Codorus State Park
Encyclopedia
Codorus State Park is a 3329 acres (1,347.2 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Heidelberg
, Manheim
, Penn
, and West Manheim Townships in southwestern York County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. The park was created around Lake Marburg, an artificial lake
covering 1275 acres (516 ha), and is named for Codorus Creek
, which forms the lake. Codorus State Park is located on Pennsylvania Route 216
, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the borough of Hanover
.
and the P.H. Glatfelter Company worked together to dam
Codorus Creek. The purpose of the dam was to provide drinking water for Spring Grove and to meet the industrial needs of the paper plant owned by the P.H. Glatfelter Company in the borough. The construction of this dam was also beneficial to the people of Pennsylvania when a park was created on the shores of the newly made Lake Marburg.
Lake Marburg gets its name from the small community of Marburg that was flooded in December 1966, when Codorus Creek was dammed. The dam is 109 feet (33.2 m) high, 1690 feet (515.1 m) wide and 750 feet (228.6 m) thick. It is not owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but is instead owned by and on the property of the P.H. Glatfelter Company.
The land for the park was acquired as part of the Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act
, with the governor approving the acquisition on December 10, 1964. The park officially opened in 1970. It was originally named "Codorus Creek State Park".
, boating
, and camping
. It also has a swimming pool and an 54 hole disc golf
course. Lake Marburg has 26 miles (41.8 km) of coastline.
Lake Marburg holds many different species of fish. Fishermen will find largemouth bass
, yellow perch
, crappie
, muskellunge
, catfish
, northern pike
, and bluegill
in the warm waters of Lake Marburg. Cold water fishing is available in the east branch of Codorus Creek where anglers will find rainbow trout
and brown trout
that have been stocked
for sport fishing by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
.
Canoe
s, kayak
s, sailboat
s and motor boats are all permitted on Lake Marburg, provided they are registered properly with the state.
Codorus State Park has modern and rustic camp site available. There are 198 camp sites that are suitable for RV's
(up to 50 feet (15.2 m) in length) and tents. There are eight campsites with electricity
or accommodate campers with disabilities. Codorus State Park also has 13 walk-in campsites for those interested in camping in tents only.
Picnic tables are scattered throughout the park, and two pavilions may be reserved for use by large groups.
There are 5 miles (8 km) of hiking
trails with Codorus State Park. The Mary Ann Furnace trail is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long. It is a loop trail that winds through pine plantations, hardwood forests
and some wetland
s. The LaHo trail is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and follows the lakeshore of Lake Marburg through hardwoods and wetlands. Hiking is also possible on the 7 miles (11.3 km) horse trail on the west side of the park.
There are two 18 hole disc golf courses, and two 9 hole extra courses at Codorus State Park. There is also a 9-hole minis course. The blue course is a more technical 18 holes mostly through wooded areas. The red course is more open, but has some longer holes. There is a bonus course with 9 holes and a cross country course with 9 holes.
Hunting is permitted in Codorus State Park. The most common game species are Ruffed Grouse
, Eastern Gray Squirrel
, Wild Turkey
and White-tailed deer
. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. Hunters are limited to using shotgun
s, muzzleloaders
and bows
.
Codorus State Park does not close in winter. Snowmobiling, cross country skiing, sledding, ice skating, ice fishing and ice sailing are all popular winter activities, when the weather permits.
Heidelberg Township, York County, Pennsylvania
Heidelberg Township is a township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,078 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.41%, is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
, Manheim
Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania
Manheim Township is a township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 3,380.-Geography:...
, Penn
Penn Township, York County, Pennsylvania
Penn Township is a township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,612 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.16%, is water...
, and West Manheim Townships in southwestern York County
York County, Pennsylvania
York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
, 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. The park was created around Lake Marburg, an artificial lake
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
covering 1275 acres (516 ha), and is named for Codorus Creek
Codorus Creek
Codorus Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in York County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-Course:Codorus Creek rises on Beecher Hill in Manheim Township, just north of the Pennsylvania-Maryland line and the town of Lineboro, Maryland...
, which forms the lake. Codorus State Park is located on Pennsylvania Route 216
Pennsylvania Route 216
Pennsylvania Route 216 is an long state highway located in York county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 116 in Hanover. The eastern terminus is at PA 24 in Winterstown.-Route description:...
, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the borough of Hanover
Hanover, Pennsylvania
Hanover is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, southwest of York and north-northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.The town is situated in a productive agricultural region. The population was 15,289 at the 2010 census. The borough is served by a 717 area code and the Zip Codes of 17331-34...
.
History
The history of Codorus State Park is tied to a co-operative effort between private enterprise and state and local government. The borough of Spring GroveSpring Grove, Pennsylvania
Spring Grove is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,167 at the 2010 census.-History:The site of Spring Grove was laid out in 1747 on the banks of Codorus Creek, midway between York and Hanover, by a surveyor for the Penns. Its growth since that time falls...
and the P.H. Glatfelter Company worked together to dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
Codorus Creek. The purpose of the dam was to provide drinking water for Spring Grove and to meet the industrial needs of the paper plant owned by the P.H. Glatfelter Company in the borough. The construction of this dam was also beneficial to the people of Pennsylvania when a park was created on the shores of the newly made Lake Marburg.
Lake Marburg gets its name from the small community of Marburg that was flooded in December 1966, when Codorus Creek was dammed. The dam is 109 feet (33.2 m) high, 1690 feet (515.1 m) wide and 750 feet (228.6 m) thick. It is not owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but is instead owned by and on the property of the P.H. Glatfelter Company.
The land for the park was acquired as part of the Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act
Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act
Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act is a public lands acquisition law enacted in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on 22 June 1964. It permits the state to issue bonds for the purchase of lands for public parks, reservoirs, and other conservation, recreation, and historical preservation...
, with the governor approving the acquisition on December 10, 1964. The park officially opened in 1970. It was originally named "Codorus Creek State Park".
Recreation
The park is open for fishingFishing
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....
, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, and camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
. It also has a swimming pool and an 54 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. Lake Marburg has 26 miles (41.8 km) of coastline.
Lake Marburg holds many different species of fish. Fishermen will find largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, muskellunge
Muskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, and bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
in the warm waters of Lake Marburg. Cold water fishing is available in the east branch of Codorus Creek where anglers will find rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
that have been 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...
for sport fishing 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...
.
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, kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
s, sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
s and motor boats are all permitted on Lake Marburg, provided they are registered properly with the state.
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
(up to 50 feet (15.2 m) in length) and tents. There are eight campsites with electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
or accommodate campers with disabilities. Codorus State Park also has 13 walk-in campsites for those interested in camping in tents only.
Picnic tables are scattered throughout the park, and two pavilions may be reserved for use by large groups.
There are 5 miles (8 km) of hiking
Hiking
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 with Codorus State Park. The Mary Ann Furnace trail is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long. It is a loop trail that winds through pine plantations, hardwood forests
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Mixed forests are a temperate and humid biome. The typical structure of these forests includes four layers. The uppermost layer is the canopy composed of tall mature trees ranging from 33 to 66 m high. Below the canopy is the three-layered, shade-tolerant understory that is roughly 9 to...
and some wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s. The LaHo trail is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and follows the lakeshore of Lake Marburg through hardwoods and wetlands. Hiking is also possible on the 7 miles (11.3 km) horse trail on the west side of the park.
There are two 18 hole disc golf courses, and two 9 hole extra courses at Codorus State Park. There is also a 9-hole minis course. The blue course is a more technical 18 holes mostly through wooded areas. The red course is more open, but has some longer holes. There is a bonus course with 9 holes and a cross country course with 9 holes.
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
, Eastern Gray 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...
, Wild 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 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...
. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. Hunters are limited to using shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
s, muzzleloaders
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
and bows
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
.
Codorus State Park does not close in winter. Snowmobiling, cross country skiing, sledding, ice skating, ice fishing and ice sailing are all popular winter activities, when the weather permits.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Codorus State Park:- Cunningham Falls State ParkCunningham Falls State ParkCunningham Falls State Park is a Maryland State Park located west of Thurmont, Maryland, USA, in the Catoctin Mountains. It features a man-made lake and its namesake waterfall, Cunningham Falls. Cunningham Falls is a cascading waterfall. It is the largest waterfall in Maryland. Catoctin...
(MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
) - Gifford Pinchot State ParkGifford Pinchot State ParkGifford Pinchot State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Warrington Township, York County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park contains wooded hillsides, reverting farm fields, and Pinchot Lake. It is near York and Harrisburg in the south-central part of the state.The park is named...
(York County) - Gunpowder Falls State ParkGunpowder Falls State ParkGunpowder Falls State Park is an park in northwestern Baltimore County and eastern Harford County, Maryland. It is primarily made up of the stream valleys of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River, and boasts over 100 miles of trails. All areas of the park are convenient to the...
(Maryland) - Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training CenterKings Gap Environmental Education and Training CenterKings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center is a Pennsylvania state park in Cooke, Dickinson and Penn Townships, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land in 1973, from the C. H. Masland and Son Carpet Company...
(Cumberland CountyCumberland County, PennsylvaniaCumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
) - Pine Grove Furnace State ParkPine Grove Furnace State ParkPine Grove Furnace State Park is a protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel and Fuller lakes in Cooke Township. The park provides various outdoor recreation activities, has the remains of the Pine Grove Iron Works, and was the site of the 1830 Laurel Forge, 1880s Pine Grove Park, and an...
(Cumberland County) - Rocks State ParkRocks State ParkThe Rocks State Park, originally known as Deer Creek State Park, is a state park located in Deer Creek Valley near Pylesville in Harford County, Maryland. The park, located near the junction of Maryland Routes 24 and 165 is near the Mason-Dixon Line, and about a one-hour drive from Baltimore...
(Maryland) - Samuel S. Lewis State ParkSamuel S. Lewis State ParkSamuel S. Lewis State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Lower Windsor Township, York County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Mt. Pisgah is an high ridge that is the focus of recreation for the park. The ridge separates East Prospect Valley from Kreutz Creek Valley. An overlook on Mt. Pisgah...
(York County)