Friends of Pinchot

10/15/2026

The annual Pinchotween event is this Saturday, October 17th. The event is for registered campers only and details about the event will be included with your site permit and clipped to your site number post.

09/28/2026

Join us this Thursday!

Park Open House

Thursday, October 1, 5:30pm-6:30pm at Lakeview Pavilion, Quaker Race Day Use Area. 2800 Rosstown Road, Wellsville, PA 17365.

Join park staff for a history lesson and get updates on recent and future park projects. You’ll also meet our Friends Group Friends of Pinchot and learn about the many past and current contributions of the group as well as upcoming volunteer opportunities. We will finish the evening with a brief walking tour of the sustainability project at the Quaker Race Day Use Area. Light refreshments will be available.

09/16/2026

Check out this volunteer spotlight…our very own Betsy Leppo from our friends group!

✨Volunteer Spotlight - Betsy Leppo, Friends of Pinchot ✨

Betsy is an invertebrate zoologist with the Natural Heritage Program and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. She's been a long-time volunteer and board member of the Friends of Pinchot State Park since it began in 2009. Betsy loves photographing wildlife, hiking, and all the activities you can do in nature (except she doesn't have the patience for fishing!).

Betsy's passion within the Friends group is the environmental committee, which operates a vernal pool wetland monitoring project in partnership with the York County Master Watershed Stewards. This committee also leads wildflower walks, build wildlife habitats within the park, and provide educational programming for park visitors.

Read more about Betsy and why she finds volunteering with the Friends of Pinchot so rewarding by visiting our website.

Interested in volunteering with the Friends of Pinchot? Come out and join them for their last trail care workday of the year on Tuesday, October 13th from 5pm-7pm.

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day!

08/18/2026

What’s your favorite that you have seen at the park lately?!!! Drop a photo below of your finds!

08/04/2026

Mark your calendar for this free outdoor event!

08/04/2026

Reminder!!! End of Summer Bash on August 22 with our friends from Red land Library. No registration required.

Join the crew from the Red Land Library at our End of Summer Bash! This event will take place from 10AM-4PM at the Quaker Race Day Use Area, Lakeview Pavilion, at Pinchot Park (the pavilion closest to the beach). We will have some food, goodies, and more! No registration is required, food will be available on a first come, first serve basis. (Event will be rain or shine)

Bring your friends, family, neighbors... anyone who wants to have a fun time!

07/27/2026

Friendly reminder that Friends of Pinchot Board meets the last Tuesday of every month - public is welcome to join!

Next meet: Tuesday July 28, 6:00-7:30 PM

Due to forcasted weather, meeting will be held at:
Gifford Pinchot State Park Office
2200 Rosstown Road, Lewisberry, PA 17339

07/02/2026

Hurray swimming is open at Gifford Pinchot State Park.

06/30/2026

Please be advised no swimming at Gifford Pinchot at this time.

UPDATE: SWIMMING REOPENED effective 7/2/26 at noon.

The Department of Health has approved the reopening of swimming at Quaker Race Day Use Area as water quality samples taken on 7/1/26 returned with bacteria counts well below the acceptable threshold.

Swimming Prohibited: Routine water testing has returned an elevated e-coli count and swimming is prohibited at Quaker Race Day Use Area. The day use areas remain open and activities such as boating and fishing are still permitted. The park will test the water and re-open swimming when bacteria counts return to acceptable levels.