Milton State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Milton State Park is a popular recreational area located in central Pennsylvania.
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Summary
The park offers many activities for visitors such as hiking, biking, fishing, and boating. One of the main attractions of the park is the Lake Chillisquaque, a 22-acre lake that provides opportunities for fishing, swimming, kayaking, and paddle boating. The park has over 80 campsites in a forested area near the lake. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, beavers, and bald eagles.
There are several points of interest in the park, including a boat launch, picnic areas, and hiking trails. The park's hiking trails, which range from easy to difficult, offer breathtaking views of the lake and the surrounding forest. The park also offers interpretive programs, which provide educational and recreational opportunities for visitors.
Interesting facts about the park include its history as a former state hospital, which operated from 1892 to 1983. The park's name, Chillisquaque, is a Native American word meaning "place of the crayfish."
The best time to visit Milton State Park is during the summer months when the weather is warm and sunny, and the lake is open for swimming and boating. The park is also open year-round, and visitors can enjoy hiking and camping during the fall and spring months.
Overall, Milton State Park provides a great opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to explore the natural beauty of central Pennsylvania.
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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.
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