The 2,158-acre Little Pine State Park is surrounded by a beautiful mountain section of Tiadaghton State Forest in the Pennsylvania Wilds. The 60-acre Little Pine Lake, hiking trails, campground, and nesting bald eagles are prime attractions to the park.
Hiking at Little Pine State Park
10.77 miles of trails
There are also many miles of trails in the adjacent Tiadaghton State Forest.
Button Ball Trail
0.49 mile, easiest hiking
This angler’s trail gives access to lower Little Pine Creek.
Carsontown Trail
0.88 mile, easiest hiking
This trail is recommended for families with small children. A wide variety of wildflowers may be found along this trail and deer are seen frequently.
Lake Shore Trail
5.5 miles, more difficult hiking
This is the flattest trail in the park and parallels the lake into the upper part of the park. A wide variety of birds and animals can be viewed if the trail is traveled quietly.
Panther Run Trail
2.9 miles, most difficult hiking
Beautiful vistas, rock outcroppings, and a flagstone quarry can be seen along the trail. This is the most scenic trail in the park.
Spikebuck Hollow Trail
1 mile, most difficult hiking
Outcroppings of rock, flagstone, and a wide variety of trees and plants can be seen along the trail.
Mid State Trail
This 250-mile backpacking trail, which goes from Juniata County to Tioga County, passes through the park. At places, the Mid State Trail and park trails run along the same path. This trail is steep and narrow in places, but well defined and marked. People backpacking along the Mid State Trail may leave a vehicle in the second car parking lot of the campground, providing they notify park personnel. Name, address, proposed route, and expected return date are requested.
Pine Creek Rail Trail
Located four miles from the park in Waterville, this multi-use trail is for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. It stretches 62 miles from Jersey Shore to Wellsboro Junction along Pine Creek. The upper portion of the trail is in the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Access areas, benches, and restrooms are at various places along the trail.
The scenery along the trail is magnificent. Trail users can view dramatic rock outcrops, waterfalls, and wildlife like eagle, osprey, coyote, deer, wild turkey, heron, river otter, black bear, and many others. Diverse plant life, scattered old-growth timber, historic pine and spruce plantations, and several foundations from the Civilian Conservation Corps era can be found along the trail.
Picnicking at Little Pine State Park
Four picnic areas, in both shaded and open locations, contain four picnic pavilions, many picnic tables, a volleyball court, and play equipment. Picnic pavilions may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Lower Picnic Area is about one-half mile south of the campground. It is completely separated from the rest of the park. This six-acre area has:
Picnic tables
Grills
Charcoal disposals
Non-flush toilets
Parking area
Picnic pavilion
Foot bridge
Access to Little Pine Creek for anglers
River birch, white pine, sugar maple, and black locust are common trees in the area.
Stay the Night at Little Pine State Park
Camping
Flush toilets, warm showers, many electric hook-ups
This activity or structure is ADA accessible.
The campground opens the first weekend in April and closes in mid-December.
There are 88 campsites: 83 sites can accommodate trailer units up to 20 feet in length, five sites are for tents only.
Open or shaded sites are available and some are along Little Pine Creek. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.
Pets are permitted at designated campsites.
The campground has:
Sanitary dump station
Showers
Flush toilets
Many water outlets
Garbage and recycling receptacles, trailer storage, and a second vehicle parking lot are at the campground entrance.
Alcoholic beverages and unlicensed motor vehicles are prohibited.
Swimming at Little Pine State Park
A sand beach with grass turf is open from late-May to mid-September, 8:00 A.M. to sunset.
Swim at your own risk.
Please read and follow posted rules.
Pets, glass, and breakable containers or utensils are prohibited in this area.
All children 10 years of age or younger must be accompanied by a person at least 14 years of age.
Smoke-Free Beach
Smoking is prohibited on the beach and in the swimming area.
For visitors who smoke and still want to use the beach, designated areas adjacent to the beach are provided. The restriction includes:
Cigarettes
Pipes
Cigars
E-cigarettes
Other handheld, lighted smoking devices
Wildlife Watching at Little Pine State Park
No matter what time of year, there are many opportunities to see all types of wildlife at Little Pine State Park. Visitors may see raccoons or mink along the lake, deer and foxes in the fields, or bear or turkeys in the woodlands.
Since 2004, bald eagles have nested in the park. From the viewing area visitors can observe the eagles and eaglets without disturbing the birds.
During the summer, visitors may see deer and songbirds throughout the park, herons and otters in the lake, and songbirds in many habitats.
The fall season brings many migratory birds, such as loon, snow goose, and many raptors.
During the winter, many species of birds take advantage of the various feeding stations in the park.
Boating at Little Pine State Park
Electric motors only
The 60-acre Little Pine Lake has one launch area and 25 seasonal (April 1 to November 1) mooring spaces.
A boat rental concession is open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Paddleboats, canoes, and rowboats are available for rental on weekends.
Motorboats must display a current boat registration.
Non-powered boats must display one of the following:
Boat registration
Launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania state parks -- available at most state park offices
Launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations and laws apply.
Fishing at Little Pine State Park
The 60-acre Little Pine Lake has 3.3 miles of shoreline. 4.2 miles of Little Pine Creek flow through the park. These warmwater and coldwater fisheries have stocked trout (rainbow and brown) and native trout (brook). This diversity provides good fly, bank, and boat fishing.
Common species are:
Brook trout
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Smallmouth bass
Pickerel
Sunfish
Catfish
Perch
There is a special regulation, artificial-lure only, fishing area along Little Pine Creek in the northeast section of the park.
Ice Fishing
When conditions permit, ice fishing is permitted on the natural ice of the lake. Trout are stocked in the 60-acre Little Pine Lake for ice fishing.
Ice thickness is not monitored.
Hunting at Little Pine State Park
During established seasons, about 1,700 acres are open to:
Hunting
Trapping
Training of dogs
Common game species are:
Deer
Squirrel
Fox
Bear
Grouse
Turkey
There is a rifle/pistol range in the park.
Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas.
Sledding at Little Pine State Park
In the main day use area, two acres of slopes extend across the lake.
Ample parking is by the bathhouse.
Ice must be four inches thick before the run is opened.
Cross-Country Skiing at Little Pine State Park
The five-mile Lake Shore Trail follows mostly level terrain. It parallels the lake and headwaters and then returns to the starting location. Motor vehicles and snowmobiles are prohibited in this area.
Snowmobiling at Little Pine State Park
Ample parking is available throughout the park. There are more than 100 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in the surrounding Tiadaghton State Forest.
Snowmobiles may be operated on designated trails and roads from the day following the last deer season in December until April 1, weather permitting.
Restrooms are available. Overnight accommodations, food, gasoline, and groceries are available throughout the area.