Overview
The 968-acre Parker Dam State Park offers old-fashioned charm and character.
A scenic lake, rustic cabins, quaint campground, and unbounded forest make Parker Dam an ideal spot for a relaxing vacation.
For wilderness explorers, Parker Dam is a gateway to the vast expanses of Moshannon State Forest. You can:
- Walk through recovering tornado ravaged woods
- Backpack into the 50,000-acre Quehanna Wilderness
- Mountain bike to your heart’s content
- Enjoy quiet solitude searching for elusive Pennsylvania elk
Plan Your Visit
28 Fairview Road
Penfield, PA 15849
814-765-0630
parkerdamsp@pa.gov
Make online reservations for day use and overnight facilities or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), from 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday to Saturday.
The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. Day use areas close at dusk.
The park office is open specific hours. The beach, overnight areas, and other areas are open specific seasons and hours. Contact the park office for facility seasons and hours.
Parker Dam State Park is in northern Clearfield County.
From Interstate 80, take Exit 111 onto Pennsylvania 153 North for 5.5 miles.
Turn right onto Mud Run Road, and then drive 2.5 miles to the park.
GPS Decimal Degrees: Latitude 41.1937 Longitude -78.5115
Call 911 and contact a park employee to summon medical, fire, or safety professionals.
Call or text 988 to contact a crisis center counselor during a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
Directions to the nearest hospital are posted on bulletin boards and at the park office.
Nearest Hospitals
Penn Highlands Clearfield
809 Turnpike Avenue
Clearfield, PA 16830
814-765-5341
Penn Highlands DuBois
100 Hospital Avenue
DuBois, PA 15801
814-371-2200
♿ This symbol indicates facilities and activities that are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for people with disabilities. Screen reader users will hear this symbol as "wheelchair."
If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.
Cell service is unpredictable in and around many Pennsylvania State Parks. Please download the park map before your visit.
Parker Dam State Park offers year-round environmental education programs.
Through hands-on activities, guided walks, and evening programs, participants gain appreciation, understanding, and develop a sense of stewardship toward natural and cultural resources.
- A small-scale, interpretive maple sugaring operation runs throughout March. Apple cider making is demonstrated each October.
- An environmental education center, attached to the park office, offers interpretive displays, games, and children’s books.
- The Lou and Helen Adams Civilian Conservation Corps Museum near the breast of the dam educates visitors about the life and times of the corps members.
It is open Saturday and Sunday afternoons during the summer season when volunteers are available or upon request.Curriculum-based environmental education programs are available to schools and organized groups. Call the park office to schedule a group program. A variety of professional development workshops are offered for teachers.
Contact the park office or explore the calendar of events for more information on programs and other learning experiences.
Woodsy Owl Weekend
Each spring, volunteers gather to do service projects like:
- Litter pick-up
- Painting
- Tree planting
- Trail maintenance
Volunteers receive free weekend camping.
Woodhick Weekend
Held during the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, visitors compete in several events for the coveted titles of Woodhick and Woodchick of the Year.
Established during 1984 to celebrate the logging history of the park, visitors can:
- Roll logs
- Crosscut saw
- Try other events to discover the lives and recreation of early loggers
Historic demonstrations are also held.
Fall Festival and Pumpkin Float
Traditionally held the Saturday after Columbus Day, this festival celebrates traditions of fall like apple cidering, candle dipping, and others.
Several vendors, artists, and craftspeople showcase and sell their wares.
Visitors can carve pumpkins which are then floated on the lake after dark, while stories are shared around a bonfire at the beach.
Find nearby attractions by Parker Dam State Park.
