Pennsylvania Campgrounds Close Due To DOGE Cuts

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

Several federally-operated campgrounds at one of Pennsylvania’s most popular summer destinations will be closed indefinitely due to “executive-order driven staffing shortages.”

Raystown Lake, in Huntingdon County, is the largest lake entirely within Pennsylvania. The 8,300-acre lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps Engineers and, according to a news release from the agency’s Baltimore office, staffing shortages will require staff to focus on “dam operations for flood protection and emergency response readiness” ahead of the 2025 season.

According to the Army Corps, the lake’s Seven Points, Susquehannock, and Nancy’s Boat-to-Shore Campgrounds will all be closed until further notice. In addition, further north in Tioga County, Tompkins Campground on Tioga-Hammond and Cowanesque Lakes will also close, along with its swim beach and boat ramp.

Read the full article. Per the Inquirer, the campgrounds are very popular and most campsites and boat slips are reserved well ahead of the summer season. Refunds will be offered.

Federal hiring freeze leads to park closures in Pennsylvania due to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers being unable to hire seasonal workers to run campgrounds, widespread economic impacts expected in communities near the attractions: https://t.co/DXST32j7bo

— AJ Metcalf (@AJwatchMD) March 18, 2025