Cowans Gap State Park
Cowans Gap State Park is a 1,085-acre Pennsylvania state park nestled in Fulton and Franklin Counties, offering some of the best Pennsylvania hiking and family camping experiences. The park is named for John Cowan, who operated a sawmill on Cowans Gap in the late 18th century and is in one of the earliest settled areas in this region of Pennsylvania. For more information about the park, visit the official PA DCNR page. The park offers a wide variety of outdoor recreation activities including family camping, Pennsylvania hiking trails, fishing, and boating. Skiing, ice skating, and ice fishing are also available in the winter. All around, Cowans Gap is a great place to take your family to enjoy a day of adventure and explore nature trails. No matter the time of year, the park provides both seasonal and year-round outdoor activities
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The Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Cowans Gap State Park History
During the French and Indian War, Colonel James Burd was stationed in Cowans Gap. He and his troops were constructing Burd's Road from Shippensburg to Braddock Road. Major General Edward Braddock and his troops were the workers who constructed Braddock Road. Braddock's defeat at the Battle of the Monongahela, east of Fort Duquesne, resulted in Burd's Road never being completed by them. Braddock and over 500 of his troops were killed in that battle.
Work on the road resumed a few years later, when the British were attempting to retake the Ohio River Valley from the French. This resulted in the construction of Forbes Road under the leadership of General John Forbes. The road was completed successfully, and the French and their allies were driven out of western Pennsylvania.
Cowans Gap got its name not long after the Revolutionary War ended, when John and Mary Cowan settled in the area. In 1775, John Samuel Cowan and Mary Mueller had met in Boston. John was a loyalist, whereas Mary was a patriot. This caused friction because Mary's family did not want her to marry John.
Despite her family's objections, they eloped. All of this occurred after John returned from war where he served as a British Army soldier. Their wagon broke down, and as a result they ended up at Cowans Gap. John traded his horses, as well as the wrecked wagon, with a chief of the Tuscarora in exchange for land at Cowans Gap. They built their home on Forbes Road.
From 1783 through 1885, iron furnaces were operating in the area. Harrison Kalbach purchased timber and land rights in 1893 for a total of 4,800 acres, and trees were cut down and sold for lumber. His company also constructed a railroad of wooden rails to facilitate the transportation of the lumber to markets. Around 1907, a considerable amount of the old-growth forest was cut down and destroyed, and the resulting erosion damage was extensive.
Beginning around 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps started to remediate the area's environmental destruction. Thousands of acres of trees were planted as part of a forestry initiative. They also constructed thirty miles of road, thirty-two miles of fire paths (13 miles of which are still in use), four bridges, and eleven miles of telephone lines. Cabins, pavilions, brush clearing, and the dam which created Cowans Gap Lake were completed. Cowans Gap State Park was established in 1937 as a result of these subsequent environmental efforts and developments, creating what is today a premier destination for outdoor recreation, Pennsylvania hiking, and family camping.
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By courane01 (Bridge over icy water) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Bridge in the Cowans Gap State Park Family Cabin Historic District |
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Cowans Gap State Park Trails
- Cameron Trail – a half-mile moderately challenging trail.
- Doe Trail - 0.2 mile easy hiking trail.
- Geyer Trail - a half-mile challenging trail.
- North and South Logging Road Trail - 1.7 miles of easy hiking.
- Horseshoe Trail - a half-mile challenging trail.
- Knobsville Road Trail - 1.3 miles long and moderately challenging.
- Lakeside Trail - 1.5 mile easy hike.
- One Mile Trail - 0.4 mile easy hiking trail.
- Plessinger Trail - 1.1 miles long and moderately challenging.
- Three Mile Trail - 1.1 miles long and moderately challenging.
- Tuscarora Trail - 252 miles in length, with 2 miles within the park, moderate difficulty.
- Standing Stone Hiking Trail - 76 miles, with 2.4 miles within the park that are more demanding.
Wildlife and Nature
Conservation and Community
The Friends of Cowans Gap State Park is a dedicated volunteer organization working to preserve and enhance the park's natural resources through educational programs, habitat improvements, and special events. Learn more about their conservation efforts and how you can get involved.
Visit Cowans Gap State Park
Cowans Gap State Park is a beautiful place to visit for Pennsylvania hiking, family camping, and outdoor adventures. The park offers a variety of activities, including scenic nature trails, fishing, and swimming. The scenery is breathtaking, and the staff is friendly and helpful. If you're looking for a place to enjoy the great outdoors and explore Pennsylvania's natural beauty, Cowans Gap State Park is the perfect choice.
