Shawnee State Park

You can’t miss Shawnee State Park when you travel in southwestern Pennsylvania on U.S. Route 30. The famous route, also known as the Lincoln Highway, literally takes you through a portion of the park. But don’t continue driving; plan to stop at the 3,983-acre Pennsylvania treasure that is filled with a plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Enjoy boating? The park’s 451-acre lake is a gem. It has three large areas of water connected by channels. The lake has islands and peaceful coves to explore. There are three boat launch areas, and the main dock and launch ramp are ADA accessible. There are 183 dry-boat mooring spaces. Bring your own non-powered or electric motor boat, or, stop by the boat concession and rent a canoe, paddleboat, or rowboat.

Enjoy fishing? The lake is stocked with warm water game fish. Look for smallmouth and largemouth bass, bluegill, bullhead, carp, catfish, muskellunge, northern pike, pickerel, sucker, sunfish, walleye and yellow perch. The fishing pier by the Diehl Boat Launch is ADA accessible. Visiting in the winter? Try your luck at ice fishing.

Enjoy swimming? The lake swimming area is roped off, but it has no lifeguards. Adjacent is a sand and turf beach, playground, and modern bathhouse with flush toilets and showers. The beach area is open 8 a.m. to sunset from late-May to mid-September.

Enjoy hiking or biking? There are 16 miles of hiking trails and 7.5 miles of bike trails. Hikers and bikers share the easy 3.4-mile Lake Shore Trail. The remaining bicycling trails are rated moderate.

Want more activities? Try the nine-hole, par-three disc golf course, enjoy a picnic, or hunt, trap or train your dog on over 3,000 acres. In the winter, come for the snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and ice skating.

With so much to do, why not spend the night? Choose from a campground with flush toilets and showers, camping cottages, yurts or stay in Shawnee Lodge, a two-story house that sleeps eight people in four bedrooms. The campground has three ADA accessible campsites. The camping season starts the second Friday in April and continues until late in December. Make online reservations at www.visitPAparks.com.