Cowans Gap State Park

Great place for some awesome fun! Nice walking and hiking trails.
Wonderful that the lake is available to the public for free.

Really enjoyed the snowy trail hike.

Cowans Gap State Park is our favorite PA park to camp. They have very clean facilities, and a friendly staff available to assist and answer questions.
If you are traveling with fido make sure you make reservations. Cowans Gap State Park only offers 30 pet sites available or 10%, per current policy, in their total sites inventory. All the pet sites were ocuppied for the second weekend in June we camped, however, I found the rest of the campground was empty if you are not requiring a pet site. Pet sites are 1 – 30 (site #1 is reserved for the campground host). Don’t bother with site 3, it is an extremely small site and is two tier. The rest of the pet loop 4 through 30 will accommodate your equipment. The on-​duty Park Ranger said they are evaluating and tracking their pet site inventory with use and pet turn-​away when they reach full capacity. I just can’t imagine not camping without our beagles.
We all had a great time and can’t wait to return later this summer.

Located on the border between Fulton and Franklin counties, I could see the colonists and the Native Americans slinking around in the countryside near this awesome park. We got to visit with daughter and her husband on a beautiful, though a little cool, afternoon. We packed an awesome picnic lunch and just enjoyed the beauty and the nature and the little 1.5 mile hike around the lake. No life guards, so swim at your own risk, but this seems to be the norm in all state parks because of budget issues.
Daughter and husband did the paddle boat while we just rested and enjoyed the scenery.
For some reason this part of PA makes me start thinking HISTORY. I am a history teacher, but when I go here I just imagine seeing the native Algonquins watching behind trees along Forbes trail as the red coats march to Pittsburgh. I just want to hike forever.

Cowan’s Gap is a picturesque state park nestled in the Blue mountains in Franklin county. It has a lake that is open for swimming, fishing, ice fishing and ice skating all year long. It really really is beautiful, and not that far from my home, Harrisburg Pa. It doesnt have anything that’s SUPER special compared to the other parks, it has a concession stand and a canoe rental place… but it’s beautiful to look at in the fall. Its over 1080 acres, and has a great trail all around it. it took a little while to walk, but still worth it. There are cabins and tents available for overnight camping.