A true jewel of an outdoor spot for boating, camping, fishing and swimming. Raystown lake is…read morehuge...28 miles and over 120 miles of shoreline between Huntington and Saxton, Pa, not far from Altoona in central PA. Clean water - you can swim care free and eat the fish you catch. Public launches and two nice marinas. Lake Raystown resort is terrific for family fun, especially if you're a boat owner! This is a wonderful gem in PA for family fun! We've been coming for years...and love it!

Quiet, peaceful, friendly guest. I can't wait to bring my family and friends next summerread more

One of my favorite parts about hiking is talking to other hikers! A few weeks ago, while wrapping…read moreup a different trail, another hiker asked where else I liked to hike. When I admitted I'd never been to Opossum Lake, she looked at me like I was missing out and told me I needed to check it out. Well...challenge accepted! When I got home, I looked it up and discovered it was only about 25 minutes from my house. Somehow, yet again, I had managed to overlook another great outdoor spot practically in my own backyard. A beautiful four-mile trail around a lake? Count me in! I headed out early on a mid-July Sunday morning, hoping to beat both the heat and the crowds. GPS brought me right to the parking area without any trouble, and even though there were already quite a few people there fishing, I had no problem finding a parking spot. The trail itself was fantastic! One of the things I appreciated most was how much the terrain changed throughout the loop. Parts of the trail were covered with crushed stone, others with pine needles, tanbark or natural dirt. It kept the hike interesting without ever becoming difficult. The entire four-mile loop is well-marked, easy to follow and beautifully shaded, making it an excellent summer hike even when temperatures start creeping up. The recent rain left a few muddy spots along the trail, but nothing that slowed me down. PRO TIP: If you're hiking after a rainstorm, use a little extra caution on the wooden footbridges. They can get a bit slick. The trail offered plenty to see along the way. I spotted birds, turtles and beautiful views across the lake and I found myself stopping more than once simply to enjoy the peaceful scenery. One unexpected highlight came when I crossed the spillway bridge. The interpretive signs explaining the history of the dam, the high-water markers and why the bridge was built so high above the creek added a neat educational element to the hike that I wasn't expecting. I always appreciate when a place teaches me something while I'm out exploring. Beyond hiking, it's easy to see why Opossum Lake has become such a popular recreation area. Throughout my visit I saw anglers casting from the shoreline, boats out enjoying the water and families making use of the many picnic areas scattered around the lake. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, paddle or simply enjoy a peaceful picnic, there's plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the scenery. I can already tell Opossum Lake is going to earn a permanent spot on my short list of local hikes. It's close to home. It's easy enough to enjoy without needing to mentally prepare for a mountain expedition. And it's beautiful enough that it never feels like "just another walk." Sometimes you want a huge adventure. Sometimes you just want to lace up your hiking boots, get a few peaceful miles under your belt and spend some time outside. Opossum Lake is absolutely perfect for those days!

'Possum Lake is a great place to go for a quick hike or paddle. My favorite thing is to hike…read morearound the lake in the evening then head out in the kayak. The distance around the lake is, I think, about 3 or 3 1/2 miles and there are some small hills, steps, and mostly dirt or pine-needle-covered terrain. In terms of kayaking, I can paddle around all areas in about an hour. It's a convenient, easy-to-get-to location and it's open until 10pm.

Easy to make reservations online and check in was automatic. RV parking was level and we had…read morefull-hookup and 50 amps. I got to take the dogs for their walks in the woods and see lots of birds, squirrels, and pollinators. I wish we could have spent more than one night here.

Absolutely gorgeous park with so much to do and see. They have a full campground with hookups and a…read morerustic one also. You can rent anything from a boat to a yurt or cabin. The rangers are amazing people. You can swim, fish and there is hunting lands nearby.

No cell service and wonderful hiking trails. Boat rental and swimming available as wellread more

There are a lot of sites that back into the dog trail in the dog friendly section. Where we…read morewere, the trail was great and ran along side a beautiful stream.

Shavers Creek is an Environmental Education Center, open 10a-5p daily, where you can walk around…read moreand explore nature! Located in the Stone valley Recreation Area, they have an amazing rain garden in the front with all sorts of plants and bushes. The center itself is informative and interesting, and has a ton of activities for kids to do. Dress up, follow the tracks, toys, touch & feel, etc. Be sure to check out the Birds of Prey exhibit, where students from Penn State Nature center care for injured and wounded birds from all over North America. There are kestrel, golden eagles, hawks, vultures, owls and a variety of other birds. The facility itself is zero-waste and has a lot of naturally green concepts incorporated in it. Exhibits on recycling & forestry are worth a visit.

Great spot for a walk around the small lake. Trails through the woods and marsh are also great…read moreincluding areas in the marsh with a board walk. They have a great little hands on educational center and exhibits of live turtles and snakes. The live raptor and owl exhibit is a major attraction of course, first time I've ever seen a golden eagle up close, and actually not overly depressing since they are there for the reason to be rehabilitated and let go if possible.

A lovely, non-humid, low-70s morning to enjoy a quiet walk around the Italian lake. So serene, with…read morenot very many ducks, birds, or turtles. Perhaps it's vacation time, but it's always a wonderful opportunity to get a dose of sunshine and nature in this lovely, well-maintained city park.

4/30/26 Beautiful views all around--gorgeous lake w/fountain sculpture on 1 side & spray fountains…read moreon the other. Azaleas & flowering princess trees in bloom. Docile Canada Geese feeding lakeside. Picturesque neighborhood of lake-facing homes 1 street over w/many English style cottages w/stone or brick facades & shaker shingle roofs. Covered concert stage & uncovered bench seating is ready for summer concert season. Center bridge could use new paint on rails. Picnic tables would be nice addition, but then it might require more maintenance to keep area trash-free. Street parking is available on either side of lake.

Located in Bald Eagle State Park, Boats and Bikes is a simple shop with one goal in mind: helping…read moreyou enjoy a day on the water. Specifically, the shop is there to help you enjoy Joseph Sayers Lake, the scenic lake in Bald Eagle. This place rents out a variety of boats to park goers, from canoes and kayaks to pontoon boats and jet skis. Also, you can rent for short and long periods of time alike - anywhere from an hour to all day, according to their website. The website also mentions that they offer an on-lake fuel dock with non-ethanol fuel, fishing and boating supplies, live bait, snacks, drinks, ice, and camping supplies. Like I said: they're here to help you enjoy your time on the water! Reservations aren't required, but are recommended - but also aren't available for each type of boat. I know this because prior to my visit, I learned that canoes and kayaks are first come, first serve. Not a big deal, but still something to be aware of, and admittedly weird since you can reserve a paddle board...just, not canoes or kayaks? When I visited, a relative and I opted to enjoy three hours of kayaking on the water. A few other groups went for the pontoon boats, and we also shared the water with folks who clearly owned their own boats and were using approved launch points to join in the fun. Our visit was pretty straight-forward; we paid, got outfitted with life vests and paddles, and got some help launching ourselves after we asked for it. Coming back in was admittedly less fun since the very busy staff didn't come help to pull in our kayaks; we managed by ourselves but it took a bit of coordination and teamwork since a kayak that's half in, half out of the water isn't particularly stable. We also admittedly dodged some groups of people on land because not every other guest remembered that masks are necessary outdoors in 2020, too; still, the good news about being outside is that it's at least easier to keep your distance. And the staff did mask up at all times, so at least being inside when checking in and out wasn't overly stressful. Boats & Bikes is exactly what it sounds like and I definitely appreciate their set-up, which made it easy to enjoy time on the lake in this beautiful state park. I would definitely come here again and take advantage of the different boat rental options during future visits to the area.

So awesome. We've been here several times these past two years. Service is great and the boats are…read moreeven better! Fun and affordable way to spend sunny days.