Destination Thursday: Presque Isle and the Lake Erie Shoreline

The French named it "Presqu' Isle" (almost an island). Presque Isle is a recurving sand spit jutting into Lake Erie and has the only surf beach in the Commonwealth. Jam packed with geological and biological diversity, and more than its share of historical events. The entire peninsula is a state park and the location of the park on Lake Erie makes it an important set of habitats for bird migration.

Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie. The park is reached by PA Route 832 or by boat. The road system within the park forms a loop approximately 13 miles in length.

Presque Isle is a major recreational landmark for about four million visitors each year, and is one of the most visited state parks in the U.S. As Pennsylvania's only "seashore," Presque Isle offers its visitors a beautiful coastline and many recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling and in-line skating.

The neck of the peninsula is attached to the mainland four miles west of downtown Erie. The park creates Presque Isle Bay, a wide and deep harbor for the city of Erie. The bay attracts many pleasure boats and worldwide freighters, making Erie an important Great Lakes shipping port.

Presque Isle is a National Natural Landmark. Because of the many unique habitats, Presque Isle contains a greater number of the state's endangered, threatened and rare species than any other area of comparable size in Pennsylvania.

Whether you come to enjoy the sandy beaches, study ecological diversity or learn about the historical significance of the peninsula, there is something for everyone at Presque Isle State Park.

Reference: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR); photo by Robert K. Grubbs courtesy of Presque Isle State Park.

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