Gifford Pinchot State Park

Lewisberry, Pennsylvania · on Pinchot Lake · Gifford Pinchot State Park

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: No fee found
SEASON: May

About Gifford Pinchot State Park

Gifford Pinchot State Park is a 2,338-acre Pennsylvania state park in Warrington Township, York County, built around the 340-acre man-made Pinchot Lake, a designated lake to swim in. The park operates an official swimming hole at the Quaker Race Day Use Area beach, one of its original attractions since the park opened in 1961.

The park sits in rolling York County countryside north of Lewisberry, centered on Pinchot Lake, a 340-acre impoundment created as part of the park's development in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The lake and surrounding day-use areas are set within a broader 2,338-acre park that also includes camping areas, disc golf courses, and a segment of the Mason-Dixon Trail.

Swimming at Gifford Pinchot State Park

Swimming takes place at a large, official sand beach on Pinchot Lake at the Quaker Race Day Use Area, natural lake water rather than a pool, with a designated swim zone. The beach is ADA accessible. The official park page describes swimming as at the visitor's own risk within posted rules; no lifeguard staffing is confirmed one way or the other in the sources reviewed.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up day-use beach at the Quaker Race Day Use Area on Pinchot Lake; no hike is needed to reach the swimming area. (The park's Mason-Dixon Trail segment is a separate hiking trail elsewhere in the park and is unrelated to beach access.)

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

The Quaker Race beach is a large, ADA-accessible sand beach on a swim-at-your-own-risk basis; the official park pages do not confirm lifeguard staffing, so families should supervise closely. A children's play area is on-site near the beach, which supports family visits, but the lack of confirmed lifeguards means this isn't a fully hands-off kid spot.

Hours

Park is open every day of the year, 8:00 a.m. to sunset. The Quaker Race swimming beach itself operates seasonally, late May through mid-September, 8:00 a.m. to sunset.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboardsRowboatsSailboatsElectric motorboat

Restrictions: Electric motors only, operated at slow, no-wake speed (gas motors not permitted). Three boat launch areas are open 24 hours a day. 286 shoreline mooring/rack spaces are rentable April 1 through October 1. A launching or mooring permit (available at the park office or via PA Fish and Boat Commission) is referenced, though no specific fee amount was found.

Source: official park boating page, https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/gifford-pinchot-state-park/boating.html

Rentals nearby

Gifford Pinchot State Park boat rental concession (park-operated, temporary location; specific vendor/company name not published in sources found)

Canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, and rowboats, with optional electric motor rental

Temporarily located in the Conewago Day Use Area (not the Quaker Race swimming beach area) · Daily, Memorial Day through Labor Day (weather permitting)

Backstory

Governor George M. Leader broke ground on the park in May 1958; it officially opened to the public on May 26, 1961. In its earliest years, before camping facilities were completed, picnicking and swimming were the only activities available to visitors.

Gifford Pinchot State Park: FAQ

Is Gifford Pinchot State Park kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Gifford Pinchot State Park?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Gifford Pinchot State Park?

Source: official park boating page, https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/gifford-pinchot-state-park/boating.html

When is the best time to visit Gifford Pinchot State Park?

Beach operates late May through mid-September, 8:00 a.m. to sunset.

What are the rules at Gifford Pinchot State Park?

Swimming is at your own risk and subject to posted regulations; the beach and swimming area are smoke-free (no cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or e-cigarettes), though designated smoking areas exist elsewhere in the park.

What water body is Gifford Pinchot State Park on?

Gifford Pinchot State Park is on Pinchot Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.