat treated, fumigated, and/or USDA Certified. To protect the high quality and native character of our State Parks from exotic invasive species DCNR highly encourages all visitors to: burn/buy locally cut firewood (within 25 miles) BURN ALL firewood brought from another area. Do not leave it. Do not take it with you. Encourage friends and neighbors not to move firewood Do not remove firewood from a Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Area. Contact the PA Department of Agriculture, www.agriculture.pa.gov and search on the keyword Spotted Lantern Fly for current quarantine information.

• Contrary to the information on Google, Pennsylvania state parks are open every day of the year. Day use areas close at dusk. Park offices are open specific hours. Pools, beaches, and campgrounds are open specific seasons.

Park Description

Certain places just attract people. The cool, clear water of Little Buffalo Creek has been attracting people for centuries. American Indians frequented Little Buffalo Creek on hunting trips. Farmers and merchants used to gossip and pass news while the grain was ground at Shoaff’s Mill. Nearby, merchants, local people and travelers met at Blue Ball Tavern. Today, thousands of people meet at Little Buffalo State Park to picnic, swim, fish, hike and experience nature and history.

Things To Do ( 12 Available)

If the activity symbol is blue, this activity can accommodate people with a disability. Please contact the park at 717-567-9255 for more details. Tap Camping for Campground maps.

• Camping

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Campgrounds

• Little Buffalo Campground
  Season :	6 Months
  Restroom :	Modern
  Campsites :	40 Sites
  Electric :	Yes
  Pets Allowed :	Yes
  ADA Accessible :	Yes
  Please be aware that only designated sites have electric, allow pets and are ADA accessible.
  Get Directions	Reserve
  Campground Map

• Cabins

• Education Programs

• Sight Seeing

• Historical Places

• Fishing

• Cross Country Skiing

• Swimming

• Picnicking

• Hunting

• Boating

• Hiking

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Trails

• Fisherman'S Trail
  Easiest	0.81 miles
  This hiking trail wanders through a mature hemlock forest between East Picnic Area and Main Picnic Area. A dense canopy of hemlock trees allows very little sunlight to reach the forest floor making for a relatively cool walk even on the warmest days. The dim light prohibits the growth of most plants, but ferns and small hemlocks manage to grow under the canopy. A vista overlooking the lake and dam is on the east end of the trail near East Picnic Area. \r\n

• L. B. Creek Trail And Railroad Trace Extention
  Easiest	0.75 miles
  Located at the west end of the park, this trail offers hikers the beauty and sounds of water and good opportunities for seeing wildlife. This trail runs between the Main Picnic Area and the west end of the park. During the winter season, Little Buffalo Creek Trail makes a nice cross-country ski trail especially when skiers include the extention which includes the Newport and Sherman’s Valley Railroad trace and the mowed strips in the west end of the park.\r\n

• Blue Ball Trail
  Easiest	0.08 miles
  This .25 mile ADA accessible trail runs from the Blue Ball Tavern to the east day use area connecting trail.

• Connecting Trail
  Easiest	0.12 miles
  This trail loops through the historic district of Little Buffalo S.P. Along it's path you will find Clay's Covered Bridge and Way Car #12 from the Newport and Shermans Valley railroad trace. It also connects to Shoaff's Mill, the classroom annex, the entertainment pavilion, and the east day use restroom facilities.

• Mill Race Trail
  Easiest	0.40 miles
  This trail can be accessed by Shoaff’s Mill and by the Classroom Annex. The trail follows the stream Furnace Run and the mill race. The race is the narrow channel that supplies water to power the mill. A wayside exhibit explains how the mill race was dug using a mill race scoop pulled by horses. By Furnace Run hikers can find pieces of slag, a green colored stone that is a waste product of the iron furnace that was located upstream. This trail is good for seeing wildflowers.

• Blue Ball Trail
  Easiest	0.20 miles
  This .25 mile ADA accessible trail runs from the Blue Ball Tavern to the east day use area connecting trail.

• Connecting Trail
  Easiest	0.16 miles
  This trail loops through the historic district of Little Buffalo S.P. Along it's path you will find Clay's Covered Bridge and Way Car #12 from the Newport and Shermans Valley railroad trace. It also connects to Shoaff's Mill, the classroom annex, the entertainment pavilion, and the east day use restroom facilities.

• Railroad Trace
  Easiest	0.73 miles
  This is the railroad trace of the Newport & Sherman's Valley narrow gauge railroad.

• Buffalo Ridge Trail
  Most Difficult	1.38 miles
  This trail runs from the East Picnic Area to the Newport and Sherman's Valley Railroad trace near the Main Picnic Area in the western end of the park. This difficult trail winds up Buffalo Ridge and offers glimpses of the industrial history of the area. A mixed hardwood forest with scattered hemlock giants covers the area today, but before it was timbered, the ridge was covered in giant oaks, hickories, and American chestnut.

• Short Cut
  More Difficult	0.04 miles
  This is a spur off of the Buffalo Ridge trail. It can be accessed off of the utility road that leads to the water tower in the west day use area.

• Middle Ridge Trail
  Most Difficult	1.29 miles
  This 2.5 mile trail runs from the Exercise Trail toward the western end of the park. It offers many short, steep climbs while traveling through a variety of habitats. Open fields feature nice views of the lake.

• Exercise Trail
  More Difficult	1.06 miles
  This loop trail has 18 permanent stations where hikers can do many different exercises, including: balance beam, pull-ups, hand walks, bar vaults, sit-ups and many more. It is a good trail on which to see bluebirds.\r\n

• Campground Spur Trail
  Easiest	0.47 miles
  The .5 mile trail begins at the campground pond and follows an easy grade downhill where it connects with Middle Ridge Trail.

• Middle Ridge Trail
  Most Difficult	0.85 miles
  This trail runs from Exercise Trail to the west end of the park. It offers many short, steep climbs while traveling through a variety of habitats. Open fields feature nice views of the lake. \r\n

• L. B. Creek Trail And Railroad Trace Extention
  Easiest	0.55 miles
  Located at the west end of the park, this trail offers hikers the beauty and sounds of water and good opportunities for seeing wildlife. This trail runs between the Main Picnic Area and the west end of the park. During the winter season, Little Buffalo Creek Trail makes a nice cross-country ski trail especially when skiers include the extention which includes the Newport and Sherman’s Valley Railroad trace and the mowed strips in the west end of the park.\r\n

• L. B. Creek Trail And Railroad Trace Extention
  Easiest	0.15 miles
  Located at the west end of the park, this trail offers hikers the beauty and sounds of water and good opportunities for seeing wildlife. This trail runs between the Main Picnic Area and the west end of the park. During the winter season, Little Buffalo Creek Trail makes a nice cross-country ski trail especially when skiers include the extention which includes the Newport and Sherman’s Valley Railroad trace and the mowed strips in the west end of the park.\r\n

Park Events

Parks Nearby

If the activity symbol is blue, this activity can accommodate people with a disability. Please contact the park for more details.

• Colonel Denning

• Joseph E. Ibberson

• Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area

• Fowlers Hollow

• Reeds Gap