With a variety of waters and boating opportunities, chart your course for Pennsylvania
Whether you like to quietly row on a small lake or jet around with the wind streaming through your hair, Pennsylvania state parks provide nearly unlimited opportunities for recreational boating on diverse bodies of water. The Commonwealth has more than 86,000 miles of rivers and streams ranging from headwaters to major river systems–it’s second only to Alaska in the number of miles of streams in one state.
Canoeing on Pennsylvania's streams has a long history dating back to the Native Americans. European settlers used the streams for transportation and most of our first towns started on their banks.
Today, many of Pennsylvania's stream banks have been cleared and developed. However, many miles of Pennsylvania's state forest streams are still relatively wild and remote. There are 5,132 miles of rivers and streams on state forest land. Potentially, many of these waters are navigable and open to canoeing and kayaking. Six state forests have developed water trails on waters that transect state forest.
The state has 76 natural lakes that provide 5,266 acres of flat water. An additional 2,300 constructed impoundments provide another 200,000 acres of boatable waters. Lake Erie has more than 63 miles of shoreline and 735 square miles of waters within Pennsylvania’s boundaries. The Delaware River provides 56 miles of tidal waters within Pennsylvania and access to the Atlantic Ocean.
With this much water, you can point your bow in just about any direction for boating fun.