PA Swatara State Park Targeted for Trail Installation, Other Improvements

To: ENVIRONMENTAL AND STATE EDITORS

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A
long-awaited construction project that will see trails, parking
areas and bridges installed at Swatara State Park in Lebanon and
Schuylkill counties is now underway, the Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources said today.

"Long identified as 'undeveloped,' this gem of a state park
comprised of woodlands and meadows straddling Swatara Creek is
targeted for the type of improvements its visitors have
requested," said DCNR Secretary Richard Allan. "Planned facility and
infrastructure improvements will support and enhance day-use
recreation that already includes canoeing, fishing, hiking,
picnicking and bicycling."

Work will include installation of 10 miles of crushed stone
trails along an existing railway bed and a portion of abandoned
Old State Road. A new trail and bridge near Sand Siding Road
will connect the former rail bed and roadway. Another bridge
will span Mill Creek on the rail trail.

Four new trailheads, or parking areas, also are planned,
affording easy access to the trails and launch areas for
canoeing and kayaking.

Financed through state capital budget funds, the $4.67 million
project undertaken by Kinsley Construction of York County is
expected to be completed by mid-July.

State acquisition of lands that were to become Swatara State
Park began in 1971 and was completed in 1987. Totaling 3,520
acres, the state
park was subject of numerous surveys, environmental
assessments, Bureau of State Parks research efforts, and
governmental and user-group committee studies. The input shaped
the park's future and best utilizes its recreational potential.

"With its increased network of trails and access to Swatara
Creek launching areas, we see park visitation growing
significantly," Allan said. "We know more than 84,000 visitors
came last year to float and fish its waters and hike and bike
its scenic woodlands."

Park visitors are advised construction work may affect access
to certain areas. Closings may be required along Old State
Road/Bear Hole Trail, Rail Trail, the Lickdale Spur, and the
boat launch near Swopes Valley Road. Mountain bike trails, the
Appalachian Trail, and Waterville Bridge will remain open, as
will sections of the rail trail. The Swatara Water Trail will
require portage around bridge construction.

Updated information can be obtained by contacting Memorial Lake
State Park Office, 717-865-6470; or by email at memorialsp@pa.gov^[1].

Most of Swatara State Park is located along Interstate 81
between Second and Blue mountains. An 8-mile stretch of the
Swatara Creek Water Trail winds through the park, and two miles
of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to
Maine, cross its southern sector.

Part of the Memorial Lake State Park Complex, Swatara Creek is
a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking, and tubing
enthusiasts, especially in the spring. Designated launches in
the northern and southern ends of the park provide access to
the creek for boaters.

For more information on Swatara and Pennsylvania's other 119
state parks, visit http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us^[2]
(select "Find a Park").

Media contact: Terry Brady, 717-772-9101

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources

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References

1. ^{^} memorialsp@pa.gov
   (news.yahoo.com)
2. ^{^} http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us
   (us.lrd.yahoo.com)