The Keystone to a few relaxing days
Written: Aug 06 '07 (Updated Jul 04 '09)
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Pros: Great scenery, fun activities
Cons: One grumpy ranger, showers
The Bottom Line: Keystone State Park is enjoyable for a few days of camping or just for a day trip for swimming and picnicking.
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| klueger's Full Review: Keystone State Park |
We took a few days this year to go camping. We went to Keystone St. Park located in Derry Township PA. This park is only about an hours drive from Pittsburgh, making it ideal for people wanting to take in many of the treasures in this area.
Keystone is a 1,200 acre park offering a picturesque lake, and several other activities. One of the favorite is swimming. The beach is a small sand area, but it has a decent sized grassy hillside where the majority of people sit and tan themselves. The sand is combed a couple times a week and is relatively clean and hazard free. The water is a little mucky, but they do try to keep it safe. We saw a fellow going through the entire swimming area with a metal detector to find any metallic objects that might hurt someone. However, at times you can step on a rock which can hurt. I don’t mind the rocks though because if you are swimming a lake or natural water body you should expect this type of thing. The beach has a concession stand open from 12 p.m – 7 p.m. during the summer months. It is expensive, but I have seen worse. There is a bath house which they keep clean. I will talk about my complaint while discussing the camping section. The beach does not have life guards so is advisable to swim with some friends.
Camping is good at Keystone, and they have a few different options. Tent lots which don’t have electric are the least expensive option. This is where we camped. Sleeping out under the stars. These lots, as well as, the trailer lots that have electric but no water, are a decent size. They are not huge, but there is enough room that you are not on top of your neighbors. They also offer some multi-campsites which have tiers on a hillside. These are nice if you have a big family.
The campground also has nice cabins at least from the outside. I have not been able to observe the inside of them. They also have yurts fro rent which are Mongolian style tents and have stoves and bunks. They look really cool and I would like to rent one sometime in the future.
The bath houses are kept clean. I like the fact that the showers have hot water; however, I would like adjustable heads. You have to do a contortionist act to be able to wash your feet. For some people this is impossibility. I also did not see a need to close the bath house an hour and half to clean it. Doing this made the people in the campground have to walk or drive a mile to get to the beach bathhouse. I realize it is easier to clean a bathroom when it is closed, but is closing it really a necessity.
My last grievance about the park is sort of a universal complaint because I have found it to be true in most state parks. There is always on ranger who likes to make life miserable for people and is way too grumpy. I do not see the harm in people walking around after dark. However, at this camp at least they feel it is necessary to not allow you to walk after 9:00 P.M. I don’t feel we should have to be treated as criminal for walking on paved roads with a flash light wearing bright clothes at night. I grew up camping this was never a problem. This ranger helps keep the park form being a 5 star park.
Now back to the fun and good things about the park. Fishing with a license for people above the age 12 is permitted. If you under the age of 12 in Pennsylvania fishing is free. My wife and son enjoy fishing, and did catch a blue gill and a pumpkin seed (Known mostly as sunfish in most area's.) The lake also has trout, perch and brown bullhead catfish. Only electric motor boats and canoe’s (row boats) are allowed on this lake.
The park also has several hiking trails which are rather easy. Some are through nature and wetlands. We where lucky enough to seem some frogs and a blue heron the day we hiked through the wetland area. The park also has many butterflies throughout the entire park.
The park also has educational opportunities with signs throughout the park. One helped us identify an osprey which was flying over the lake one morning. The visitor’s center also has a wealth of information, including some friendly and helpful rangers.
Keystone state park is worth visiting if not for a few days, than one day for swimming and picnicking. The park does not have grills in the picnic area (the campsites do have a fire pit with a grill over it). They do have a cement structure to put used coals though to help prevent damage to the park grounds. They also have a variety of picnicking areas some are shady and some are in the sun for people with different tastes.
I do recommend this park. Its good points surely outweigh its bad.
Thank you for reading my review and I hope you have found it helpful in someway.
Here are some other State park reviews and one on Pittsburgh if you are interested in other areas.
Point St. Park
http://www.epinions.com/content_4017228228
Gifford Pinchot St. Park
http://www.epinions.com/content_31303896708
Bald Eagle St. Park
http://www.epinions.com/content_68995092100
Moraine St. Park
http://www.epinions.com/content_39577620100
Prince Gallitzin St. Park
http://www.epinions.com/content_35551219332
Yellow Creek St. park
http://www.epinions.com/content_144867626628
Pittsburgh
http://www.epinions.com/content_34790477444
Recommended:
Yes
Recommended for: Familes
Review Topic: Overview
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Epinions.com ID:
klueger
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Location: Somewhere east of the missippi
Reviews written: 173
Trusted by: 181 members
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Trying to serve God and not my earthly desires. Know that I love you all
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