Newville, PA — Beginning September 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will initiate lake level drawdown and rehabilitation work at Colonel Denning State Park in Cumberland County to remove sand from the swimming area back to the beach area.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-November, and at that time the lake will begin refilling with rain and snow. Visitors will not be allowed to fish or boat during the drawdown, which is expected to reduce lake levels by several feet. The beach will close when the drawdown begins. The project is not expected to cause any additional closures or impacts to visitors.
“Maintaining safe and resilient infrastructure is a core part of our responsibility as stewards of Pennsylvania’s 125 state parks,” said John Hallas, DCNR Director of State Parks. “This work at Doubling Gap Lake is necessary to ensure we are responsibly managing the lake and beach conditions for a positive visitor experience. We appreciate visitors’ understanding during the drawdown and encourage the public to use the park’s day use areas and trails during the work.”
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) does not stock Doubling Gap Lake in the fall. Anglers seeking stocked trout opportunities this fall and during the winter ice fishing season can find alternate stocking locations on the PFBC website.
Colonel Denning State Park, in north-central Cumberland County, has 273 acres of woodland and 3.5-acre Doubling Gap Lake. The park serves as a gateway to the 96,000-acre Tuscarora State Forest, which surrounds the park. These scenic and historic public lands are located in Doubling Gap, so named by the “S” turn where Blue Mountain doubles back on itself.
# # #