Pine Grove Furnace State Park

From WikiCover

As of June 25, 2007, boaters and bathers are returning to Pine Grove Furnace State Park after a major dam repair and dredging operation forced a nine-month closing of one of the popular Cumberland County state park's two lakes.

The 25-acre Laurel Lake was drained after its mid-September 2006 closing to facilitate concrete work and other repairs to the dam spillway. Sedimentation had reduced lake depths to less than a foot in some areas, necessitating dredging operations that removed 31,000 cubic yards of silt and debris.

"Laurel Lake is deeper; its waters should be cooler and cleaner; and anglers and boaters should be delighted by the results of this project," Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said. "Annual visitors totaled approximately 334,000 before construction and this work should boost that number."

Boating is permitted only on the 25-acre Laurel Lake, which has a boat launch, 85 mooring spaces and a boat rental livery. Visitors enjoy swimming at guarded beaches and fishing at both Laurel and the neighboring, 1.7-acre Fuller Lake.

Steeped in natural beauty and historical features closely tied to the early iron ore industry, the 696-acre Pine Grove Furnace State Park is nestled in the mountainous section of southern Cumberland County.

Website: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/pinegrovefurnace.aspx