Worlds End State Park Visitors Center
Forksville, Pennsylvania · on Loyalsock Creek · Worlds End State Park
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- creek
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Worlds End State Park Visitors Center
Worlds End State Park in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, has an officially designated swimming area on Loyalsock Creek, formed by a 7-foot Civilian Conservation Corps-era dam that backs up a roughly 1-acre pool. The park lists swimming as an official activity at this dam-built swimming hole, with a seasonal, unguarded beach open Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day.
The swimming area sits within the Loyalsock Creek gorge at Worlds End State Park, near an S-shaped bend in the creek that gave the park its name, surrounded by the forested Endless Mountains region of north-central Pennsylvania.
Swimming at Worlds End State Park Visitors Center
Swimming takes place in a dam-formed pool on Loyalsock Creek with a sandy beach; visitors describe the water as cold (mountain stream fed), clear, and suitable for swimming and floating, with nearby rocks used informally as jump/dive spots. The creek can run higher and more powerful after heavy rain.
How to get to this swimming hole
The park is located along Loyalsock Creek near Forksville, PA (address associated with the area: 82 Cabin Bridge Rd, Forksville, PA 18616), about 1 mile from Forksville.
The hike in
The swimming beach is directly accessible from the park's day-use/beach area near the visitor center and cabins on Loyalsock Creek, no trail is needed to reach the water. The park separately has an extensive trail network (Canyon Vista Trail ~3.5 mi loop, Worlds End Trail ~3.25 mi, Link Trail ~8.5 mi, Double Run Nature Trail ~1.2 mi, plus a segment of the 59-mile Loyalsock Trail) for hikers who want scenic overlooks, but none of these are required for swimming access.
Trails elsewhere in the park are described as rocky and steep, requiring proper footwear, but this applies to the optional hiking network, not the swim-beach approach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy beach area has a shallow shoreline where young children can wade/splash, but there are no lifeguards (none since 2008), nearby boulders are used informally for jumping/cliff-diving by teens, the mountain-fed water is cold year-round, and the creek can turn swift and dangerous after heavy rain. Best for families who supervise closely rather than a fully hands-off kid beach.
Parking
Available
The swimming beach sits within the park's day-use area, which has parking, but the specific lot location, capacity, and any fee were not confirmed in sources found (PA DCNR state parks generally do not charge day-use parking fees, but this was not explicitly stated for Worlds End).
Restrooms
Yes
Park-wide wash-houses provide flush toilets and showers (a sewage treatment plant was added park-wide in 2003); exact location relative to the swim beach vs. campground/cabins was not separately confirmed.
Water clarity
Clear
Multiple independent visitor accounts describe the CCC dam pool as clear, cool mountain-stream water even when running higher than normal; visitors also mention visible trout in the pool, consistent with generally clear conditions.
Hours
Park grounds are open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset (day-use areas close at dusk). The designated swimming area itself operates seasonally, Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day, sunrise to sunset, unguarded.
On the water
Restrictions: Open canoes are discouraged park-wide on this stretch because the current runs too swift for them, visitors are asked to use kayaks instead. A boater's chute passes through the middle of the CCC dam that forms the swim pool, but the creek section through the designated swimming area is closed to whitewater boating during the summer swim season for safety; optimal whitewater boating (Class II-III+, some IV) runs roughly March-May. No motorized watercraft.
This is a whitewater-character mountain creek, not a flatwater lake, so recreational paddling here is seasonal and skill-dependent rather than casual rentals-and-paddle-around; kayakers and canoeists are reported to use sections of the creek 'when water levels permit.'
Backstory
The park was established in 1932 with minimal infrastructure; the Civilian Conservation Corps built most of the park's recreational infrastructure between 1933 and 1941, including the 7-foot dam on Loyalsock Creek that creates the swimming area.
Worlds End State Park Visitors Center: FAQ
Is Worlds End State Park Visitors Center kid friendly?
Sandy beach area has a shallow shoreline where young children can wade/splash, but there are no lifeguards (none since 2008), nearby boulders are used informally for jumping/cliff-diving by teens, the mountain-fed water is cold year-round, and the creek can turn swift and dangerous after heavy rain. Best for families who supervise closely rather than a fully hands-off kid beach.
Do I need to hike to reach Worlds End State Park Visitors Center?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Worlds End State Park Visitors Center?
The swimming beach sits within the park's day-use area, which has parking, but the specific lot location, capacity, and any fee were not confirmed in sources found (PA DCNR state parks generally do not charge day-use parking fees, but this was not explicitly stated for Worlds End).
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Worlds End State Park Visitors Center?
This is a whitewater-character mountain creek, not a flatwater lake, so recreational paddling here is seasonal and skill-dependent rather than casual rentals-and-paddle-around; kayakers and canoeists are reported to use sections of the creek 'when water levels permit.'
When is the best time to visit Worlds End State Park Visitors Center?
Summer, specifically Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day, when the official swimming area is open.
What are the rules at Worlds End State Park Visitors Center?
Swimming is at the visitor's own risk; no lifeguards have monitored the beach since 2008. The beach area is smoke-free (no cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, or lighted smoking devices), with designated smoking areas nearby. The swimming area is open only from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day, sunrise to sunset; visitors are directed to read and follow posted rules.
What water body is Worlds End State Park Visitors Center on?
Worlds End State Park Visitors Center is on Loyalsock Creek, a natural creek verified in USGS hydrography data.
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