Lake Marburg in Pennsylvania

Trip Overview

Lake Marburg is a 1300 acre lake in south central PA, in Codorus State Park. The day I went it was cloudy and windy, but the lake was surprisingly lacking in the strong winds normally present on large lakes. I had a very calm, relaxing paddle, and saw a lot of birds and wildlife along the way.

There were a fair amount of fisherman in larger boats (up to 20 hp), and I can imagine the lake gets pretty busy in warmer weather. There are lots of small coves and lake branches to explore and two small islands as well.

There are a fair amount of Candian geese, but I gave them plenty of space and had no problems with them. This was a great day trip to make, and highly recommend it to anyone within driving distance.

Accommodations:

There are many launches available, at least five, at different points around the lake. Bathrooms, camping areas, picnicking areas and a marina are also available. There is also a swimming pool and boat rentals available in the summer.

Fees:

Unpowered boats need a state boating sticker (from any state). There were no fees at the launches.

Directions:

Coming from Harrisburg, I took 83 S to 15 S, then 94 to 116 into Hanover. More specific directions can be found on the DCNR website: www.dcnr.state.pa.us.

Resources:

The DCNR website has great maps of the lake. www.dcnr.state.pa.us.