Colonel Denning State Park
Encyclopedia
Colonel Denning State Park is a 273 acres (110.5 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Lower Mifflin Township, Cumberland County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. The park is in the Doubling Gap of Blue Mountain
on Pennsylvania Route 233
between Newville
and Landisburg
. Doubling Gap Lake is a man-made lake covering 3.5 acres (1.4 ha). Colonel Denning State Park is surrounded by Tuscarora State Forest
.
. He was a veteran
of the American Revolutionary War
and a manufacturer of wrought iron
cannon
s. Denning was a sergeant
in the Continental Army
from March 1778 until April 1780. He was stationed near Carlisle
at Washingtonburg Forge, now the Carlisle Barracks
. While stationed there, Denning explored and mastered the technique of creating lighter and easier to transport cannons. He did this by welding strips of wrought iron together in layers and building the cannon with the layers. Denning lived out his life following the Revolution near Newville. His grave can be found in the cemetery
of Big Spring Presbyterian Church in Newville.
Many of the facilities at Colonel Denning State Park were constructed during the Great Depression
in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps
. It was formally opened in 1936.
. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
. The common game species are squirrel
s, white-tailed deer
, and turkeys
. The hunting of groundhog
s is prohibited. Hunting is also permitted in the nearby Tuscarora State Forest
. Doubling Gap Lake is open for trout
fishing during the trout season established by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
.
There are 18 miles (29 km) of hiking trails at Colonel Denning State Park and the park serves as a trailhead for the Tuscarora Trail
(105 miles (169 km)). Visitors are permitted to swim at their own risk in Doubling Gap Lake; lifeguard
s are not provided. There are over 200 picnic table
s available at Colonel Denning State Park.Flat Rock trail is a 4 miles (6.4 km) out-and-back hike reaching a peak elevation of 1987 feet (605.6 m) at Flat Rock. At the rock, a cool breeze is welcome to hikers in the summertime. Occasionally, black bears are seen along the trail.
The camping season at Colonel Denning State Park begins with the start of trout season and ends at the conclusion of deer season. There are 52 tent and trailer sites. Each site is equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. Outhouse
s are available at the campsite. On Flat Rock Trail 1.1 miles (1.8 km) up the mountain, a camping shelter was built as an Eagle Scout project in 2000. A picnic table and fire pit accommodate the shelter along with an outhouse located a few hundred feet away.
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States. The park is in the Doubling Gap of Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)
Blue Mountain is a ridge that forms the eastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It cuts across the eastern half of the state from New Jersey to Maryland, providing a distinct boundary between a number of Pennsylvania's geographical and cultural regions...
on Pennsylvania Route 233
Pennsylvania Route 233
Pennsylvania Route 233 is a north–south highway in south central Pennsylvania. It runs from the village of Mont Alto, just north of Waynesboro and the Maryland state line to Green Park...
between Newville
Newville, Pennsylvania
Newville is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The population was 1,367 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.Newville is served by the Big Spring School District....
and Landisburg
Landisburg, Pennsylvania
Landisburg is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 195 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Landisburg is located at ....
. Doubling Gap Lake is a man-made lake covering 3.5 acres (1.4 ha). Colonel Denning State Park is surrounded by Tuscarora State Forest
Tuscarora State Forest
Tuscarora State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #3. The main office is located in Blain in Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
.
History
Colonel Denning State Park is named in honor of William Denning who was, oddly, never a colonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. He was a veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and a manufacturer of wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s. Denning was a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
from March 1778 until April 1780. He was stationed near Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
at Washingtonburg Forge, now the Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
. While stationed there, Denning explored and mastered the technique of creating lighter and easier to transport cannons. He did this by welding strips of wrought iron together in layers and building the cannon with the layers. Denning lived out his life following the Revolution near Newville. His grave can be found in the cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
of Big Spring Presbyterian Church in Newville.
Many of the facilities at Colonel Denning State Park were constructed during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
. It was formally opened in 1936.
Recreation
Colonel Denning State Park is open to huntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
. The common game species are squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
s, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, and turkeys
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
. The hunting of groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s is prohibited. Hunting is also permitted in the nearby Tuscarora State Forest
Tuscarora State Forest
Tuscarora State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #3. The main office is located in Blain in Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
. Doubling Gap Lake is open for trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishing during the trout season established by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
.
There are 18 miles (29 km) of hiking trails at Colonel Denning State Park and the park serves as a trailhead for the Tuscarora Trail
Tuscarora Trail
The Tuscarora Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that is under development. It splits off from the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, passes through West Virginia and Maryland, then rejoins the Appalachian Trail near Marysville, Pennsylvania...
(105 miles (169 km)). Visitors are permitted to swim at their own risk in Doubling Gap Lake; lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
s are not provided. There are over 200 picnic table
Picnic table
A picnic table is a modified table with attached benches, designed for eating a meal outdoors .-Uses:...
s available at Colonel Denning State Park.Flat Rock trail is a 4 miles (6.4 km) out-and-back hike reaching a peak elevation of 1987 feet (605.6 m) at Flat Rock. At the rock, a cool breeze is welcome to hikers in the summertime. Occasionally, black bears are seen along the trail.
The camping season at Colonel Denning State Park begins with the start of trout season and ends at the conclusion of deer season. There are 52 tent and trailer sites. Each site is equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. Outhouse
Outhouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
s are available at the campsite. On Flat Rock Trail 1.1 miles (1.8 km) up the mountain, a camping shelter was built as an Eagle Scout project in 2000. A picnic table and fire pit accommodate the shelter along with an outhouse located a few hundred feet away.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Colonel Denning State Park:- Big Spring State ParkBig Spring State Park (Pennsylvania)Big Spring State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Toboyne Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 274, southwest of New Germantown. Big Spring State Park is a hiking and picnic area...
(Perry CountyPerry County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 43,602 people, 16,695 households, and 12,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 79 people per square mile . There were 18,941 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
) - Caledonia State ParkCaledonia State ParkCaledonia State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Greene Township, Franklin County and Franklin Township, Adams County in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is named for an iron furnace, Caledonia Furnace, that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens beginning in 1837. Today the park is known...
(AdamsAdams County, PennsylvaniaAdams County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,407. It was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County and named in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams...
and Franklin CountiesFranklin County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 129,313 people, 50,633 households, and 36,405 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 people per square mile . There were 53,803 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile...
) - Fowlers Hollow State ParkFowlers Hollow State ParkFowlers Hollow State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Toboyne Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is from Blain just off Pennsylvania Route 274...
(Perry County) - Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training CenterKings Gap Environmental Education and Training CenterKings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center is a Pennsylvania state park in Cooke, Dickinson and Penn Townships, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land in 1973, from the C. H. Masland and Son Carpet Company...
(Cumberland County) - Little Buffalo State ParkLittle Buffalo State ParkLittle Buffalo State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Centre and Juniata Townships, Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is a historical destination as well as a recreational destination. Visitors to the park can cross a covered bridge and observe a restored and...
(Perry County) - Mont Alto State ParkMont Alto State ParkMont Alto State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Quincy Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 233 one mile from Mont Alto.-Mont Alto Iron Company:...
(Franklin County) - Pine Grove Furnace State ParkPine Grove Furnace State ParkPine Grove Furnace State Park is a protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel and Fuller lakes in Cooke Township. The park provides various outdoor recreation activities, has the remains of the Pine Grove Iron Works, and was the site of the 1830 Laurel Forge, 1880s Pine Grove Park, and an...
(Cumberland County)