French Creek State Park will open more campsites for anglers
French Creek State Park is one of 34 parks that will open additional campsites for anglers for the statewide trout opener, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced.
The camp sites are available for anglers who want to stay overnight April 2 for the opening of trout season on April 3.
French Creek is a 7,526acre state park that straddles Robeson and Union townships in Berks County and North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County.
“We know how trout fishing and state park camping often go hand in hand, and we are doing our best to facilitate these traditional recreational pursuits,” Dunn said in a release. “This is a one-time extension reflecting pandemic-related changes to trout season’s opening day set forth by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.”
Dunn noted anglers will have more than 2,300 campsites from which to choose for the season opener.
The commission is operating under a consolidated
schedule for all counties this trout season with Mentored Youth Trout Day on March 27 and opening day on April 3.
Campgrounds open for the first day of trout season (additional parks are denoted with an asterisk):
Caledonia, Franklin County; Chapman*, Warren County; Clear Creek*, Jefferson County; Colonel Denning, Cumberland County; Cowans Gap*, Fulton County; Fowlers Hollow*, Perry County; Frances Slocum, Luzerne County; French Creek, Berks County; Greenwood Furnace*, Huntingdon County; Hickory Run*, Carbon County; Hyner Run, Clinton County; Kettle Creek, Clinton County; Keystone, Westmoreland
County; Kooser, Somerset County; Lackawanna*, Lackawanna County; Laurel Hill, Somerset County; Little Buffalo, Perry County; Little Pine, Lycoming County; Locust Lake, Schuylkill County; Lyman Run*, Potter County; Ohiopyle*, Fayette County; Ole Bull, Potter County; Parker Dam*, Clearfield County; Penn Roosevelt, Centre County; Pine Grove Furnace, Cumberland County; Promised Land*, Pike County; Raccoon Creek; Beaver County; R.B. Winter*, Union County; Reeds Gap*, Mifflin County; Ryerson Station, Greene County; Sinnemahoning,Cameron and Potter counties; Sizerville*, Potter County; Trough Creek*, Huntingdon County; and Worlds End*, Sullivan
County.
The bureau is offering a one-time waiver of the transfer or cancellation fees so customers can move reservations to opening weekend. The waiver is for those who have a campsite reservation at the 17 campgrounds that are opening early and are
scheduled to arrive April 16 or 17 for the previously scheduled trout opener on April 17.
If customers are unable to change arrival dates to the new first day, they can keep their existing reservations or cancel with no fee. Affected customers must contact the state by March 30. Sites will
be available for transfers on a first-come, first-served basis by calling 888-PA-PARKS.
New reservations can be made via the state parks reservation website and clicking on “Reservations.” Customers may also call 888-PA-PARKS, Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.