Poe Valley State Park

Geobox Protected Area
name = Poe Valley State Park
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category_local = Pennsylvania State Park
category_iucn = III


image_caption = Autumn scenery at Poe Valley State Park
etymology_type =
etymology =
country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region_type = County
region = Centre
district_type = Township
district = Penn
city =
city1 =
location =
lat_d = 40
lat_m = 49
lat_s = 20
lat_NS = N
long_d = 77
long_m = 28
long_s = 21
long_EW = W
location_note = cite web
url=Gnis3|1184166
title=Poe Valley State Park
date = August 2 1979
work=Geographic Names Information System
publisher=United States Geological Survey
accessdate=2008-05-26]
elevation_imperial = 1296
elevation_round = 1
elevation_note =
area_unit = acre
area_imperial = 620
area_round = 1
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lowest =
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biome =
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geology =
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plant =
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established_type =
established = 1938
established1_type =
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management_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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visitation =
visitation_year =
free_type = Nearest city
free = State College, Pennsylvania
free1_type =
free1 =


map_caption = Location of Poe Valley State Park in Pennsylvania
map_locator = Pennsylvania
map_first =
website = [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/poevalley.aspx Poe Valley State Park]

Poe Valley State Park is a convert|620|acre|km2|2|adj=on Pennsylvania state park in Penn Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. Poe Paddy State Park is convert|4|mi|0 to the west. The forests of the park surround the convert|25|acre|km2|2|adj=on Poe Lake. Poe Valley State Park is in isolated Poe Valley which lies between Potters Mills on U.S. Route 322 and Millheim on Pennsylvania Route 45. The park will be closed for the 2008 and 2009 season while the lake is drained for dam repairs and the park facilities are upgraded.

History

Poe Valley State Park and nearby Poe Paddy State Park were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The young men of the CCC also worked to clear the regrowing forests of brush to prevent forest fires. They constructed roads throughout the forests, built state park facilities, constructed bridges on the state roads, planted trees for reforestation, and cleaned streams.cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/Parks/poevalley.aspx
title = Poe Valley State Park
accessdate = 2006-11-14
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ]

Poe Lake

Poe Lake is a man-made lake covering convert|25|acre|km2|2, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps on Big Poe Creek during the Great Depression. The lake provides a habitat for perch, pickerel, sunfish, catfish, and trout. Fishing is permitted in the lake, and non-powered boats such as canoes, kayaks, and johnboats are allowed if they are properly registered with any state. Powered boats must have electric motors as gas powered motors are prohibited. The beach is open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend. Ice fishing and ice skating are permitted at the lake during the winter months. Visitors fish and skate at their own risk: the thickness of the ice is not monitored. The lake is currently drained as the park is making repairs to the dam.

Hunting

Hunting is permitted on convert|450|acre|km2|2 of Poe Valley State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are ruffed grouse, squirrels, turkey, white-tailed deer, and black bears. The hunting of groundhogs is prohibited. The shores of Poe Lake are closed to hunting.

Trails

Reeds Gap Spur Trail is a hiking trail convert|18|mi|0 long, that begins in Reeds Gap State Park and ends in Poe Valley State Park. The other trails in the park all connect with the system of hiking trails in Bald Eagle State Forest. The Pennsylvania Mid State Trail, a hiking trail convert|306|mi|0 long, passes through Poe Valley. Hunters use the trails to access Bald Eagle State Forest. During the winter the trails are open to cross-country skiing and recreational snow mobile use.

Camping and picnicking

The rustic campground opens with trout season on the second Friday in April and closes at the end of doe season in mid December. There are no showers or flush toilets at the campground. A sanitary dump station is provided. Campers are permitted to moor their boats near the dam on Poe Lake. The campground is just below the dam on Big Poe Creek. The picnic area is on the shore of the lake and provides tables, pavilions and charcoal grills.

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within convert|30|mi|0 of Poe Valley State Park:cite web
last = Michels
first = Chris
year = 1997
url = http://www2.nau.edu/~cvm/latlongdist.html
title = Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation
publisher = Northern Arizona University
accessdate = 2008-04-23] [cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/region_central.aspx
title = Map reference shows Poe Valley State Park
accessdate = 2006-11-14
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ] [cite map |scale = 1:65,000| publisher= Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division | url= ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/centre_GHSN.pdf| title= 2007 General Highway Map Centre County Pennsylvania | accessdate= 2007-07-27 "Note: shows Poe Valley State Park"]
*Bald Eagle State Park (Centre County)
*Bucktail State Park Natural Area (Cameron and Clinton Counties)
*Greenwood Furnace State Park (Huntingdon County)
*McCalls Dam State Park (Centre County)
*Penn-Roosevelt State Park (Centre County)
*Poe Paddy State Park (Centre County)
*R. B. Winter State Park (Union County)
*Reeds Gap State Park (Mifflin County)
*Sand Bridge State Park (Union County)
*Whipple Dam State Park (Huntingdon County)

References

External links

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