Hills Creek State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Hills Creek State Park is a popular destination located in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.
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Summary
It covers over 407 acres and offers visitors a variety of activities, including hiking, fishing, swimming, camping, and boating. The park is known for its scenic beauty, featuring lush forests, rolling hills, and a large lake.
One of the main attractions at Hills Creek State Park is the 137-acre Hills Creek Lake, which is a popular spot for boating, fishing, and swimming. There are also two white sand beaches for visitors to enjoy. Additionally, the park features several hiking trails that range in difficulty and offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
One interesting fact about Hills Creek State Park is that it was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The park was created as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal program, which aimed to provide jobs and improve the country's infrastructure.
The best time to visit Hills Creek State Park is during the summer months when the weather is warm, and the lake is open for swimming and boating. However, the park is also open year-round and offers snowmobiling and ice fishing during the winter months.
Overall, Hills Creek State Park is a beautiful and scenic destination that offers a variety of recreational opportunities for visitors of all ages and interests.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Area Campgrounds
| Location | Reservations | Toilets |
|---|---|---|
Hills Creek State Park
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Ives Run
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Tompkins River
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State Game Lands 037
Wellsboro Park, The Green
State Game Lands 313