Recreation
Notice: the Shenango Recreation Area Campground no longer accepts payments at the contact booth. All visitors can make a reservation online through Recreation 1 Stop (R15) at www.recreation.gov or by phone at 877-444-6777. Reservations can be made six months in advance and up to the same day as arrival as long as campsites are available. The change was implemented to gain efficiencies by reducing administrative tasks, allowing staff to provide better customer service and accommodate visitors more efficiently. If you have any questions, please contact the Ranger Station at 724-646-1124.
The scenic Shenango Recreation Area campground has 330 sites available, many of which are equipped with electric hookup. Showers, restrooms, playgrounds and dump stations are provided. Campers visiting the lake will enjoy the spacious facilities and ease of access to the lake, as well as opportunities to enjoy watching the birds and other wildlife that live there.
Many fishing enthusiasts are attracted to the waters of Shenango for the crappie, bass, walleye, channel catfish, and other fish that inhabit the river and lake. Opportunity for trout fishing is available from New Hamburg to Big Bend recreation area, where Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stock trout biannually.
Hikers will enjoy the opportunity to walk the beautiful trails at the lake. The Seth Myers Trail, named for the nature enthusiast and Sharon Herald outdoor writer, is located at the Mahaney Day Use area and has been recently renovated to include information panels about the trail and the natural discoveries that can be found there. The Coonie trail, named for Park Ranger Francis A. “Coonie” Lamphear Jr., is a self-guided trail located in the campground at the amphitheater. This short trail showcases the unique habitat of the lake and its surrounding environment with information panels located at key points of interest.
Campground Hosts
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Shenango Lake is accepting applications for campground hosts for the upcoming 2021 recreation season. Basic duties include issuing visitor/camper vehicle passes, directing traffic, providing information services, and litter pickup. Some positions may require light maintenance work. We are located in Western Pennsylvania, near Hermitage, Pa. Positions will run from mid-May to mid-September. Interested campers should call Park Ranger Matthew Pook at 724-646-1124 or e-mail him at matthew.j.pook@usace.army.mil. A campsite with electric hookups will be provided (water and sewage not available at site).
Campground Reservations
Campsites at four Pittsburgh District lakes - Shenango River Lake, Berlin Lake, Tionesta Lake and Youghiogheny River Lake - can be reserved in advance through Recreation 1 Stop (R1S), an interagency one-stop center for recreation reservations. Reservations can be made before arrival by calling R1S toll-free at 1-877-444-6777 or on their website at www.recreation.gov. The Shenango Lake campground is open for the 2021 season from May 14 through Sept. 6. A limited number of campsites can be occupied after Labor Day and are available for reservations from R1S until Sept. 11.
Annual Day Use Pass & America the Beautiful Passes
In an effort to promote customer service and as an efficiency gain, boat launch fees are no longer charged at Shenango Lake Corps of Engineers operated boat launches, thus Shenango Lake no longer sells the Corps Annual Day Use Pass.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District is no longer selling America the Beautiful national passes. Passes are available at a variety of locations, including national parks and monuments, or online. Please visit https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes for more information.
Mahaney, Clark and Shenango Day Use Areas
The Mahaney, Clark and Shenango Day Use Areas are open from sunrise to sunset. The Shenango Day Use Area remains open to pedestrian and vehicle traffic year-round, while the Mahaney and Clark Day Use Areas remain open in the fall until the first snowfall and re-open in the spring in early April. The restrooms at all three areas close Oct. 18. Restrooms at Clark, Mahaney and Shenango Day use areas open April 1. The Mahaney Recreation Area boasts 'The Pines at Shenango Lake' disc-golf course featuring 18 holes of disc golf. Links to a printed out map and scorecard can be found below.
Scorecard
Course map
Bayview Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Area
The 2021 recreation season is from May 21 to Sept. 26.
| Regulations for ATV Riders Using the Bayview Off-Road Vehicle Area |
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Riders must stay within the posted boundaries of the riding area. Operating an ATV outside of the designated riding area will result in the issuance of a citation, impoundment of the ATV and/or local and state penalties.
o Riders must have a current registration for the ATV and display a registration sticker or state issued registration plate.
o Helmets must be worn at all times.
o Riders under 8 years of age are not permitted to operate any type of off-road vehicle in the Bayview ORV Area. Riders 8 to 15 must complete a safety education course and possess a current safety training certificate before being permitted to operate any type of off-road vehicle. The rider must be in possession of the certificate while riding at Bayview.
Other rules and regulations posted in the area must be observed at all times.
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Boat Launching
In an effort to promote customer service and as an efficiency gain, boat launch fees are no longer charged at Shenango Lake Corps of Engineers operated boat launches. Boat launch fees may still apply at other Corps of Engineers operated lakes. Shenango Lake will no longer be selling the Corps Annual Day Use Pass as well, but you can acquire one from other projects in the Pittsburgh District by mailing in the pass request form, found under 'Links of Interest', to the addresses provided on the second page of the form.
Picnic Shelter Reservations
As an efficiency gain and to promote customer service, picnic shelter reservations shall be made only through the Recreation One Stop. Shelters can be reserved up to one year in advance by calling RIS at 1-877-444-6777 or on their website at www.recreation.gov - search for Shenango River Lake. This service is available 24/7 online. The fee for reserving a picnic shelter at Shenango Lake is $42 per day. There are seven picnic shelters available in four different recreation areas (maps & pictures available on the RIS website): Clark Rec Area Day Use – Clark Shelter; Mahaney Outflow Rec Area Day Use – Riverview Shelter; Mahaney Rec Area Day Use – Trails End, Spruce Cove, Skyline, and Rolling Meadows Shelters; & Shenango Rec Area Day Use – Lakeside Shelter. Electric is available at the shelter with a paid reservation only, grills are available on site, and flush toilets and drinking water are provided at the nearby restroom (seasonal). If not reserved, the shelter is available for free on a first-come, first-served basis with no electric. If you have any questions in regards to the picnic shelters, please contact the Manager’s Office at 724-962-7746 or Ranger Station at 724-646-1124.
Life Jacket Loaner Program
The Boat/U.S. Foundation for Boating Safety has funded a Life Jacket Loaner Program at Shenango Lake. Life jackets are available for infants, children and youth as well as some adults. The U.S. Coast Guard requires recreational boaters to have a wearable life jacket on board for each passenger, but life jackets suitable for children are not always available. In addition, at Shenango Lake and other Corps of Engineers lakes in the Pittsburgh District, it is required that children under 13 years of age wear a life jacket while boating. Children are especially at risk on and near the water. A properly sized life jacket can be the difference between life and death for a small child. A boater merely signs out the jacket(s) and returns them at the end of the day. To make arrangements, please call the campground contact station at 724-646-1115 during the camping season or the ranger station at 724-646-1124.
Chestnut Run Swim Beach
The Chestnut Run Swim Beach is open year-round. Restrooms are available at the Chestnut Run Swim Beach from May 21 through Sept. 11.
The picnic pavilion is not reservable, but available for use on a first-come first-served basis. All visitors are asked to use the dumpsters in the parking lot to help keep the area clean and litter-free.
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