Hello everyone! Week 10!!! This week we are heading a little bit further away from State College toward Holidaysburg area to explore the hiking options at Canoe Creek State Park. This is going to be somewhat different than what we normally do which is identify a trail and send you the map. For this week, we are sharing with you all the information on the Canoe Creek State Park’s trails which vary in distance from 0.4 miles to 3.2 miles in length. Upon arriving at the park, grab a map from the visitor’s center or bring a printed copy of the attached map. Have your daughter decide which trail/s she wants to explore, and let her lead the way! By now she should be able to navigate using a map and blaze markings. Have fun with this one!!
Week 10 Hike: Canoe Creek State Park https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/CanoeCreekStatePark/Pages/Hiking.aspx
Distance: Varies from 0.3 miles to 3.2 miles, elevations and difficult levels vary as well.
Directions: Attached is a map so you can see the general direction of where this park is along with how long to expect it to take to get there. It is just under an hour away.
Bonus: Geologic formations in and around today’s Canoe Creek State Park are rich in limestone. This limestone was extracted and used for many purposes, including supplying a raw material for the once thriving iron and steel industry of Pennsylvania. The park has several old quarry operations around Moore’s Hill. Once mined, the limestone was taken to a kiln and heated. Two calcining plants (limekilns) operated in the park during the early 1900s; the Hartman kilns site and the Blair Limestone Company kilns site. The Petersburg spur of the Pennsylvania Railroad traveled through what is now Canoe Creek State Park to connect the lime kilns with the mainline railroad.
The Blair Limestone Company Kiln remnants are the focus of historical and interpretive programs and displays. This company was a subsidiary of Jones and Laughlin Steel Company of Pittsburgh, Pa.Canoe Creek State Park offers12 miles of trails. The beautiful and winding hiking trails allow hikers to explore forests, fields, wetlands, shrubby areas, historic sites, and the lakeshore. Hiking trails range from easy to difficult and provide ample opportunity for wildlife watching. Vistas atop Sugarloaf and Moore’s hills provide scenic views of the park and surrounding area. On a clear day, visitors can even catch a glimpse of Blue Knob State Park, more than 20 miles away. Information on trails, wildlife, and geocaching can be obtained at the education center or the park office. The park offers swimming, a 9 hole disc golf course, and camping!