Wildwood Lake Sanctuary and Nature Center
Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA From its humble beginnings as a swamp at the turn of the twentieth century, to its current status as a magnificent wildlife sanctuary, educational center, and recreational facility, this 212-acre Dauphin County park is truly a fantastic resource for photographers. Wildwood Lake incorporates several miles of well-groomed and maintained trails, boardwalks, bird blinds, and interpretive signs. The sanctuary is home to a great variety of wildlife, birds, and plants, which means that local birders and photographers are only minutes away from nature subjects seldom seen in this region. Wildwood Lake consists of a large, shallow lake and marsh, with surrounding woodlands and meadows, providing habitat for over 150 different bird species, as well as numerous species of reptiles (snakes, turtles), amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders), mammals (deer, muskrat, squirrels, fox, rabbits, chipmunks, etc.), countless insects, and a wide assortment of plants and wildflowers.
As a birdwatcher and photographer, I particularly enjoy the many varieties of waterfowl and wading birds that use the lake as not only a food source but also as breeding site. Wildwood is one of the few places in Pennsylvania that has regular easy viewing of such avian delights as Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, and Black-crowned Night Herons.
In summertime, the lake is home to an abundant growth of American Lotus, a Pennsylvania endangered species. This water plant covers a great part of the lake with its large pizza pan-sized leaves and brilliant yellow flowers. Other plants worth seeking include beauties such as Yellow Flag Iris, Swamp Rose Mallow, Swamp Milkweed, and Dutchman’s Breeches. While you’re at the lake, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to its educational exhibits, the Nature Center also features an excellent nature-oriented gift shop and a glass-enclosed bird blind overlooking the lake and bird feeders. This is particularly nice during the cold, winter months!
The Wildwood Lake Sanctuary and Olewine Nature Center are located at the north end of Harrisburg, situated between Interstate 81, Industrial Road, US 322, and Linglestown Road (Rt. 39). The Sanctuary is not far from Harrisburg Area Community College and the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex.
For driving directions to Wildwood, trail maps and condition reports, recent sightings, and additional information about the sanctuary, see the sanctuary’s Web site at http://www.wildwoodlake.org/.
