French Creek State Park

French Creek State Park in southeastern Pennsylvania covers 7,730 acres of woods, lakes, and trails across Chester and Berks counties. Its landscape was deeply shaped by Hopewell Furnace, which from 1771 to 1883 repeatedly cut forests for charcoal, leaving today’s second-growth hardwoods. During the Great Depression, Civilian Conservation Corps crews built many of the park’s roads, trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, dams, and cabins, and began restoration at Hopewell Furnace. The park now offers extensive recreation around Hopewell Lake and Scotts Run Lake, while also reflecting both industrial change and conservation work. In 2012, a major wildfire burned about 750 acres and became a record fire operation for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry.

Pennsylvania · United States