Ravensburg State Park
Encyclopedia
Ravensburg State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Crawford Township in Clinton County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. It is in a gorge carved by Rauchtown Run
through the side of Nippenose Mountain. Ravensburg State Park is 78 acres (31.6 ha) of wooded land that is almost entirely surrounded by Tiadaghton State Forest
. This state park is on Pennsylvania Route 880
, 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Carroll and 8 miles (12.9 km) south-east of Jersey Shore
. The nearest city is Williamsport
.
that were known for roosting on the rock ledges at the southern end of the park (near the south entrance). Ravens can be seen in the vicinity of this park to this day, making the name logical despite that fact that there is no community nearby that goes by the name Ravensburg. The nearest community to Ravensburg State Park is the unincorporated
village
of Rauchtown
.
The forest surrounding and within Ravensburg State Park has not changed much in the past 100 years. It is also unlikely that much timber has even been harvested in this area due to the extremely rocky surroundings and the narrow gorge in which Ravensburg State Park lies.
Ravensburg State Park was constructed during the Great Depression
in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps
founded by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
. Ravensburg State Park is just one of many examples of the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps throughout North Central Pennsylvania. The CCC built a small dam on Rauchtown Run
that is still being used as a swimming hole by the visitors to Ravensburg State Park. The CCC also built pavilions, latrines, bridges, trails, waterlines and fountains at the park.
The Emergency Conservation Work architecture in the 1933-1942 time period has earned the park a listing on the National Register of Historic Places
, along with other Pennsylvania state parks developed in this time period.
has made its way through the mountains on its way to the West Branch Susquehanna River
near Jersey Shore, via Antes Creek. The years of water flow have created the gorge in which the park is located. Tall erosional spires of sandstone
have created a formation known as Castle Rocks. The rocks can be seen from the Mid State Trail and are said to resemble the towers of an ancient castle
. The frost action, brought on by the cold winters of Pennsylvania, has led to the creation of this rock formation.
available. The campground is downstream from the dam. Each campground has a fire ring as well as a picnic table.
Ravensburg is popular for picnic
king by families and church groups. There are three picnic areas on the grounds of Ravensburg State Park. Each area has picnic tables and pavilions and charcoal grills. There is a centrally located playfield with a playground and several horseshoe
pits.
is prohibited with the confines of the park. However, there are 215000 acres (87,007.5 ha) of hunting area available in the surrounding Tiadaghton State Forest
.
backpacking trail is accessible from Ravensburg State Park.
and brown trout
living in Rauchtown Run
. This provides for cold water fishing in Rauchtown Run as well as its tributaries.
Clinton County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, 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. It is in a gorge carved by Rauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run is a stream in Pennsylvania with extraordinary cold water and a wild trout fishery. At times this little brook is only feet wide and centimeters deep, nevertheless the waters hold wild brook trout...
through the side of Nippenose Mountain. Ravensburg State Park is 78 acres (31.6 ha) of wooded land that is almost entirely surrounded by Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #12. The forest is chiefly in western and southern Lycoming County, with small portions in Clinton, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties....
. This state park is on Pennsylvania Route 880
Pennsylvania Route 880
Pennsylvania Route 880 is a long state highway located in Centre, Clinton, and Lycoming counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 192 in Miles Township. The northern terminus is at PA 44 in Limestone Township...
, 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Carroll and 8 miles (12.9 km) south-east of Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania
Jersey Shore is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is on the West Branch Susquehanna River, west by south of Williamsport. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the past, Jersey Shore held farms, railroad shops, cigar factories, a...
. The nearest city is Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
.
History
Ravensburg State Park gets its name from the ravensCommon Raven
The Common Raven , also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids...
that were known for roosting on the rock ledges at the southern end of the park (near the south entrance). Ravens can be seen in the vicinity of this park to this day, making the name logical despite that fact that there is no community nearby that goes by the name Ravensburg. The nearest community to Ravensburg State Park is the unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Rauchtown
Rauchtown, Pennsylvania
Rauchtown is a census-designated place mostly in Crawford Township in Clinton County, with a small portion of the CDP in Limestone Township in Lycoming County, both in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Rauchtown is not a separately incorporated community, but is a part of both Crawford and Limestone...
.
The forest surrounding and within Ravensburg State Park has not changed much in the past 100 years. It is also unlikely that much timber has even been harvested in this area due to the extremely rocky surroundings and the narrow gorge in which Ravensburg State Park lies.
Ravensburg State Park was 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...
founded by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
. Ravensburg State Park is just one of many examples of the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps throughout North Central Pennsylvania. The CCC built a small dam on Rauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run is a stream in Pennsylvania with extraordinary cold water and a wild trout fishery. At times this little brook is only feet wide and centimeters deep, nevertheless the waters hold wild brook trout...
that is still being used as a swimming hole by the visitors to Ravensburg State Park. The CCC also built pavilions, latrines, bridges, trails, waterlines and fountains at the park.
The Emergency Conservation Work architecture in the 1933-1942 time period has earned the park a listing on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, along with other Pennsylvania state parks developed in this time period.
Geology
Over the years Rauchtown RunRauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run is a stream in Pennsylvania with extraordinary cold water and a wild trout fishery. At times this little brook is only feet wide and centimeters deep, nevertheless the waters hold wild brook trout...
has made its way through the mountains on its way to the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
near Jersey Shore, via Antes Creek. The years of water flow have created the gorge in which the park is located. Tall erosional spires of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
have created a formation known as Castle Rocks. The rocks can be seen from the Mid State Trail and are said to resemble the towers of an ancient castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. The frost action, brought on by the cold winters of Pennsylvania, has led to the creation of this rock formation.
Camping
Bring your tents to Ravensburg because that is the only type of campingCamping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
available. The campground is downstream from the dam. Each campground has a fire ring as well as a picnic table.
Picnics
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
king by families and church groups. There are three picnic areas on the grounds of Ravensburg State Park. Each area has picnic tables and pavilions and charcoal grills. There is a centrally located playfield with a playground and several horseshoe
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people using four horseshoes and two throwing targets set in a sandbox area. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40 feet apart...
pits.
Hunting
Because Ravensburg State Park is just 78 acres (31.6 ha) in size, 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...
is prohibited with the confines of the park. However, there are 215000 acres (87,007.5 ha) of hunting area available in the surrounding Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #12. The forest is chiefly in western and southern Lycoming County, with small portions in Clinton, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties....
.
Hiking
There is one mile (1.6 km) of hiking trail available. Raven Trail, on the banks of Rauchtown Run, provides easy access to the creek for fishing. There are several side trails that lead to scenic rocky outcrops or to other hiking trails on state forest land. The 306 miles (492.5 km) Mid StatePennsylvania Mid State Trail
The Mid State Trail is a long main trail network with many side trails located in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians and Allegheny Plateau of Central Pennsylvania. It is known as "The Wildest Trail in Pennsylvania"...
backpacking trail is accessible from Ravensburg State Park.
Fishing
Avid fishermen will find native brook troutBrook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
living in Rauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run
Rauchtown Run is a stream in Pennsylvania with extraordinary cold water and a wild trout fishery. At times this little brook is only feet wide and centimeters deep, nevertheless the waters hold wild brook trout...
. This provides for cold water fishing in Rauchtown Run as well as its tributaries.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Ravensburg State Park:- Bald Eagle State ParkBald Eagle State ParkBald Eagle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Joseph Foster Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and other smaller streams and covering . Bald Eagle State Park...
(Centre CountyCentre County, PennsylvaniaCentre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
) - Bucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural Area is a Pennsylvania state park in Cameron and Clinton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park follows Pennsylvania Route 120 for between Emporium and Lock Haven...
(CameronCameron County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,974 people, 2,465 households, and 1,624 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 4,592 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
and Clinton Counties) - Hyner Run State ParkHyner Run State ParkHyner Run State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Chapman Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is east of Renovo and 3 miles north of Hyner on Pennsylvania Route 120...
(Clinton County) - Hyner View State ParkHyner View State ParkHyner View State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Chapman Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is east of Renovo and north of Hyner on Pennsylvania Route 120...
(Clinton County) - Little Pine State ParkLittle Pine State ParkLittle Pine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Little Pine State park is along of Little Pine Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, in the midst of the Tiadaghton State Forest. A dam on the creek has created a lake...
(Lycoming CountyLycoming County, Pennsylvania-Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Plateau:Lycoming County is divided between the Appalachian Mountains in the south, the dissected Allegheny Plateau in the north and east, and the valley of the West Branch Susquehanna River between these.-West Branch Susquehanna River:The West Branch of the...
) - McCalls Dam State ParkMcCalls Dam State ParkMcCalls Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Miles Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is in the eastern most tip of Centre County, south of Clinton County and north of Union County. McCalls Dam State Park is in a remote location on a dirt road between...
(Centre County) - Milton State ParkMilton State ParkMilton State Park is an Pennsylvania state park in Milton in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on Montgomery Island in the West Branch Susquehanna River, just east of the village of West Milton in Union County. Milton State Park is on Pennsylvania Route...
(Northumberland CountyNorthumberland County, PennsylvaniaThere were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
) - R. B. Winter State ParkR. B. Winter State ParkR. B. Winter State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Hartley Township, Union County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is in the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania and is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. R. B. Winter State Park is in a shallow basin that is surrounded by ridges...
(Union CountyUnion County, Pennsylvania-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,624 people, 13,178 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile . There were 14,684 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
) - Reeds Gap State ParkReeds Gap State ParkReeds Gap State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Armagh Township, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is largely a wilderness area with large white pine and hemlock trees. Honey Creek flows through the park, providing a habitat for trout. Reeds Gap State Park is from U.S...
(Mifflin CountyMifflin County, PennsylvaniaMifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
) - Sand Bridge State ParkSand Bridge State ParkSand Bridge State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Lewis Township, Union County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is the smallest state park in Pennsylvania and consists of a picnic area just off Pennsylvania Route 192. It has three picnic pavilions that were built by the...
(Union County) - Shikellamy State ParkShikellamy State ParkShikellamy State Park is a Pennsylvania state park located at the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is divided into two sections. The older part, on a bluff on the western bank of the river, is the Shikellamy...
(Union and Northumberland Counties) - Susquehanna State ParkSusquehanna State Park (Pennsylvania)Susquehanna State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Williamsport in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on the West Branch Susquehanna River in the western part of Williamsport, and is operated by the Williamsport / Lycoming Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with...
(Lycoming County) - Upper Pine Bottom State ParkUpper Pine Bottom State ParkUpper Pine Bottom State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is in Cummings Township on Pennsylvania Route 44 and is surrounded by the Tiadaghton State Forest. It is on Upper Pine Bottom Run, which gave the park its name and is a...
(Lycoming County)