Eat and visit in Penn

Backwoods Smoke Shack is a small, family-owned business at 5963 Seven Points Road in Hesston that smokes meat, on the way into the Seven Points Recreation Area. The business's own site lists smoked items such as brisket, pulled pork, chicken, wings and ribs, and it offers catering for events.

The Visitors Bureau listing invites guests to BYOB and says pets are welcome if they are friendly. It also says the shop is closed from October 23 and will reopen in March, weather permitting. A 2021 bureau tasting tour recommends the piggy mac, and an April 2021 bureau guide tells readers to try the brisket.

The business's own site prints Friday and Saturday hours from 11 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday hours from 11 AM to 6 PM. The bureau listing gives separate spring, summer and fall hours, with breakfast from 7 AM to 10:30 AM Friday through Sunday in summer.

• Brisket, pulled pork, chicken, wings and ribs are listed as smoked items on the home page. source
• Catering is offered for events, per the home page. source
• The bureau listing says it closes October 23 and reopens in March, weather permitting. source
• A 2021 bureau tasting tour recommends the piggy mac. source
• A 2021 bureau guide places it across the road from Seven Points Bait & Grocery. source

“We offer a variety of smoked items like brisket, pulled pork, chicken, wings, ribs and more.”Backwoods Smoke Shack listing (Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau), Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org)

“Try their brisket and thank us later!”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org), 12 April 2021

“We are a small, family-owned business that has a love of smoking meat.”Backwoods Smoke Shack, LLC

Brackenridge Ice Cream & Coffee sits at 4658 Thorn Hill Drive in Hesston, near the blinking light. Its grand opening was during Labor Day 2025. It serves soft serve and hand-dipped ice cream from Ritchey's Dairy in Martinsburg, along with coffee drinks. Taylor Singleton took lessons from the owner of East End Coffee Co. of Lewistown, and bakery goods come from EverCrest Bakery & Mercantile next door.

In September 2026 the Daily News described a log bridge over a creek, horses behind the building, and Adirondack chairs around a fire pit. A baby cone started at $1.50, and the top-priced item was $6 for a root beer float, milkshake or latte at the time. Co-owner Rick Singleton said the name honors the Brackenridge family, who lived on the property in the mid to late 1700s.

The Visitors Bureau lists the shop on its Stops for Scoops page, and its listing gives hours.

• Grand opening during Labor Day 2025, per the Daily News. source
• Ice cream comes from Ritchey's Dairy in Martinsburg, offered as soft serve and hand-dipped. source
• Baby cones started at $1.50; the top-priced item was $6 when the article ran. source
• Bakery goods come from EverCrest Bakery & Mercantile, a neighbor in Hesston. source
• Located at 4658 Thorn Hill Drive near the blinking light, per the Daily News. source

“Serving both hand-dipped and soft serve, everyone will be happy with a stop at Brackenridge!”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org), 2026

“This is such a cool environment, if you want to slow down, sit, enjoy and talk.”Taylor Singleton, The Daily News, 3 September 2026

“The reason we chose the name Brackenridge is to pay tribute to the Brackenridge family who lived on the property in the mid to late 1700s”Rick Singleton, The Daily News, 3 September 2026

Chappy's BBQ and Hershey's Ice Cream appears as a restaurant on OpenStreetMap, mapped on Seven Points Road in Penn Township near Hesston. The map entry lists no phone, website or hours, and it flags the building outline for redrawing.

No website, phone number or opening hours appear on any page we opened. The Visitors Bureau's dining page, its restaurants and cafes page and its Stops for Scoops list do not name it.

The name suggests barbecue and Hershey's ice cream, but a name is not a menu.

The Lighthouse Concession Stand sits on Seven Points Beach at Raystown Lake, in Hesston according to its listing. The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau describes it as offering a wide variety of concession food and ice cream seven days a week, with the season running from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The listing gives the hours as 11 a.m. until dark and says the stand takes credit cards. It also handles catering for family picnics, weddings, company picnics and meetings, with hot and cold catering foods, and asks people to call to arrange it. The stand also provides wood and ice to the Seven Points Recreation Area campgrounds.

A raystown.org post by Liza Gutshall from April 2021 says a changing house with showers and restrooms is attached to the stand. The listing also suggests trying the 22-foot trampolines out on the water, and a January 2021 raystown.org tasting tour named the stand's ice cream as a treat for a hot beach day.

• Hours listed as Daily 11 a.m. - dark source
• Season listed as Memorial day- Labor day source
• Credit cards accepted, per the listing source
• Catering for family picnics, weddings, company picnics and meetings source
• Changing house with showers and restrooms attached, per an April 2021 raystown.org post source

“The Lighthouse Concession Stand offers a wide variety of concession food and ice cream 7 days/week.”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, raystown.org

“The concession stand is attached to a changing house with showers and restrooms.”Liza Gutshall, raystown.org, 12 April 2021

“While you are spending your day at the beach at Seven Points, you should also try out their 22 ft. trampolines out on the water.”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, raystown.org

Memories at the Docks was listed as a restaurant at Seven Points Marina, on Raystown Lake at 5922 Seven Points Marina Drive in Hesston. The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau described it as a place where the public can stop in for a meal on the docks. The listing said guests can sit inside or on the patio for breakfast or lunch.

Boaters could order a meal to take out onto the water. The listing linked to an online ordering page at order.toasttab.com and told visitors to order dock boxes online for a quick pick up.

The Visitors Bureau listing was last archived on 13 August 2025, and its live address returned a 404 error when checked on 31 October 2026. The marina's 2023 Opening Day and End of Season news posts name Memories at the Docks in its restaurant space that season, alongside Downtown Joe. The marina's homepage, its 2024 Opening Day post and its 2025 posts do not name it. Its status here is unverified.

• Listed as serving breakfast or lunch, inside or on the patio source
• Dock boxes listed for online ordering and a quick pick up source
• Listed season: Summer months source

“Located at Seven Points Marina, the public is welcome to stop by for a meal on the docks!”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org)

“If you are looking for a meal to take on the boat, order one of the incredible dock boxes online for a quick pick up.”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org)

Ricky Ray's Fish Shack is listed by the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau as located inside Seven Points Marina at 5922 Seven Points Marina Dr, Hesston, PA 16647. The bureau files it under restaurants and cafes and describes breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and grab-and-go treats.

According to the bureau, the meals are handcrafted, and guests can take food to go for the lake or stop in and stay a while. The listing marks credit cards as accepted and prints no hours.

• Bureau listing gives the address as 5922 Seven Points Marina Dr, Hesston, PA 16647 source
• Bureau listing marks credit cards as accepted source
• Bureau describes breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and grab-and-go treats source

“Your go-to lakeside spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and grab-and-go treats.”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau listing (no byline), Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau

“Located inside Seven Points Marina, Ricky Rays Fish Shack is serving up delicious, handcrafted meals and more.”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau listing (no byline), Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau

Seven Points Bait & Grocery is a family-owned store on Seven Points Road in Hesston, near Raystown Lake. Its About page calls it a one-stop shop for camping, fishing and grocery needs. A 2021 Visitors Bureau blog post places it on the way into the Seven Points recreation area.

Its food and grocery list includes a full deli, fresh cut steaks, made-to-order sandwiches, hot pizza, hand-dipped ice cream and a produce counter with local sweet corn. The store also sells live bait, lures, tents, sleeping bags, clothing, and gas and propane. A tasting tour post from January 2021 names a panini from the store.

The Visitors Bureau lists the store as open mid-April to mid-October. A May 2025 Huntingdon Daily News story quotes the owner saying the bulk of the store's revenue comes from campers at Raystown Lake.

• Products page lists a full deli, made to order sandwiches, hot fresh pizza and hand dipped ice cream. source
• Products page lists live bait, lures, tents, sleeping bags, and gas and propane. source
• Visitors Bureau listing says open mid-April to mid-October. source
• Hours feed read 31 October 2026: "We are closed for the season. See you in April 2027!" source
• Daily News, May 2025: the owner says the bulk of the store's revenue comes from campers at Raystown Lake. source

“The bulk of our revenue comes from campers at Raystown Lake.”Judy Norris, owner of Seven Points Bait and Grocery in Hesston, Huntingdon Daily News, 24 May 2025

“which is sure to have anything you could possibly need, including camping/watersports/fishing gear, delicious sandwiches and snacks”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org), 12 April 2021

“Family owned in the heart of Raystown country”Seven Points Bait & Grocery, 2022

The Allegrippis Trails System is a network of single-track mountain bike trails on the western shore of Raystown Lake, near Hesston. The Friends of Raystown Lake operates it as a leased facility from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to the operator's page, members of the Raystown Area Mountain Bike Organization (RAMBO) maintain the trails year round.

The operator's page gives the system as 36 miles, arranged as stacked loops that riders combine into short or long routes. The Visitors Bureau counts 24 trails ranging from easy to difficult. Uncovering PA's article, last updated in 2019, says the trails were completed in 2009 and that the beginner Deer Trails loop is 3.5 miles long.

A skills park directly across the road from the Visitor Center lets riders practice before they go out, according to Uncovering PA. The Friends of Raystown Lake site also promotes DirtFest 2026, a non-profit event with its expo area and check-in at Susquehannock Campground. The Visitors Bureau lists the hours as Open 24 hours and the season as year round.

• 24 trails, ranging from easy to difficult, arranged as stacked loops source
• Beginner Deer Trails loop, 3.5 miles, run clockwise on the Buck, Fawn and Doe trails source
• Trails completed in 2009 source
• Hours of Operation on the Visitors Bureau listing: Open 24 hours source
• Operated by the Friends of Raystown Lake as a leased facility from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers source

“Featuring 36 miles of dedicated mountain biking trails, this is one of the best places in the state to ride.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 14 June 2026

“is made up of 24 trails - a total of 36 miles ranging from easy to difficult skill levels.”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 12 April 2021

The listing for Captain Bob's Boat Tours is aimed at people who do not have a boat. The captain takes up to six guests on Raystown Lake aboard a 2023 27-foot tritoon with a sliding board and a diving board. The listing offers sightseeing, bird watching, cruising and swimming, and the operator supplies water floats, life jackets and sun bathing lounges.

Pick-up is at any public boat launch or public area from Aitch to Snyders Run, and the captain can suggest a location depending on where you are staying. Availability is weekdays only, and select weekends may be available. The rate is $75 per hour for up to six people, with a three-hour minimum. The listing also suggests birthday and bachelor or bachelorette parties on the water.

The operator does not offer tube pulling, cliff jumping, rope swinging or fishing. The listing names a captain charter permit, commercial boat insurance and CPR certification. Readers are asked to call the captain at 301-748-2737.

• $75 per hour for up to six people, with a three-hour minimum. source
• Pick-up at any public boat launch or public area from Aitch to Snyders Run. source
• Availability is weekdays only, and select weekends may be available. source
• No tube pulling, cliff jumping, rope swinging or fishing. source
• A 2023 27-foot tritoon that seats six people. source

The Greenside Pathway is a loop walk around the Seven Points Recreation Area at Raystown Lake, near Hesston. The Visitors Bureau's 2021 post gives its length as 2.5 miles and says it runs through an underground tunnel and along the beach and bay.

The path is made of recycled car tires, which the bureau says gives it a comfortable feel. The bureau's trip ideas page calls it a rubberized trail and describes a 2-mile walk on it, so the length is not settled across the sources. In 2020 the lake's operations manager, Jude Harrington, told the Daily News that the trail is not fully accessible because of the terrain.

The Daily News listed the trail as open in March 2020, when some Raystown areas were closed. A column on Raystown recreation, published May 23, 2025 and updated June 27, 2026, describes it as a walking option at Seven Points.

• Described as a 2.5-mile loop around the Seven Points Recreation Area source
• Takes walkers through an underground tunnel and along the beach and bay source
• Made of recycled car tires source
• Listed as open in March 2020, when some other Raystown areas were closed source
• Lake operations manager Jude Harrington said in 2020 the trail is not 100% accessible source

“It's made of recycled car tires, giving it a "squishy" comfortable feel.”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 12 April 2021

“is a 2-mile walk along the Greenside Pathway rubberized trail (easy on the knees!)”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau

The Hillside Nature Trail sits on the wooded slope behind the Raystown Lake Visitor Center, inside the Seven Points Recreation Area near Hesston. The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, also known as the Raystown Lake Visitor Center, gives its length as a half mile.

The bureau's blog lists this trail among the walking routes around Seven Points and says the area's trails offer scenic views. Its trip-ideas page places the trail beside the visitor center.

The visitor center is at 6993 Seven Points Road in Hesston, where visitors can get area information. The bureau's blog links the trail's name to a page on the Army Corps of Engineers website.

• The bureau's blog gives the trail's length as a half mile source
• Listed among the walking and hiking trails of the Seven Points Recreation Area source
• Visitor Center address: 6993 Seven Points Road, Suite 2, Hesston, PA 16647 source

“a short half mile hike through the woodsy hillside behind the Raystown Lake Visitor Center”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org), 12 April 2021

“Multiple hiking trails wind and weave throughout the Seven Points area, offering a variety of scenic views.”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org), 12 April 2021

The Old Loggers Trail is a 4.5-mile trail in the Seven Points area of Raystown Lake, part of the Raystown Lake Project of the Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The main route is numbered 1 to 16 and follows old logging roads, farm roads and deer paths, with different forest stages to see along the way.

The Visitors Bureau says the trailhead is located a half mile between the Entrance Station and the Visitor Center. The Corps says the trail can be reached just past the Seven Points campground entrance station or just before the Susquehannock campground entrance station.

The Sheep Rock spur gives a panoramic view of the lake, Seven Points Recreation Area and Marti's Island. The Corps says the spur is named for Sheep Rock, now under water, a natural rock shelter that early settlers used to keep livestock safe from attack. The two sources disagree on bikes: the Corps brochure says mountain biking is permitted, while a 2021 Visitors Bureau post said the trail is for hiking, with no bikes.

• Trail length 4.5 miles, with a main route numbered 1 to 16 source
• Mountain biking is permitted, and riders are asked to be courteous to hikers source
• Sheep Rock spur gives a panoramic view of the lake, Seven Points Recreation Area and Marti's Island source
• Trailhead located a half mile between the Entrance Station and the Visitor Center, per the Visitors Bureau source
• Access just past the Seven Points campground entrance station or just before the Susquehannock campground entrance station source

“Follow the Sheep Rock Spur part of the trail for a beautiful panoramic view of the lake!”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 12 April 2021

Juniata College and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established the Raystown Field Station in 1974 for environmental research and education. The 365-acre reserve lies on the James Creek branch of Raystown Lake, near mile marker 13, in the Valley and Ridge province of central Pennsylvania.

Shuster Hall has an upstairs room with tables for 60 and a downstairs classroom for about 20. Davis Lodge holds 6 people and Robison Lodge holds 8, and guests bring their own bedding. Grove Farm, an 18th century farmhouse, is used for retreats. The facilities can be rented by the public when Juniata programs are not using them.

Renters may swim at their own risk, with no lifeguard, and fishing requires a PA fishing license. Tours and programs depend on staff availability, and requests go to the station's email address. Drive from Huntingdon by Route 26 south to Markelsburg, then take Fouse's Crossing Road and James Creek Road. The last stretch is winding, with a 15 mph speed limit.

• The reserve covers 365 acres on the James Creek branch of Raystown Lake, near mile marker 13. source
• Juniata College and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established the station in 1974. source
• Shuster Hall has an upstairs room with tables for 60 and a downstairs classroom for about 20. source
• Renters may swim in the lake at their own risk, and there is no lifeguard. source
• Non-Juniata renters contact the Juniata Office of Conference and Events, or the field station office at 814-641-3572. source

“The Huntingdon County Conservation District held its annual Envirothon Wednesday at the Juniata College Raystown Field Station.”BYRON MANTOAN, Huntingdon Daily News, 30 April 2026

Raystown Lake is a reservoir that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built mainly for flood damage reduction. The dam was built from 1968 to 1973, and the lake opened for recreation on June 6, 1974. The Corps gives the lake 8,300 surface acres and 118 miles of shoreline.

Visitors boat, fish, swim, camp and ride mountain bikes. Uncovering PA names Seven Points Recreation Area, Aitch and Tatman Run as public access points for visitors without a boat. Seven Points has a campground, a swimming beach and hiking trails. The Allegrippis Trails, completed in 2009, are purpose-built mountain bike routes that volunteer groups maintain.

There are no park entrance fees. Overnight boating is allowed and shoreline fires are not. The Corps announced a controlled drawdown beginning October 23, 2026, and the Daily News tells visitors to expect the Seven Points, Aitch, Tatman Run and Weaver Falls boat launches to close after November 11. The Corps status hotline is (814) 658-3405, prompt 2.

• The Corps says the lake opened for recreation on June 6, 1974, after the dam was built from 1968 to 1973. source
• The Corps gives the lake 8,300 surface acres and 118 miles of shoreline. source
• Seven public boat launches, including Seven Points, Aitch and Tatman Run. source
• Boat launch closures are expected after Nov. 11, 2026 at Seven Points, Aitch, Tatman Run and Weaver Falls. source
• Raystown Lake is one of three Huntingdon County properties stocked with pheasants, per a Daily News column dated Oct. 23, 2026. source

“As far as summer destinations in Pennsylvania go, Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, is just about perfect.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 14 June 2026

“Much of this shoreline is undeveloped, giving Raystown Lake a great sense of isolation.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 9 September 2023

The Raystown Lake Amphitheater is an open-air venue beside the Raystown Lake Region Visitor Center at Seven Points, near Hesston. In a 2021 post on the Visitors Bureau blog, Liza Gutshall wrote that it sits among the trees and listed concerts, performances, exercise, educational sessions, movie nights and wedding ceremonies among its uses.

The Huntingdon County Arts Council and the Friends of Raystown Lake scheduled three Raystown Summer Nights events at the amphitheater for 2026, on June 6, July 11 and Aug. 8, according to the Huntingdon Daily News. The Daily News said the June 6 kickoff would feature free live music. In bad weather, concerts and events move inside the Visitor Center.

The bureau lists the season as Memorial Day to Labor Day. For the full calendar, it refers visitors to the Army Corps of Engineers.

• Three 2026 Raystown Summer Nights events were scheduled for June 6, July 11 and Aug. 8. source
• The Daily News gives the address as 6993 Seven Points Road in Hesston, near the Visitors Center. source
• In bad weather, concerts and events move inside the Visitor Center. source
• The bureau lists the season as Memorial Day to Labor Day. source

“sits amidst the trees beside the Visitor Center.”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 12 April 2021

“We are delighted to partner with the Friends of Raystown Lake to bring back that tradition.”John Kearns, executive director of the Huntingdon County Arts Council, Huntingdon Daily News, 6 June 2026

Raystown Lake Shack is the lakeside rental location of Rothrock Outfitters, a Huntingdon bike and paddle outfitter with a downtown shop at 418 Penn St. In season, the Shack rents canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards right next to the Seven Points public beach. The Visitors Bureau lists it at Seven Points Marina on Oak Peninsula.

The Visitors Bureau gives the season as Memorial Day to Labor Day, with hours of Fri-Mo 10a-6p, and says groups are welcome. A direct link to the Allegrippis Trail runs through the Greenside Pathway at Seven Points Recreation Area. In 2018 the Huntingdon Daily News reported that Test Paddle Tuesdays ran from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, letting visitors try kayaks, canoes and paddleboards at no charge.

The Daily News reported in August 2023 that the business had reopened under new owners after an extended closure. The business website now lists the Lake Shack as Closed For the Season, and it asks people to contact it about working at the Lake Shack in Summer 2027.

• Visitors Bureau lists hours of Fri-Mo 10a-6p in the Memorial Day to Labor Day season. source
• Greenside Pathway links the rental to the Allegrippis Trail at Seven Points Recreation Area. source
• Own website lists the Raystown Lake Shack as Closed For the Season, read 31 October 2026. source
• In June 2018 Test Paddle Tuesdays ran from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays. source

“renting canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards waterside Friday through Monday throughout the Summer.”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 12 April 2021

“They can try out a couple different boats”Grace Cook-Huffman, Huntingdon Daily News, 20 June 2018

“We are reopening to try to bring the business we all love back to the community”Harry Biddle, Huntingdon Daily News, 3 August 2023

The Raystown Lake Visitor Center sits in the Seven Points recreation area at 6993 Seven Points Road in Hesston. The Army Corps of Engineers and the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau run it in partnership. Its listing describes indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits on the lake's history, environment and wildlife, aimed at individuals, families, field trips and large group tours.

A 2021 bureau blog post says visitors can gather free maps and information, become a Junior Ranger, and borrow fishing rods and tackle boxes. The same post describes a short half-mile Hillside Nature Trail through the wooded hillside behind the building, and says rangers and volunteers maintain the pollinator habitat and rain garden around it.

An Uncovering PA article, updated 14 June 2026, describes the back-deck view above Seven Points Marina and notes a museum on the history of the lake and the region. The bureau lists the center open seven days a week from May to October, and on weekdays from 8 AM to 4 PM from November to April.

• The back-deck view sits on a hillside above Seven Points Marina source
• Address 6993 Seven Points Rd, Hesston, PA 16647; phone 888-729-7869 source
• Free maps and information, a chance to become a Junior Ranger, and fishing rods and tackle boxes to borrow (2021 bureau post) source
• Hillside Nature Trail, a short half-mile hike through the woods behind the building (2021 bureau post) source

“Another great overlook is from the back deck of the Raystown Lake Visitor Center.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 14 June 2026

“You do not want to leave this building without checking out the beautiful vista-view on the back deck!”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (raystown.org blog), 12 April 2021

Raystown Wildlife Watch is an initiative of the Friends of Raystown Lake, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in 1996. The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau describes it as a new initiative from the Friends, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It invites visitors and locals to record the animals, plants, fungi and other living things they find at the lake.

Participants get the iNaturalist app, record the organisms they see at Raystown Lake, post them to the app and repeat. The page says useful records include an accurate date, time and location, plus a photo or sound recording that others can verify. It also advises turning on location services and asks visitors to respect wildlife and follow the Leave No Trace principles.

The page lists what the records help with: tracking invasive plants and insects, finding where rare species live, and following seasonal changes in species. It adds that Army Corps staff will use the data on species diversity to guide habitat improvement.

• Participants record organisms at Raystown Lake with the iNaturalist app and post them to it. source
• The Visitors Bureau listing describes it as a new initiative in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. source
• Friends of Raystown Lake is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that incorporated as Friends of Raystown Lake in 1996. source
• The page says useful records include an accurate date, time and location, plus a photo or sound recording. source
• A Wayback Machine capture dated 9 March 2026 carries the same program text. source

“Help us learn about life at the Raystown Lake Project! Use the iNaturalist app to record any animal, plant, fungi, or other lifeforms you find while exploring!”Friends of Raystown Lake, 2025

“Uncover rare (or new!) species and where they make their homes at Raystown Lake.”Friends of Raystown Lake, 2025

Seven Points Marina sits beyond the beach at Seven Points on Raystown Lake, at 5922 Seven Points Marina Drive in Hesston. Its own website lists houseboat rentals, pontoon rentals, a transient dock, wet slip and dry boat storage, and a boat launch with annual passes. Marine fuel, septic removal and fresh water fill-up are offered at the main dock.

The houseboat page lists boats for 4 to 12 passengers, and the dog-friendly boats allow up to 2 dogs at $50.00 per dog. Pontoons hold 8 to 12 passengers, and pets cost $25 per day per dog, up to 2 dogs. Pontoon reservations for the 2027 season open April 13 at 9am, according to the marina.

A 2021 raystown.org post by Liza Gutshall calls the marina privately owned and says its houseboats let guests live on the lake for a week at a time. Jim Cheney of Uncovering PA wrote in 2015 that the back deck of the Raystown Lake Visitor Center has the marina in the foreground.

• Transient dock slips are available from noon to noon, and the fee includes the private launch ramp and trailer parking. source
• Annual launch and park passes are limited in number and sold in person. source
• Houseboats rent Monday to Friday (4 nights) or Friday to Monday (3 nights), returning by 9:30 AM. source
• Pontoon drivers must be 21 and hold a boater safety certificate, or take a 15 minute safety video and quiz. source

“They have a diverse fleet of houseboat rentals that allow guests to live on the lake for a week at a time”Liza Gutshall, raystown.org, 12 April 2021

“This view, which is on a hillside above Seven Points Marina, offers a commanding view of the lake, with the added benefit of having the marina in the foreground.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 10 June 2015

Seven Points is a public recreation area on Raystown Lake, near Hesston in Penn Township. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates the lake, and the Raystown Lake Visitor Center sits in the heart of Seven Points. Uncovering PA names it the closest of three public access areas to downtown Huntingdon.

The beach has a large concrete-bottom area and a smaller sand-bottom cove. The bureau's beach listing gives its hours as dawn to dusk from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Picnic shelters can be reserved, and the bureau's April 2021 post gave a rate of $75 a day. The 4.5 mile Old Loggers Trail is for hiking, with no bikes, and the 2.5 mile Greenside Pathway loops the area through a tunnel and along the beach and bay.

The campground has seven loops, from primitive tent sites to RV camping, and campsites are booked through recreation.gov. The Corps' August 2025 notice gave October 27 as the closing date for Seven Points Campground that season.

• Beach has a large concrete-bottom area and a smaller sand-bottom cove, per the bureau's April 2021 post. source
• Old Loggers Trail: 4.5 miles, hiking only, trailhead between the Entrance Station and the Visitor Center. source
• Greenside Pathway: 2.5 mile loop around the recreation area, made of recycled car tires. source
• Picnic shelter rental was $75 a day in the bureau's April 2021 post, not re-checked for 2026. source
• Beach listing prints dawn to dusk hours, Memorial Day to Labor Day. source

“At Seven Points Recreation Area, the closest of the three to downtown Huntingdon, there is a large campground, a beach for swimming, the Raystown Lake Region Visitor Center, and hiking trails.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 10 June 2015

“Multiple hiking trails wind and weave throughout the Seven Points area, offering a variety of scenic views.”Liza Gutshall, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 12 April 2021

Trough Creek Wild Area is one of the wild and natural areas that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) manages inside Rothrock State Forest. The forest covers over 96,000 acres across Huntingdon, Centre and Mifflin counties.

The 1,703 acres sit on the slopes of Terrace Mountain above Raystown Lake. DCNR says the area protects the scenery of a recreational spot and offers more chances to hike and watch wildlife. Raystown Lake is an 8,300-acre reservoir run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and it lies next to the southern part of Rothrock.

The Department's page prints no hours, fees, parking or trailhead for the area, so none are given here.

• 1,703 acres on the slopes of Terrace Mountain above Raystown Lake source
• Rothrock State Forest totals over 96,000 acres in Huntingdon, Centre and Mifflin counties source
• Raystown Lake is an 8,300-acre reservoir operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers source

“Located on the slopes of Terrace Mountain above Raystown Lake, these 1,703 acres protect the aesthetics of this popular recreational area while providing additional opportunities for hiking and observing wildlife.”Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, no date printed

Allegrippis Trail Days is a mountain-bike event held on the Allegrippis Trails, the trail system at Raystown Lake near Hesston. The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau lists the 2024 edition as the third annual one, and BikeReg dates it May 16 to 19, 2024. The organisers said their focus was to involve more families on bikes.

The trail system was completed in 2009 and has 36 miles of purpose-built trails, according to a 2017 Uncovering PA article by Jim Cheney. The routes are stacked loops, so riders can plan a route as short or as long as they like. Trailheads sit along Seven Points Road and on Bakers Hollow Road.

For 2024 the main vending area was planned around the Seven Points Visitor Center to have better access to the skills park. Registration ran through BikeReg. The Friends of Raystown Lake now advertises DirtFest 2026 on the same trails.

• Third annual edition, per the Visitors Bureau's 2024 event listing source
• 2024 registration on BikeReg: May 16 to 19, 2024, in Hesston, PA source
• Trail system completed in 2009, with 36 miles of purpose-built mountain biking trails source
• 24 trails arranged as stacked loops, so a rider can plan a short or long route source
• Trailheads along Seven Points Road and on Bakers Hollow Road source

“We here at the Friends of Raystown Lake are proud to announce the third annual Allegrippis Trail Days!”Friends of Raystown Lake & Rothrock Outfitters, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 2024

“The Allegrippis Trails were completed in 2009 and feature 36 miles of purpose-built mountain biking trails.”Jim Cheney, Uncovering PA, 17 October 2017

“There are nearly endless combinations, so riders who come back time after time have the opportunity to use a new route each time.”Friends of Raystown Lake, 2026

Chalk the Walk is a sidewalk chalk art contest at Seven Points Beach on Raystown Lake, near Hesston. A 2015 Daily News article says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Raystown Lake invites the public to it each year. The 2026 bureau listing names Raystown Lake Project as the organizer, and the 2023 bureau listing names USACE, with dated listings for 5 August 2023 and 1 August 2026.

Entry is open to people of any age, and prizes go to chalk drawings that carry a water safety message. The 2026 listing gives registration from 11 AM to 6 PM and judging from 6 PM to 7 PM. The 2015 article names the Indiana University of Pennsylvania chapter of the National Art Education Association as co-host.

The 2015 article described a free contest, with prize categories for ages 6 to 8, 9 to 12, 13 to 17, and 18 and up, and a rain date of Saturday, Aug. 15. Those details are from 2015. The 2026 listing does not state a fee.

• Registration 11 AM to 6 PM and judging 6 PM to 7 PM, per the 2026 bureau listing. source
• Prizes are offered for chalk drawn water safety messages, per the bureau listing. source
• The bureau's 2023 listing gives 5 August 2023 as the date. source
• The 2015 article names the IUP chapter of the National Art Education Association as co-host. source

“Participants of all ages are encouraged to compete for prizes for the best chalk drawn water safety message.”Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (event listing, no named author), raystown.org, 2026

“The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) chapter of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and the Army Corps of Engineers host this sidewalk chalk art contest every year”Unsigned (no byline on page), Huntingdon Daily News, 28 July 2015