Detweiler Park

Parking is courtesy of:
Dauphin County Conservation District office
1451 Peters Mountain Road | Dauphin, PA 17018

Mailing Address:
Dauphin County Parks & Recreation
Northern Dauphin County Park Office
1701-A Peters Mountain Road | Dauphin, PA 17018

Phone: (717) 780-6701

Detweiler Park Master Plan
Detweiler Park Master Plan Appendix
Friends of Detweiler Park Website

Overview

These 400 acres have been enjoyed by four generations of the Detweiler/Stackpole family.

The original home on the property was purchased by Gen. Edward J. Stackpole Jr. eight decades ago as a residence and is no longer a part of the park property. General Stackpole was president of the Telegraph Press and a co-founder with his brother Albert of Stackpole Sons, which later became Stackpole Books. “The General” (as he was fondly dubbed by his family and friends) planted all the pines behind the main house and along the trails. He also provided a home in the 1970s for the Dauphin County Anglers and Conservationists on the family property along Clarks Creek.

In 1943, his daughter, Mary Frances “Frankie” Stackpole married Meade D. Detweiler III and they built a modest home on land adjacent to her mother and father’s home. Meade’s business interests continued the family tradition in media through WHP radio and television, Commonwealth Communications, and Stackpole Books.

Over the years, Meade and Frankie made various additions to their home and land to accommodate their family’s love of the outdoors. An avid conservationist, Meade worked diligently to improve tree health, attract wildlife, create a sustainable ecosystem, and maintain walking trails on the property that the family enjoyed on a daily basis. In that same spirit, the family later donated land for the Dauphin County Conservation District’s offices.

Facilities & Guidelines

Detweiler Park is the largest of eight parks of public land owned and managed by the Dauphin County Parks & Recreation Department. Visitors are encouraged to explore more than 7 miles of trails winding through varied habitats. Gardens, fields, meadows, evergreen plantations, and mature deciduous forests are some of the ecosystems in this biologically diverse park. Deer are seen frequently as well as a wide variety of birds including turkeys, hawks, woodpeckers, and bluebirds. A StoryWalk is available for families to enjoy. Trails are open daily from dawn to dusk.

Detweiler Park has a carry-in carry-out policy for trash. Please take your trash with you.
A portajohn is available at the top of the trailhead.
We ask that you respect boundaries and adjacent private property.

Pets must be leashed and their waste must be bagged and removed from the park.
Keep Detweiler Park natural and beautiful.

Get Involved! Interested in volunteering? Click here for more information.

 

Become a Friend of Detweiler Park!

Officially started in August 2024, the Friends of Detweiler Park have a mission to support and promote the preservation, recreation, and conservation of Detweiler Park as a natural area and to increase appreciation and awareness of the environment and its benefits through education.

You can become a founding member of the Friends for as little as $35 for a 12-month period, however, we encourage you to join at a higher level if it fits your budget. Click here to access the Friends of Detweiler Park Membership Form to send with your membership. Cash and checks are accepted and can be mailed to, 1701A Peters Mountain Rd., Dauphin, PA 17018. Please make checks payable to: Friends of Detweiler Park. The Friends of Detweiler are unable to accept credit card payments at this time.

Friends of Detweiler, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supporting Detweiler Park in Dauphin, PA.

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Kayla Harbert at kharbert@dauphincounty.gov or 717-780-6701.

 

 

 

Detweiler Park prohibits the following:
  • Hunting and trapping
  • Camping and campfires
  • Removing plants or animals
  • Alcohol use
  • Motorized vehicles

 

 

StoryWalk®

Families enjoying a StoryWalk at Detweiler Park outdoors with green trees
Dauphin County Parks and Recreation, in partnership with Penn State Health, has opened a StoryWalk at Detweiler Park. Made possible through the Penn State Health Community Relations Grant Program, the StoryWalk will be open year-round and books displayed will change with the seasons. This ongoing, free program will engage kids of all ages with interactive prompts while spending time outdoors in nature.