Minsi Lake is one of only two public lakes in Northampton County. It was built by the
PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) in 1970 for public recreation. It consists of a 117-
acre lake maintained by PFCB, and 194 acres of surrounding parkland which was leased by the
County in 1991.
The land is located in Upper Mount Bethel Township, immediately south of the Delaware Water Gap Recreational Area.
According to the county's open space coordinator, Bryan Cope, improvements to the site will include a fishing pier, kayak launches, Accessible trails. kayak launches, a walking trail around the lake, fishing piers, picnic benches, grills, improved parking lots, a pedestrian bridge across the spillway, restrooms and in-lake fish habitats.
The lake was drained in the spring of 2017. Over 5,000 pounds of fish were relocated as dam improvements should be completed by the fall of 2019 with a new spillway which can better withstand a maximum flood event.
Lake Minsi’s east shore is still open to the public for hiking, birdwatching and other recreational activities.
Cope said that the lake site also includes the Bear Swamp Archery Range, and that he hopes to conduct a feasibility study for improvements there.
7 comments:
BO, dude get your facts straight. Minsi Lake and surrounding woodlands were first leased to Northampton County in 1975. Not 1991. That original lease was for 40 years. Just expired and was extended in 2015. You living in 1991 or what?
Yes, Bryan Cope said the lake was leased to the county in the '70s and the first formal lease was in 1991. This is from my notes of the 3/15 open space meeting. I will watch the video again to make sure I got correctly what he said. If I did, that is what I go with over an anonymous comment from someone who can't even be civil.
Gerald "Jerry" Seyfried says
The Bear Swamp Archery Complex was one of the finest public facilities of its kind. I personally made the trip at least once a week to the facility to hone my shooting skills as did thousands of other hunters and archers. Who can forget the archery greats like Chuck Adams (world renowned big game hunter), Stacy Groscup (world famous trick shot artist), and the likes of Judd Cooney who made their annual treks to the Northampton County Archery Festival held at Bear Swamp. With the help of Rudy Marmello (Rudy's car washes the facilities greatest promoter) the BOWFEST as everyone called IT, became the greatest archery event in the east. The event had a fifty 3-D archery course, an Olympic style course, a FITA course, a running deer target, and other novelty shoots that brought thousands to the show during one weekend. Congratulations to the County for wanting to restore this facility and making the complex the sportsmens dream it once was.
Have my good friend Jerry Seyfried in on the re-planning and re-construction of the archery area of Lake Minsi........he has more knowledge about the sport of archery, the history of that facility and the knowledge of an experience archer then any pencil pusher from the Pa. fish and game commission, who hasn’t been in the woods in years. Just my thoughts!
Excellent suggestion, Judge. I know that range is near and dear to his heart. He tried to get me to go there many times, but I'm too smart for him.
There is no PA fish & game commission. There's two agencies: PA Fish & Boat Commission and PA Game Commission. The latter has no jurisdiction at Minsi Lake.
contact Bill Mineo if you are going to do anything about the archery range at Minsi Lake. when he operated the facility, the facility was top notch. The finest in the state of Pennsylvania......bar non. He can help you tremendously. It was his idea for the archery complex and he made it a first rate facility. Agreed that Seyfried helped but Mineo was the first on board for the complex.
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