Blue Spruce Park

Facilities | Festival of Lights | Bird List
Directions | Park Map | Hunting

History

Indiana County established Blue Spruce Park in 1966, but recreation use of the site first occurred in the early part of the century. Cummins Dam (also known locally as Cummings Dam with a "g") was constructed in 1908 and enlarged in 1912. The dam was built by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway and was named after an early landowner, J.D. Cummins.

For many years damage to locomotives by acid mine water was one of the railroad's largest expenses. The diluted sulfuric acid ate through the locomotive boilers and shortened their working lifespan. In an effort to cut these expenses railroads began purchasing large quantities of land to protect watersheds for pure sources of water. This is why Cummins Dam was built.

Purchase of the original parkland (377 acres) was completed by 1966 and work on clearing the site and dredging the dam began. By 1968 the park was open to the public. An additional 41 acres was acquired in 1981. Another 232 acres was added to the park in 2001, making the total park acreage 650 acres, or slightly larger than one square mile.

An historical marker honoring Bernice Gera, a native of nearby Ernest, PA, is located in the park. Gera was the first female umpire to work in a professional baseball league.

Facilities

The park has four pavilions and two lodges available for public rental. The pavilions seat groups from 35 to 250 people. Blue Spruce Lodge accommodates 100 people and the Lakside Center (shown here) has an indoor capacity of 50 people, with extra seating available on a large deck area.

Other features at the park include two playgrounds, a volleyball court, horseshoe court, areas for games and sports and a 12- acre lake stocked with trout. The park also contains six miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails. Check out our cross-country skiing page for information about skiing opportunities at Blue Spruce and our other parks.

Also located in the park is the Indiana County Master Gardener's Trial Garden where visitors can view the latest floral and plant selections from the Penn State Gardener's Select program. The garden is located near the park's Lakeside Center.

Festival of Lights

The Blue Spruce Park Festival of Lights has become a holiday tradition for many county residents and visitors to the area. Check out our Festival of Lights page for more information.

Bird List

A comprehensive Blue Spruce Park bird list is available in PDF format. This list was compiled by Margaret Higbee using data collected by the Todd Bird Club in conjunction with the Special Areas Project sponsored by the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology.

Directions

Blue Spruce Park is located six miles north of Indiana, one mile off PA Route 110 near the communities of Ernest and Creekside. A directional map with written directions is available.

Park Map

A detailed map of the park in PDF format is available. This is a large file that may take several moments to appear on your screen. The image may be difficult to read on the screen but will clearly show all text and graphics when printed or enlarged. A close-up map of the park facilities is also available. This map shows the location of all pavilions, restrooms, playgrounds, and other amenities.

Hunting

Portions of the park are open to hunting. A map of hunting areas is available. Most hunting takes place between October and December, but various seasons are open throughout the year. Check the PA Game Commission's website for a complete list of hunting seasons.