Clear Creek State Park
Encyclopedia
Clear Creek State Park is a 1211.19 acres (490.2 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Barnett
and Heath Townships, Jefferson County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. Public campsites were first opened at the park in 1922. Many of the facilities seen today at the park were constructed during the Great Depression
by the Civilian Conservation Corps
. Clear Creek State Park is 12 miles (19.3 km) from Brookville
on Pennsylvania Route 949
at the confluence
of Clear Creek and the Clarion River
.
trails that run through the park and into Clear Creek State Forest. One such trail leads to Bear Town Rocks, a group of large boulders in the middle of the forest, from the top of which one can get a scenic view of the surrounding area. The park has extensive picnic
facilities and is open to hunting
and fishing
and serves as a launch point for canoeing on the Clarion River.
About 1200 acres (485.6 ha) of Chapman State Park are open to hunting. Hunters may park at the park to gain access to the surrounding Kitanning State Forest. Common game species are white-tailed deer
, black bear
, turkey
, and squirrel
s. The hunting of groundhog
s is prohibited. All hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
.
Clear Creek has a native and stocked
population of brook trout
. The Clarion River also has some trout, panfish
and smallmouth bass
. Some of the small tributaries
of Clear Creek and the Clarion River are also stocked with trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
.
The Clarion River
is a popular destination for canoeing enthusiasts. They commonly launch their canoe
s at Clear Creek State Park for the 4 and a half hour trip (10 miles (16.1 km)) to Cook Forest State Park
. Canoes are available to rent from various outfitter
s in the area.
n style yurt
s are available for rent to visitors interested in spending more than a day at Clear Creek State Park. Twenty-two rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
can be rented on a weekly basis beginning with the opening of trout
season in April and ending at the conclusion of deer
season in December. The cabins are heated with either a wood stove or a propane
heater. The two yurts have electric heat. Both the cabins and yurts have minimal accommodations. Single bunk beds, tables, chairs, an electric range, refrigerator and lights are provided. There is a centrally located shower area with frost free water spigots for drinking water.
The campground opens and closes with the cabins and yurts. Fifty-three trailer and tent sites are available for use. The rustic campground is located in the woods with outhouse
s and a sanitary dump station. There is a 9 hole disc golf
course and a concrete basketball court
next to the campground.
Barnett Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
Barnett Township is a township in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 272 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
and Heath Townships, Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,200. It was established on March 26, 1804, from part of Lycoming County and named for then-President Thomas Jefferson. Its county seat is Brookville...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States. Public campsites were first opened at the park in 1922. Many of the facilities seen today at the park were constructed during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
. Clear Creek State Park is 12 miles (19.3 km) from Brookville
Brookville, Pennsylvania
Brookville is a borough in Jefferson County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. 2,472 people lived in Brookville in 1900, and 3,003 people lived there in 1910. The population was 4,230 at the 2000 census...
on Pennsylvania Route 949
Pennsylvania Route 949
Pennsylvania Route 949 is a long, north–south state highway located in Jefferson and Elk counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 28 in Summerville. The northern terminus is at PA 948 in Ridgway.-Route description:...
at the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of Clear Creek and the Clarion River
Clarion River
The Clarion River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 110 mi long, in west central Pennsylvania in the United States...
.
Recreation
Clear Creek State Park is open to many recreational opportunities. There are 25 miles (40.2 km) of hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails that run through the park and into Clear Creek State Forest. One such trail leads to Bear Town Rocks, a group of large boulders in the middle of the forest, from the top of which one can get a scenic view of the surrounding area. The park has extensive picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
facilities and is open to hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and serves as a launch point for canoeing on the Clarion River.
About 1200 acres (485.6 ha) of Chapman State Park are open to hunting. Hunters may park at the park to gain access to the surrounding Kitanning State Forest. Common game species are white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
, and squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
s. The hunting of groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s is prohibited. All hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
.
Clear Creek has a native and stocked
Fish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
population of brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
. The Clarion River also has some trout, panfish
Panfish
A panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an edible game fish that usually doesn't outgrow the size of a frying pan. The term is also commonly used by anglers to refer to any small catch that will fit in a pan, but is large enough to be legal. However its definition and usage varies with...
and smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
. Some of the small tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of Clear Creek and the Clarion River are also stocked with trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
.
The Clarion River
Clarion River
The Clarion River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 110 mi long, in west central Pennsylvania in the United States...
is a popular destination for canoeing enthusiasts. They commonly launch their canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s at Clear Creek State Park for the 4 and a half hour trip (10 miles (16.1 km)) to Cook Forest State Park
Cook Forest State Park
Cook Forest State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Farmington Township, Clarion County, Barnett Township, Forest County and Barnett Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is a heavily wooded area of rolling hills and mountains along the Clarion River in...
. Canoes are available to rent from various outfitter
Outfitter
An outfitter is a shop or person that sells men's clothes . More specifically, it is a company or individual who provides or deals in equipment and supplies for the pursuit of certain activities. The term is most closely associated with outdoor activities such as rafting, hunting, fishing,...
s in the area.
Accommodations
Cabins and MongoliaMongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n style yurt
Yurt
A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
s are available for rent to visitors interested in spending more than a day at Clear Creek State Park. Twenty-two rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
can be rented on a weekly basis beginning with the opening of trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
season in April and ending at the conclusion of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
season in December. The cabins are heated with either a wood stove or a propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
heater. The two yurts have electric heat. Both the cabins and yurts have minimal accommodations. Single bunk beds, tables, chairs, an electric range, refrigerator and lights are provided. There is a centrally located shower area with frost free water spigots for drinking water.
The campground opens and closes with the cabins and yurts. Fifty-three trailer and tent sites are available for use. The rustic campground is located in the woods with outhouse
Outhouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
s and a sanitary dump station. There is a 9 hole disc golf
Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
course and a concrete basketball court
Basketball court
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished...
next to the campground.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Clear Creek State Park:- Bendigo State ParkBendigo State ParkBendigo State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania in the United States.The park is in a valley on the East Branch Clarion River. Only of the park is developed. The other is undeveloped woodlands of beech, birch, cherry and maple.-History:Bendigo State...
(Elk CountyElk County, PennsylvaniaElk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,946.Elk County was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk that historically inhabited the region. Its county...
) - Chapman State ParkChapman State ParkChapman State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Pleasant Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania near Clarendon, in the United States. The man-made Chapman Lake covers of the park. Chapman State Park is named in honor of Dr. Leroy E. Chapman. Dr. Chapman was a state senator from 1929 until 1963...
(Warren CountyWarren County, PennsylvaniaWarren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 41,815. It was formed in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango County until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Its county...
) - Cook Forest State ParkCook Forest State ParkCook Forest State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Farmington Township, Clarion County, Barnett Township, Forest County and Barnett Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is a heavily wooded area of rolling hills and mountains along the Clarion River in...
(Clarion CountyClarion County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, Jefferson, and Forest CountiesForest County, PennsylvaniaForest County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population is 7,716. Forest County is famous as a rural retreat. Nearly 75% of all dwellings in the county are second or vacation homes . Forest County does not have a single traffic light, the only county in the...
) - Oil Creek State ParkOil Creek State ParkOil Creek State Park is Pennsylvania state park on in Cherrytree, Cornplanter and Oil Creek Township Townships, Venango County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is adjacent to Drake Well Museum, the site of the first successful oil well in the United States, that was drilled under the...
(Venango CountyVenango County, PennsylvaniaVenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,984. Its county seat is Franklin.-History:Venango County was created on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties...
)