McConnell's Mill State Park is located on the Slippery Rock Creek gorge, one of the most beautiful natural scenic gorges in the United States. It features hiking trails, repelling, white water rafting, and a restored working grist mill. McConnell's Mill State Park, encompasses, 2,512 acres of the spectacular Slippery Rock Creek Gorge.
Opportunities
Boating: Whitewater boating is permitted in rubber rafts, whitewater canoes and kayaks. Rafts must be at least 7 feet long and have at least two air chambers in the gunnels.
Boating is generally done from Rose Point (U.S. Route 422 bridge), outside the park boundary, to Eckert's Bridge, covering 2.5 miles with a portage around the dam at the mill.
Not far from McConnell's Mill is the WilRoy Furnace, a well preserved iron furnace dating from the 1850's. Furnaces such as this speckled the hillsides of the county and were the beginning of the iron and steel industry in the area.
Camping: Camping facilities are not available in the park. Information on private campgrounds in the area is available at the park office.
Pets: Pets are permitted in the park if they are kept on a leash not exceeding 6 feet in length and attended at all times.
Hunting: Hunting and trapping is permitted in season in all areas of the park except for those places which receive heavy recreational use by park visitors. Principal game species are grouse, deer, rabbits and squirrels.
Swimming: Slippery Rock Creek is a very swift and dangerous stream. There are two swimming beaches located at nearby Moraine State Park.
Picnicking: There are two picnic areas located adjacent to the park facilities at the top of the gorge. There are no shelters in the park but the picnic area does contain 166 shaded tables. Charcoal grills and restrooms are located throughout the picnic area. Water is available in the main picnic area and at the mill.
A playfield is located across the road from the picnic area. This field may be used for softball, frisbee and other activities during the summer and for sledding during the winter months.
Hiking: Approximately 7 miles of rugged trails traverse the gorge.
Climbing & Rappelling: Two climbing and rappelling areas are available to properly equipped park visitors. Rim Road, across the creek from the mill, is for beginning climbers. The more advanced and rugged area is located at Breakneck Bridge.
Environmental Education
Free guided tours of the restored grist mill are available to park visitors from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The daily schedule of the mill is from 10:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Off season tours are by appointment only.
Guided nature walks are conducted every Saturday and Sunday during the summer season. A variety of topics, settings and subjects are discussed and explored.
The self-guided portion of the Kildoo Nature Trail also enables the visitor to see items of interest that might normally be overlooked.
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