{{short description|State park in Pennsylvania, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Bucktail State Park Natural Area | image = Bucktail State Park Natural Area Sign, Clinton County.jpg | image_caption = Sign heading west on PA 120, at the eastern end of Bucktail State Park Natural Area in Clinton County | image_alt = Sign | image_size = 280 | location = [[Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Cameron]] and [[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton]] counties, [[Pennsylvania]], United States | coordinates = {{coord|41.34779|-77.69687|format=dms|display=inline,title}} - Northern boundary | coords_ref = <ref name="bspna"/> | area = {{convert|16433|acre|abbr=on}}<ref name="bspna"/> | elevation = {{convert|1023|ft|m|abbr=on}} | established = 1933 | administrator = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | free_label = Named for | free_data = The Bucktail Regiment | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | website = {{Official website}} | module = {{Infobox protected area | image_map = Bucktail State Park.PNG | map_caption = Location in Pennsylvania | map_width = 280 | module = [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania State Parks]] }} }} '''Bucktail State Park Natural Area''' is a {{convert|16433|acre|adj=on}} [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania state park]] in [[Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Cameron]] and [[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton]] Counties in [[Pennsylvania]] in the United States. The park follows [[Pennsylvania Route 120]] for {{convert|75|mi}} between [[Emporium, Pennsylvania|Emporium]] (in Cameron County, which contains {{convert|3239|acre}} of the park) and [[Lock Haven, Pennsylvania|Lock Haven]] (in Clinton County, which contains the other {{convert|11800|acre}}). Bucktail State Park Natural Area park runs along [[Sinnemahoning Creek]] and the [[West Branch Susquehanna River]] and also passes through [[Renovo, Pennsylvania|Renovo]] (in Clinton County). The park is named for the Civil War [[Pennsylvania Bucktails Regiment]] and is primarily dedicated to wildlife viewing, especially [[elk]].
==Course== [[Image:West Branch Bend.jpg|thumb|left|The [[West Branch Susquehanna River]] as seen in Bucktail State Park Natural Area]] The course of Bucktail State Park Natural Area is as follows: leaving the city of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania Route 120 and the West Branch Susquehanna River pass through the following municipalities in Clinton County heading west (in order): [[Allison Township, Pennsylvania|Allison]], [[Woodward Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Woodward]], [[Bald Eagle Township, Pennsylvania|Bald Eagle]], [[Colebrook Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Colebrook]], [[Grugan Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Grugan]], and [[Chapman Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Chapman]] townships, the boroughs of [[Renovo, Pennsylvania|Renovo]] and [[South Renovo, Pennsylvania|South Renovo]], and [[Noyes Township, Pennsylvania|Noyes Township]]. Next Pennsylvania 120 leaves the West Branch Susquehanna River and follows Sinnemahoning Creek west through [[East Keating Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania|East Keating Township]], then crosses into Cameron County. There Pennsylvania Route 120 and Sinnemahoning Creek pass west through [[Grove Township, Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Grove]] and [[Gibson Township, Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Gibson]] Townships and enter the borough of [[Driftwood, Pennsylvania|Driftwood]], where Route 120 follows the Driftwood Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek north through Gibson, [[Lumber Township, Pennsylvania|Lumber]], [[Portage Township, Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Portage]], and [[Shippen Township, Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Shippen]] townships, finally reaching the borough of Emporium and the western end of Bucktail State Park.<ref name="cammap">{{Cite FTP | scale= 1:65,000 | url= ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/cameron_GHSN.PDF | server= Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division | url-status= dead | title= 2007 General Highway Map Cameron County Pennsylvania | access-date= 2007-07-27 }}''Note: shows Pennsylvania Route 120''</ref><ref name="clintmap">{{Cite FTP | scale= 1:65,000 | url= ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/clinton_GHSN.PDF | server= Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division | url-status= dead | title= 2007 General Highway Map Clinton County Pennsylvania | access-date= 2007-07-27 }}''Note: shows Pennsylvania Route 120 and Bucktail State Park Natural Area''</ref>
==History== Pennsylvania Route 120 follows an old [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] [[Trail]], the [[Sinnemahoning Path]]. This trail was used by Native Americans to cross the eastern [[continental divide]] (specifically the [[Allegheny Front]]) between the [[Susquehanna River]] (which drains into the [[Chesapeake Bay]]) and the [[Allegheny River]] (which forms the [[Ohio River]] with the [[Monongahela River]] at [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]] and eventually drains into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] via the [[Mississippi River]]). American Pioneers also used the trail to make their way west and it was also known as the Bucktail Trail. As the technology of road building advanced, what was once a Native American Trail became the two lane highway known today as Pennsylvania Route 120.
Pennsylvania Route 120 was officially designated as Bucktail State Park in 1933 by an act of the Pennsylvania Legislature. The Act says:<ref name="bspna">{{cite web |url=https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/bucktail-state-natural-area |title=Bucktail State Park |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |access-date=2025-12-22}}</ref>
{{blockquote|That the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby dedicates to the public, for use as a park and pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, all that area of land extending in length from the western [[city]] line of [[Lock Haven, Pennsylvania|Lock Haven]], in [[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton County]], to the eastern [[borough]] line of [[Emporium, Pennsylvania|Emporium]], in [[Cameron County, Pennsylvania|The County of Cameron]], and along the course of the [[West Branch Susquehanna River|western branch of the Susquehanna River]], and its [[tributary]], [[Sinnemahoning Creek]], in Clinton and Cameron counties, an estimated distance of {{convert|75|mi|km}}, and in width from mountain rim to mountain rim across the valley.
<br/>The said park shall be called and known as the "Bucktail State Park", in commemoration of the Bucktail Regiment which embarked from [[Driftwood, Pennsylvania|Driftwood]], in Cameron County, in April, 1861, upon [[rafts]] of their own construction to hasten their arrival at the imperiled [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|State Capitol]].<ref name="bspna"/>}}
[[Image:Pennsylvania Route 120, Clinton County.JPG|thumb|left|Pennsylvania Route 120 in Clinton County]] Although the park covers {{convert|21039|acre}}, much of the land within the park boundaries is actually in private hands. The rest of the land in the valleys is owned by the Bureau of State Parks and the Bureau of [[Forestry]] as part of [[Elk State Forest]] and [[Sproul State Forest]].<ref name="bspna"/>
==Wildlife watching== Bucktail State Park Natural Area is in the West Branch and Sinnemahoning Valleys. River valleys are ideal gathering points for wildlife as the valleys tend to be warmer and wetter than the surrounding mountains. Animals are drawn to the warm and wet valley. The river valley is a natural passageway for plants and animals. The valley is home to [[river birch]] and [[American sycamore|sycamore]] trees. [[Osprey]], a wide variety of [[duck]], [[white-tailed deer]], [[bald eagles]], [[otter]], [[merganser]], [[mink]] and [[American black bear|black bear]] can all be seen living in the boundaries of Bucktail State Park Natural Area.<ref name="bspna"/> [[Elk]] can be seen in the early morning and late afternoon hours in the northern portions of the park. Special elk viewing playforms have been built in [[Sinnemahoning State Park]] and near the small village of [[Benezette, Pennsylvania|Bennezette]].<ref name="bspna"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Bucktail State Park}} {{Portal|Pennsylvania}} *[https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/bucktail-state-natural-area Bucktail State Park] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources * {{cite web|url= http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004856.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150912062252/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004856.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 12, 2015 |title=Bucktail State Park Natural Area official map }} {{small|(270 KB)}} {{Protected areas of Pennsylvania}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:State parks of Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1933]] [[Category:Parks in Cameron County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Parks in Clinton County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:1933 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Cameron County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Clinton County, Pennsylvania]]