Bendigo State Park is located in Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania. The park is in a valley on the East Branch Clarion River. 20 acres (8.1 ha) of the park are developed. The other 80 acres (32 ha) are undeveloped woodlands of beech, birch, cherry and maple.
Brochure of Bendigo State Park (SP) in Pennsylvania. Published by Pennsylvania State Parks.
Bendigo SP
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/BendigoStatePark/Pages/default.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bendigo_State_Park
Bendigo State Park is located in Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania. The park is in a valley on the East Branch Clarion River. 20 acres (8.1 ha) of the park are developed. The other 80 acres (32 ha) are undeveloped woodlands of beech, birch, cherry and maple.
A Pennsylvania Recreational Guide for
Bendigo State Park
Bendigo State Park
The Park
The 100-acre Bendigo State Park is in a small valley
surrounded by picturesque hills. About 20 acres of the park is
developed, half of which is a large, shaded picnic area.
The forest is predominantly northern hardwoods and
includes beech, birch, cherry and maple. The East Branch
of the Clarion River flows through the park. This beautiful
waterway was once polluted by abandoned mine drainage. It
now provides excellent fishing and is stocked with trout by
the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
Directions
In Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania, Bendigo
State Park is four miles northeast of Johnsonburg on SR
1004, which branches off of US 219 in Johnsonburg.
Reservations
Make online reservations at: www.visitPAparks.com or call
toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday to Saturday, for state park information and
reservations.
Recreational Opportunities
sWiMMiNG: The pool is open daily from 11 a.m.
to 7 p.m., Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, unless
otherwise posted. Depth ranges from three to five feet.
Certified lifeguards staff the pool. The pool has an ADA
accessible lift.
pennsylvania
WI LDS
Bendigo SnowFest
Held on the first Saturday in February, visitors can participate
in a variety of outdoor activities including snowshoeing,
cross-country skiing, sledding and geocaching. Children and
adults of all ages are welcome at this celebration of winter in
the Pennsylvania Wilds. The SnowFest will have alternate
activities in the event of no snow.
Environmental Education and
Interpretation
Bendigo State Park offers year-round environmental
education and interpretive programs. Hands-on activities,
guided walks and historical talks are offered to park visitors.
Participants will gain an appreciation and understanding of the
natural world and develop a sense of stewardship for the
park’s natural resources. Group programs must be arranged in
advance and may be scheduled by calling the park office.
History
picNicKiNG: Over 150 picnic tables are located in
several picnic areas. Within these areas are charcoal grills,
drinking water, four horseshoe pits, restrooms and three
picnic pavilions. Picnic pavilions may be reserved up to 11
months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are
free on a first-come, first-served basis. Pavilion #1 is ADA
accessible.
For More Information Contact:
Bendigo State Park
533 State Park Road
Johnsonburg, PA 15845-0016
814-965-2646
email: bendigosp@pa.gov
GPS: Lat. 41.53168 Long. -78.62849
An Equal Opportunity Employer
FisHiNG: The East Branch of the Clarion River flows
through the park and is an excellent fishery. The river is
stocked with trout and is home to many cold-water species.
A fishing platform behind the pool allows for easy access for
children and the elderly.
www.visitPAparks.com
Information and Reservations
Make online reservations at:
www.visitPAparks.com or call toll-free
888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757) , 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday to Saturday, for state park information
and reservations.
Printed on recycled paper
2013
caNoeiNG/KaYaKiNG: The East Branch of the Clarion
River is scenic and appropriate for beginning boaters under
normal conditions. A canoe launch is three miles upstream
along Kilgus Road. Best water conditions are generally in
the spring. To launch in a state park, a non-powered vessel
needs a state park or PA Fish & Boat Comission launch
permit.
Bendigo State Park has a mysterious and interesting history. It
includes the Bible, boxing, lumbering and a mysterious name.
William Abednego Thompson (1811 - 1880) was born into
a poor family in Nottingham, Britain. The last of 21 children,
Thompson was one of triplets named for three men who
escaped a fiery furnace in the Book of Daniel.
Thompson began bare-knuckle boxing to make money.
He was nicknamed Bendy Abednego due to his bobbing and
weaving. The name eventually evolved into ‘Bendigo’. He
was popular with fans because of his wild behavior in the
ring. Bendigo was known to do flips, taunt his opponent,
and skillfully avoid punches. After becoming a champion in
British boxing, he retired and became a Methodist preacher.
There are no records of Bendigo ever leaving Britain.
In 1895, fifteen years after Bendigo’s death, a lumbering
operation began on a small creek in northwestern
Pennsylvania. The operation was built and operated by Alfred
Truman, who also built a small town named Bendigo. After
five years of business, the operation exhausted the available
timber. The mill and town disbanded and the lumber company
razed the facilities.
It is still a mystery how a mill town and creek in
Pennsylvania came to bear the name of a left-handed boxer
from Britain.
Early European settlement in the area was centered on the
abundant timber of northwestern Pennsylvania. Towns and
services sprang up around the lumbering industry. Starting
in 1887, the towns and mills were linked by th