Presque Isle State Park

The peninsula is a recurved sand spit sweeping north-east into the lake, and it is not stable - longshore currents move sand from the western end and deposit it eastward, so the whole landform migrates and has to be replenished artificially to keep it attached to the mainland at all. Despite its name it has been an island for brief periods, cut off from the mainland several times. That instability creates a sequence of habitats from bare new sand to mature forest across a short distance, which is why the park holds an unusually high number of the state's rare and endangered plant species. Thirteen swimming beaches face the lake - the only surf beaches Pennsylvania has. It is a major migratory bird stopover, with over three hundred species recorded.

The landscape

• A migrating sand spit - moving east and artificially replenished.
• Habitats from bare sand to forest - in a short distance.
• Thirteen swimming beaches - Pennsylvania's only surf.
• Over three hundred bird species - recorded on migration.

When to go

May to September for beaches; spring and autumn for migration. A full day.

Good to know

Beaches are guarded only in season and rip currents are a real hazard when unguarded. Summer weekends fill the parking loops. Winter wind off the lake is severe. Lake water quality closes beaches occasionally.

Nearby

Erie is across the bay; the Lake Erie wine region is east.

Key facts