Ryerson Station State Park

Ryerson Station State Park encompasses 1,164 acres in Greene County on the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, near the West Virginia border. Land for this park became available to the public in 1967. The park features the 62-acre Ronald J. Duke Lake (shown above), which formed in 1960 from the construction of a dam across the North Fork of the Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek.

The name for the park originated from the nearby Fort Ryerson, constructed in 1792 at the order of Virginia authorities to be used principally as a place of refuge from Indian raids.

Greene County and Ryerson Station State Park are focal points for recent biodiversity studies by WPC's Natural Heritage Program staff. The objectives include flora and fauna habitat inventories and the development of management recommendations.

Directions
The park is on both sides of Bristoria Road, just off of PA 21, three miles from Wind Ridge, PA. These highways are accessible from either Washington or Waynesburg, PA.

Educational Program:
This Saturday, June 18th, from 1 to 4 pm at the Park Visitors Center, Patrick Adams & Lisa Zahurance will host a program entitled "Leave No Trace" - Essentials for Backpacking & Camping. This talk and guided walk will cover the preparation, equipment choices and safety concerns essential to hiking and camping. Focused around the seven principles of "Leave no Trace," you will learn all the basics in how to prepare for a hike or campout, basic survival skills, ways to lighten your load and local hiking and camping opportunities. For more information, contact Dennis Miller, Manager at (724) 428-4254, or by email atryersonstationsp@state.pa.us.

Today's photo was taken by WPC's Natural Heritage Program Ecologist Robert Coxe.

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