Bald Eagle State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Bald Eagle State Park is a 5,900-acre park in Bald Eagle Valley in Howard, Pennsylvania. Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir borders the state park, offering fishing, boating and winter sports activities. You have a beautiful view of Eagle Mountain in the distance, and there is a mixture of forest and wetland in the park. You can explore the terrain on 14.5 miles of trails. Swimming, hunting and camping are also allowed at Bald Eagle State Park. Nearby cities: • Howard, PA • Bellefonte, PA • Lock Haven, PA • Altoona, PA
Spring 26-73 F
Summer 57-86 F
Fall 30-76 F
Winter 17-39 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Bald Eagle State Park
Russell P. Letterman Campground • Water hookup: Yes • Electrical hookup: Yes • Sewer hookup: Yes • Wi-Fi: No • Pet-friendly: Yes • Max RV length: 50 feet • Other amenities: Flush toilets, warm showers, sanitary dump station, picnic tables, fire rings, yurts, camping cottages, amphitheater, paved parking spur, two ADA-accessible campsites Rustic Camping Area • Water hookup: No • Electrical hookup: No • Sewer hookup: No • Wi-Fi: No • Pet-friendly: Yes • Max RV length: 48 feet • Other amenities: Non-flush toilets, sink with running water in the restroom, drinking water, sanitary dump station
Bellefonte / State College KOA Holiday
Just over a 10-minute drive from Bald Eagle State Park isBellefonte / State College KOA Holiday, which is tucked in the Appalachian Mountains on more than 70 acres. KOAs are well-known for their family-friendly atmosphere and abundance of amenities and on-site activities, so you’ll certainly never feel bored!
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: splash pad, stocked fishing pond, two playgrounds, sports area, jumping pillow, grills, fire pits, heated swimming pool, snack bar, pavilion, cable TV, kitchen dog park, laundry facilities, bathhouse, splash park, gift store.
Fort Bellefonte Campground
Just one minute down the road from the KOA isFort Bellefonte Campground, which offers a variety of campsites for RVs, cabins and tent sites. There are 90 RV sites on offer, including 18 which have full hookups.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: showers, playground, laundry facilities, cable TV, camp store, miniature golf, water lagoon, pavilion.
Holiday Pines Campground
Just a half-hour drive from the state park isHoliday Pines Campground, which is open from April 1st through December 1st. It’s a small family campground located in the mountains of North Central Pennsylvania at the gateway to the PA Wilds. RV sites start at $38 per night.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: camp store, bathhouses, laundry facilities, miniature golf, playground, swimming pool, games room, picnic tables, fire rings.
What to Do at
Bald Eagle State Park
Go for a swim in Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, and enjoy a waterside picnic at one of the pavilions or picnic tables. Grills are available at the reservoir if you want to barbecue food. If you visit in the winter, you can go ice skating on the reservoir. Park officials don't monitor the ice thickness, so you'll need to check that it's safe before skating. Other activities to enjoy include fishing, boating, sledding and cross-country skiing.
Inside Bald Eagle State Park
At Bald Eagle State Park, there’s something for every type of visitor – whether it’s swimming, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, boating, or exploring the park’s 11 miles of hiking trails.
Swimming : There’s a 1,200-foot long sand and turf beach within the state park, which also has a children's playground, a snack bar, changing rooms, public restrooms, and parking. The beach can be accessed from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, unless otherwise posted.
Fishing : Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir is a warm water fishery and fishing is permitted from the shore, on boats and from an ADA accessible pier located at the main boat launch in the central park area. Visitors can expect to catch a variety of species, most commonly largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, and channel catfish.
Hunting : Hunting is permitted on over 4,900 acres of Bald Eagle State Park, however, hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Hunting groundhogs is prohibited, but game species such as squirrels, turkey, rabbits, pheasant, and white-tailed deer may be hunted.
Cross-Country Skiing : In winter, the numerous hiking trails within the state park also become the ideal runs for cross-country skiing. Skiers must be aware that some of the trails pass through areas open to hunting and therefore must follow regulations.
Boating : Unlimited horsepower motorboats are permitted on Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, however, boaters must adhere to the speed limit of 45 mph and follow the counterclockwise pattern when navigating the lake. There are also boats available for rent at the marina, including rowboats with and without motors, canoes, runabouts, and pontoon boats.
Hiking : All trails within the state park are open year-round at 8:00 a.m. and are closed at sunset. Some of the most popular hiking trails include the Butterfly Trail, Lakeside Trail, and Skyline Drive Trail.
Fishing
Yellow perch and tiger muskellunge are two of the fish species that you can catch at Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir. You also have a good chance of catching smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish and crappie. Ice fishing is allowed on a 630-acre section during the winter. You'll find an ADA-accessible fishing pier at Winter Launch in the main park area.
Geocaching
You need permission to hide an item for geocaching at Bald Eagle State Park. A quest that's available at the park is called "Overlooking the Lake."
Nature Watching
At the reservoir, you may see snapping turtles, bald eagles, great blue herons or ospreys. In the fields, see if you can spot a cottontail rabbit, monarch butterfly, woodchuck or bluebird. Warblers, swallows, flycatchers and other songbirds sing and engage in courting rituals during the spring.
Flora and Fauna
Goldenrod and asters are common types of flowers that grow in Bald Eagle State Park. The predominant trees in the park's forest include gray dogwood, sumac, pine and maple. Bald Eagle Mountain's forest consists of oak and hickory.
Hiking
Butterfly Trail offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, and it's an easy 1.5-mile hike. Walk along the base of Bald Eagle Mountain on Lakeside Trail. It's 5.6 miles and begins at Bald Eagle Launch Access Area. Other hikes to take in the park include Woapalanne Path, Swamp Oak Trail, Skyline Drive Trail, Hunter Run West Trail and Hunter Run East Trail.
Boating
Reach up to 45 mph on your boat at this state park. Unlimited horsepower motors are allowed. However, you need to make sure that you travel counterclockwise. Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir has 23 miles of shoreline to explore.
Swimming
The Bald Eagle State Park swimming area is open from 8 a.m. to sunset from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It features a 1,200-foot-long sand and turf beach, a playground, changing rooms, restrooms and a parking area.
How to Get to
Bald Eagle State Park
Bald Eagle State Park is located at 149 Main Park Road, Howard, PA 16841. From Howard, travel west on PA-26 N/Walnut Street toward Black Street, and turn right onto PA-150 N. In just over a mile, you need to turn right onto Main Park Road, then right onto Schencks Grove Drive. Take the first left that you come across, and you will reach your destination.
Entering Bald Eagle State Park
Pennsylvania doesn't charge entrance or day use fees at any of its state parks. If you want to make a reservation, you can do so for $6.50, which isn't refundable. It costs $10 to make a change to your reservation, unless you're extending your stay. You can make a reservation up to 11 months in advance. There are two electric car charging stations at Bald Eagle State Park that you can use for $6.50–$16.50. Once your car is charged, you'll need to move it to another parking spot.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bald Eagle State Park
Summer is the best time of year to visit Bald Eagle State Park for water activities and waterfowl birdwatching. When Bald Eagle Mountain turns yellow, red, orange and brown in fall, it's a beautiful time to visit for seeing the scenery, too. Because every season has something to offer, you may find yourself making more than one trip.
Because of the varied terrain, you can find a variety of wildlife at Bald Eagle State Park. Popular sightings include monarch butterflies, songbirds, waterfowl and turtles.
Yes, both of the campgrounds have RV camping spots. You can bring an RV up to 50 feet to the state park.
Yes, you need to make a reservation to camp at Bald Eagle State Park. The average nightly rate to camp at the park is $35.
You can bring your furry friend to Bald Eagle State Park, but they won't be allowed in the water. There may be some other areas of the park that they aren't allowed, such as certain trails.
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