# Elk State Park > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Elk_State_Park > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Elk_State_Park.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_State_Park > Source revision: 1339880545 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) State park in Pennsylvania, United States Not to be confused with [Elk State Forest](/source/Elk_State_Forest). Elk State Park The East Branch Clarion River Lake at Elk State Park Interactive map of Elk State Park Location Elk and McKean counties, Pennsylvania, United States Coordinates 41°36′22″N 78°33′36″W / 41.60621°N 78.55995°W / 41.60621; -78.55995[1] Area 3,192 acres (1,292 ha)[1] Elevation 1,778 feet (542 m) Established 1963 Administrator Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Website Official website Elk State Park Elk State Park Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Elk State Park Elk State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States Pennsylvania State Parks **Elk State Park** is a 3,192-acre (1,292 ha) [Pennsylvania state park](/source/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_parks) in [Jones Township](/source/Jones_Township%2C_Elk_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [Elk County](/source/Elk_County%2C_Pennsylvania) and [Sergeant Township](/source/Sergeant_Township%2C_Pennsylvania), [McKean County](/source/McKean_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), in the United States. [East Branch Clarion River Lake](/source/East_Branch_Clarion_River_Lake) is a man-made lake covering 1,160 acres (470 ha) within the park. The lake and streams in the park are stocked with cold and warm water fish. There are 3,151 acres (1,275 ha) of woods open to [hunting](/source/Hunting). ## Recreation ### East Branch Clarion River Lake [East Branch Clarion River Lake](/source/East_Branch_Clarion_River_Lake) was constructed by the [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers](/source/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers) by damming the East Branch of the [Clarion River](/source/Clarion_River). Construction of the rolled earth, impervious core [dam](/source/Dam) was authorized by the [Flood Control Act of 1944](/source/Flood_Control_Act_of_1944). The lake is one of sixteen [flood control](/source/Flood_control) projects administered by the [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh%2C_Pennsylvania) District of the Army Corps of Engineers. East Branch Clarion River Lake helps to provide flood protection for the [Clarion River](/source/Clarion_River) valley and the lower portions of the [Allegheny River](/source/Allegheny_River) and the upper portions of the [Ohio River](/source/Ohio_River).[2] The dam is 7.3 miles (11.7 km) upstream from the [confluence](/source/Confluence_(geography)) of the East and West branches of the Clarion River. It was constructed in 1952 for $9 million and serves a 72.4 square miles (188 km2) drainage area. It is estimated that East Branch Clarion River Lake has prevented $81 million in damage. The dam was especially important in curtailing damage during the 1972 floods caused by [Hurricane Agnes](/source/Hurricane_Agnes).[2] East Branch Clarion River Lake also serves recreational purposes. Controlled releases of water during the dry summer months help to improve water quality and quantity for industrial and [domestic](/source/Home) uses. These releases of the lake waters also improve navigation on the rivers and enhance [aquatic](/source/Aquatic_ecosystem) life.[2][1] East Branch Clarion River Lake is a destination for both [fisherman](/source/Fisherman) and recreational boaters. The lake is home to cold water fishing for [walleye](/source/Walleye), [smallmouth bass](/source/Smallmouth_bass), [muskellunge](/source/Muskellunge), [brook](/source/Brook_trout), [lake](/source/Lake_trout), [rainbow](/source/Rainbow_trout) and [brown trout](/source/Brown_trout). The [creeks](/source/Stream) of the park are [stocked](/source/Fish_stocking) by the [Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission](/source/Pennsylvania_Fish_and_Boat_Commission). There is a native brook trout population in some of the smaller streams of the park. There is no limit on the power of the boats. All boats are required to have current registration with any state. Ice fishing and ice boating are common winter activities on East Branch Clarion River Lake.[1] ### Hunting There are 3,151 acres (1,275 ha) of woods open to hunting. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the [Pennsylvania Game Commission](/source/Pennsylvania_Game_Commission). The common game species are [black bears](/source/American_black_bear), [squirrels](/source/Eastern_gray_squirrel), [white-tailed deer](/source/White-tailed_deer), and [turkeys](/source/Wild_turkey). The hunting of [groundhogs](/source/Groundhog) is prohibited. Hunters also use the park to gain access to the nearby State Game Lands and [Elk State Forest](/source/Elk_State_Forest).[1] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-elksp_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-elksp_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-elksp_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-elksp_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-elksp_1-4) ["Elk State Park"](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/elk-state-park). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved December 29, 2025. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-lake_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-lake_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-lake_2-2) ["East Branch Clarion River Lake"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070316182659/http://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/rec/lakes/eastbran.htm). [United States Army Corps of Engineers](/source/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers). Archived from [the original](http://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/rec/lakes/eastbran.htm) on March 16, 2007. Retrieved February 18, 2007. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Elk State Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Elk_State_Park). - [Pennsylvania portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Pennsylvania) - [Elk State Park](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/elk-state-park) Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - ["Elk State Park official map"](https://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=1737687&DocName=ELK_ParkMap.pdf) (PDF). v t e Protected areas of Pennsylvania Federal National Battlefields and Military Parks Fort Necessity Gettysburg National Fish Hatcheries Allegheny National Forests Allegheny National Historic Sites and Historical Parks Allegheny Portage Railroad Edgar Allan Poe Eisenhower First State Friendship Hill Grey Towers Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church Hopewell Furnace Independence Steamtown Valley Forge National Memorials Benjamin Franklin Flight 93 Johnstown Flood Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Monuments Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Recreation Areas Allegheny Delaware Water Gap National Trails Appalachian Lewis and Clark North Country Potomac Heritage National Wild and Scenic Rivers Allegheny River Clarion River Lower Delaware Middle Delaware Upper Delaware National Wildlife Refuge Cherry Valley Erie John Heinz Ohio River Islands Other National Historic Landmarks (Philadelphia) National Natural Landmarks National Register of Historic Places Wilderness Areas State Natural Areas Alan Seeger Algerine Swamp Anders Run Bark Cabin Bear Meadows Bear Run Beartown Woods Big Flat Laurel Black Ash Swamp Bruce Lake Buckhorn Carbaugh Run Charles F. Lewis Cranberry Swamp David R. Johnson Detweiler Run Devil's Elbow East Branch Swamp Forrest H. Dutlinger Frank E. Masland Jr. Halfway Run Hemlocks The Hook Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Jakey Hollow Johnson Run Joyce Kilmer Kettle Creek Gorge Lebo Red Pine Little Juniata Little Mud Pond Swamp Little Tinicum Island Lower Jerry Run Marion Brooks M.K. Goddard/Wykoff Run Meeting of the Pines Miller Run Mt. Cydonia Ponds Mt. Davis Mt. Logan Pennel Run Pine Creek Gorge Pine Lake Pine Ridge Pine Tree Trail Reynolds Spring Roaring Run Rocky Ridge Rosecrans Bog Ruth Zimmerman Sheets Island Archipelago Snyder-Middleswarth Spruce Swamp Stillwater Sweet Root Tall Timbers Tamarack Run Tamarack Swamp Torbert Island State Parks Allegheny Islands Archbald Pothole Bald Eagle Beltzville Bendigo Benjamin Rush Big Elk Creek Big Pocono Big Spring Black Moshannon Blue Knob Boyd Big Tree Buchanan's Birthplace Bucktail Caledonia Canoe Creek Chapman Cherry Springs Clear Creek Codorus Colonel Denning Colton Point Cook Forest Cowans Gap Delaware Canal Denton Hill Elk Erie Bluffs Evansburg Fort Washington Fowlers Hollow Frances Slocum French Creek Gifford Pinchot Gouldsboro Greenwood Furnace Hickory Run Hillman Hills Creek Hyner Run Hyner View Jacobsburg Jennings Joseph E. Ibberson Kettle Creek Keystone Kings Gap Kinzua Bridge Kooser Lackawanna Laurel Hill Laurel Mountain Laurel Ridge Laurel Summit Lehigh Gorge Leonard Harrison Linn Run Little Buffalo Little Pine Locust Lake Lyman Run Marsh Creek Maurice K. Goddard McCalls Dam McConnells Mill Memorial Lake Milton Mont Alto Moraine Mt. Pisgah Nescopeck Neshaminy Nockamixon Nolde Forest Norristown Farm Ohiopyle Oil Creek Ole Bull Parker Dam Patterson Penn-Roosevelt Pine Grove Furnace Poe Paddy Poe Valley Point Presque Isle Prince Gallitzin Promised Land Prompton Prouty Place Pymatuning R. B. Winter Raccoon Creek Ralph Stover Ravensburg Reeds Gap Ricketts Glen Ridley Creek Ryerson Station Salt Springs Samuel S. Lewis Sand Bridge Shawnee Shikellamy Simon B. Elliott Sinnemahoning Sizerville Susquehanna Susquehanna Riverlands Susquehannock Swatara Tobyhanna Trough Creek Tuscarora Tyler Upper Pine Bottom Varden Vosburg Neck Warriors Path Washington Crossing Whipple Dam White Clay Creek Worlds End Yellow Creek State Forests Bald Eagle Buchanan Clear Creek Cornplanter Delaware Elk Forbes Gallitzin Loyalsock Michaux Moshannon Pinchot Rothrock Sproul Susquehannock Tiadaghton Tioga Tuscarora Weiser William Penn Scenic Rivers Bear Run French Creek Lehigh River LeTort Spring Run Lick Run Lower Brandywine Octoraro Creek Pine Creek Schuylkill River Stony Creek Tucquan Creek Tulpehocken Creek Yellow Breeches Creek State Game Lands 12 13 14 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 179 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 335 Wild areas Algerine Asaph Burns Run Clear Shade Hammersley James C. Nelson Kettle Creek Russell P. Letterman Martin Hill McIntyre Penns Creek Quebec Run Quehanna Russell P. Letterman Square Timber Stairway Thickhead Mountain Trough Creek Wolf Run Other Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Mohn Mill Ponds Wild Plant Sanctuary Stone Valley Recreation Area Local and private Abernathy Field Station Asbury Woods Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center Boyce Park Nature Center Briar Bush Nature Center Carbon County Environmental Education Center Churchville Nature Center Endless Mountains Nature Center Fern Hollow Nature Center Frick Environmental Center Great Valley Nature Center Harrison Hills Park Environmental Education Center Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center Jarrett Nature Center John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove Lacawac Lancaster Environmental Center Latodami Nature Center at North Park McKaig Nature Education Center McKeever Environmental Learning Center Millbrook Marsh Nature Center Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center Myrick Conservation Center Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art Nurture Nature Center Peace Valley Nature Center Pocono Environmental Education Center Pool Wildlife Sanctuary Powdermill Nature Reserve Richard Nixon Park Nature Center Riverbend Environmental Education Center Shaver's Creek Environmental Center Silver Lake Nature Center South Park Nature Center Strawberry Hill Nature Center Tom Ridge Environmental Center Trexler Environmental Center Trexler Nature Preserve Tyler Arboretum Welkinweir Whites' Woods Nature Center Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College Woodbourne Forest and Wildlife Preserve Woodcock Creek Nature Center Category Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Philadelphia Pittsburgh Commons Authority control databases VIAF WorldCat --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Elk State Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_State_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_State_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.