French Creek State Park

The land in and surrounding French Creek State Park was once dominated by old-growth forests of American chestnut. These trees were cleared, beginning in 1771, and used to make charcoal to feed the iron furnace at nearby Hopewell Furnace. The forests were allowed to regrow and were cleared again approximately every twenty-five years. The furnace was in operation for 112 years until 1883. The damage caused by the colliers had a long-lasting effect on the ecology of this section of southeastern Pennsylvania. The thickly wooded hillsides that once provided a habitat for a wide variety of woodland creatures were stripped bare. But the forest slowly began to grow back. The second growth forests that stand today at French Creek State Park are made up of a mixture of oak, maple and other mostly hardwood trees. The land was reclaimed by the efforts of the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps created during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to offset unemployment. The CCC, invited to Pennsylvania by Governor Gifford Pinchot, worked to clear the forests and streams of brush. They also built many of the facilities still in use today at the park, including several tent camping areas, two small dams and lakes, two group camps, picnic areas, and extensive roads and trails throughout the park. They also began the restoration of the historic Hopewell Furnace.{{cite web ==Recreation==

Hunting and fishing Hunting is permitted on over of French Creek State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are pheasants, squirrels, turkeys, white-tailed deer, and rabbits. The hunting of groundhogs is not permitted at the park. The lakes at French Creek State Park offer two varieties of fishing. Scotts Run Lake is a cold water fishery. It is stocked with trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Hopewell Lake is a warm water fishery. The common game fish caught in the lake are muskellunge, walleye, northern pike, chain pickerel and largemouth, pan fish, and smallmouth bass. Both lakes are open to ice fishing, weather permitting. Bait & tackle are available for sale near the rest rooms by the boat launch at Hopewell Lake. • Boone Trail is a "moderate" hiking trail that is marked with blue blazes. This trail makes a loop through the park. It is closed to mountain biking in the vicinity of Hopewell Lake. • Buzzards Trail is a "moderate" hiking trail. This trail follows the banks of Baptism Creek. • Horse-Shoe Trail is a hiking and horseback trail that passes through French Creek State Park. of the trail are in the park. Horse-Shoe Trail begins at Valley Forge National Historic Park and ends at the Appalachian Trail near Harrisburg. • Kalmia Trail is a "moderate" hiking trail. The trail passes through a mature forest that is scattered with mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia). • Lenape Trail, named for the Lenape tribe that once inhabited the area, is a "moderate" hiking trail. It is also a loop trail. • Mill Creek Trail is a "difficult" trail. The trailhead is at Pennsylvania Route 345 and Shed Road. It is a backcountry trail and does not cross any other paved roads. • Raccoon Trail is a "moderate" trail. It connects Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site with French Creek State Park. • Six Penny Trail is a "moderate" hiking trail. It is a loop trail, set off in the woods and is connected to the campground contact station by a short connector trail. • Turtle Trail is a trail that follows the western portions of French Creek. ==Staying overnight==

Visitors to the park have three options for overnight accommodations. There are 201 wooded and modern sites for tents or campers. This campground has a centrally located shower and toilet facility. Ten modern cabins are available to rent. Each cabin can sleep up to six with electric heat, a kitchen and private bathroom. Group camping, in cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is available to two separate locations. The facilities include dining halls, central washhouses, and cabins for campers and staff. ==Forest fires==

On April 9, 2012, a forest fire started on the eastern side of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site due to fallen tree onto a powerline during an unusually warm and dry spring. The fire followed an unusual October ice and snowstorm that caused tree limb damage. This caused the forest to become a "tinderbox," according to officials. The fire burned approximately 750 acres, largely contained within the park. The forest fire caused the park's trails east of Rt. 345 and south of Shed Road to be closed. It also caused numerous evacuations around the eastern and southern edges of the park, though the fire never damaged any homes. This was the longest, largest, and most expensive fire operation in the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry's history. The fire was officially declared extinguished on April 23, 2012, two weeks after the fire began. A forest fire was spotted in the park on April 1, 2016, almost four years after the previous fire and in the same approximate location. The fire was reported to have burned at least nine acres south of Miller's Point.{{cite web ==References==