Pets allowed
Allowed with Restrictions
Guided tours
Yes
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

A broken wagon, a Native American chief and slashes on a tree led to the naming of Cowans Gap State Park. The story goes that in the late 1700s, John Samuel Cowan and Mary Mueller eloped from Boston. While crossing the Conococheague Creek near Fort Loudon, Pennsylvania, their wagon broke down. John traded the wagon and horses to a Tuscarora chief in exchange for land. After obtaining peace pipe and tomahawk rights, John marked a big chestnut tree with three slashes, a sign of peace to the Native Americans. The terrain includes a gap, or pass, in the Tuscarora Mountain. Today, the land is called Cowans Gap.

Thanks to the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, Cowans Gap State Park opened to the public in 1937. When the CCC arrived, the land had suffered from a period of excessive logging. The young men of the CCC planted thousands of acres of trees, built bridges, roads, trails, and a sandstone dam that took three years to construct using a single bulldozer. Four pavilions were built by hand. The Cowans Gap Rustic Cabins made by the CCC are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ten original rustic cabins are available for overnight stays; dogs are permitted in three cabins. The park also features a campground with over 200 sites, for tents to large motor homes.

The park has plenty of activities to excite adventurers. Stop at the visitor center and get a park map that shows the variety of trails, including the most popular Lakeside Trail that circles the 42-acre lake. Rowboats, kayaks and paddleboats are available to rent seasonally. Or bring your own motorboat, (electric motors only). Fishermen will enjoy the excellent trout, bass, perch, and panfish fishing. There’s even an ADA-accessible fishing pier. A 500-foot sand beach and roped swimming area invites visitors for a refreshing swim. Picnic areas, modern restrooms and concessions are available. Watch for wildlife including turkey, deer and bear. Enjoy some birdwatching or visit the park’s bat boxes and read the exhibits dedicated to these unique creatures. Visit the nature center, take a guided walk, play volleyball, or go horseback riding. There’s a lot to do in this 1,085-acre park, and state forest land surrounds the park for even more outdoor fun!

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

None

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Beautiful wooded park. Nice lake with a variety of activities. Multiple trails.

Cons

None.

Features

ADA accessible
Boat ramp(s)
Historically significant
Wildlife
Family friendly
Flushing toilets
Rental facilities
Amphitheater
Fishing
Dump stations
Picnic tables
Guided tours
Near lake or river
Wildflowers
Bird watching
Volleyball
Horseback riding
Potable water
Covered picnic areas
Bicycling

Location

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