Swatara State Park

Welcome to Swatara State Park located between the Blue and Second Mountains of Pennsylvania's beautiful Swatara Valley. Long before the first Europeans set foot on the continent, the Native Americans used the land on the banks of Swatara Creek as a transportation route. In the mid-18th century some of the first Europeans arrived in the region and coal was discovered, which resulted in the construction of the Union Canal in the 1820's and eventually the railroads came through. The State of Pennsylvania planned this park for over a decade and a half before finally opening it in 1987. Today one can still see the remains of many historic structures including an old dam, a railroad bed, and a cast iron bridge.

Today Swatara State Park remains mostly undeveloped but it does offer the visitor access to the nearby Appalachian Trail, opportunities to search for fossils that are millions of years in age, boat launches, and much more. The park also gives wildlife habitat to white-tailed deer, bluebirds, raccoons, red-tailed hawks, and many others. Come out and explore!

To contact the office please call 717-865-6470.