Pennsylvania Mixed Bag: Docks removed early at Lake Wallenpaupack

​Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission recently announced that public boat docks at the Mangan Cove Access on Lake Wallenpaupack, Wayne County, were to be removed during the week beginning Sept. 28.

While docks are typically removed from this location each fall in preparation for winter, the agency said, the removal occurred earlier than normal due to low water levels associated with a partial drawdown underway at Lake Wallenpaupack.

Dependent upon a return to normal water levels and local weather conditions, docks are anticipated to be re-installed in late March 2027.

Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park Reopens

Mount Jewett, Pa. — One of Pennsylvania’s iconic fall destinations in the Pennsylvania Wilds — the Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park  — has reopened for fall foliage viewing, giving visitors a chance to experience breathtaking views of the Kinzua Valley at peak leaf-peeping season.      

The Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park offers visitors a unique opportunity to walk out and peer down for stunning views of the Kinzua Valley on a viaduct that was reimagined as a skywalk after being partially toppled by a tornado. 

For fall leaf viewing season, both the Skywalk and the Kinzua Creek Trail are open. Both areas will remain open through Oct. 31. After that, both areas will close again so contractors can resume work on the structure. Rehabilitation work on the structure is scheduled to be completed in time for fall foliage viewing in 2027.

MORE COVERAGE FROM PENNSYLVANIA OUTDOOR NEWS:

Way less land for hunting spurs action from Pennsylvania Game Commission

Pennsylvania’s hunting license sales down so far this year

Commentary: An informed, nuanced view of the end of the deputies programs in Pennsylvania

Colonel Denning State Park Lake Drawdown

Newville, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources initiated a lake level drawdown and rehabilitation at Colonel Denning State Park in Cumberland County in mid-September to remove sand from the swimming area and put it back into the beach area.

The project is expected to be completed by mid-November, and at that time the lake will begin refilling with rain and snow. Visitors will not be allowed to fish or boat during the drawdown, which is expected to reduce lake levels by several feet.

Old Stone House Transferred to DCNR, Jennings Environmental Education Center

Slippery Rock, Pa. — The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently announced that the Old Stone House, a reconstructed 1820s-era tavern turned museum and Butler County landmark in Brady Township, is now under the management of Jennings Environmental Education Center and will open to the public after necessary renovations.

The original Old Stone House was built around 1822 as a tavern and inn. It sat along the road to and from Pittsburgh and points north, serving stagecoaches and other travelers, drivers of livestock, and the local community alike.

After near-total collapse of the structure, the Old Stone House was rebuilt in 1963 to serve as a living history museum, first secured by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and operated by the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission.

PF&BC Boating Facility Grants are Available

Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is opening the next round of Boating Facility Grants to meet growing demand for public access and expand safe, accessible boating opportunities. The application can be found on the agency’s website.

The Boating Facility Grant Program supports the planning, acquisition, development, expansion, and rehabilitation of public boating facilities. Eligible applicants include townships, boroughs, counties, municipalities and 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations such as land trusts, conservancies, and watershed groups.

Eligible projects include boat ramps, courtesy docks, restrooms, access roads, parking areas, signage, aquatic invasive species prevention, and other improvements that benefit boaters at public access sites. The deadline for applications is Dec. 1.

Elliott to Guide Ocean Policy for Pa.

Harrisburg — G. Warren Elliott, of Chambersburg, has been appointed to a three-year term as Pennsylvania’s  representative to the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. He was nominated by Gov. Shapiro.

Elliott was selected for the position by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and was sworn into the position at the council’s August  meeting held in Philadelphia.

The Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens fishing conservation and management act in 1976 to manage fisheries within U.S. federal waters.

Elliott is a former Franklin County commissioner, former Fish & Boat commissioner and now serves as chairman of F&M Trust Bank.

PF&BC Grants for Erie Access Improvements

Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is accepting applications for the Erie Access Improvement Program. The application can be found on the agency’s website – Fishandboat.com.

Through this grant program, funding is available to support projects that provide public fishing access or protect or improve fish habitat for Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay, their tributaries, and waters that flow into those tributaries.

Eligible applicants include townships, boroughs, counties, municipalities, and 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations such as land trusts, conservancies, and watershed groups.