Accommodations around Lake Arthur are limited to cabin rentals, but there are several vacation rentals and private campgrounds nearby. Lake Arthur is snuggled into the Pittsburgh & Countryside region, just 50 miles north of Pittsburgh, so visitors to the lake are within an easy drive of any amenity they could wish for, including restaurants, shopping, and museums. Lake Arthur is a four-season recreation destination and a conservation triumph.
The wildlife around Lake Arthur is plentiful. Great blue herons, green herons, bald eagles and belted kingfishers all make their homes at the lake, and migrating loons use Lake Arthur as a resting place. Almost 13,600 acres of the state park is open to hunting and trapping, and there are waterfowl, deer, turkeys, grouse, bears, rabbits, pheasants, and squirrels. Hunters also use the area to train dogs.
Lake Arthur boasts 42 miles of shoreline and several tributary arms. It is a fantastic warm-water fishery and one of the most productive muskie fisheries in the state. The fertile water and abundant forage means the fish grow long and heavy. Efforts are being made to turn Lake Arthur into a trophy muskie lake. There are also healthy populations of northern pike, large mouth bass, black crappie, and bluegill. The Pennsylvania Department of Fish and Game stocks the lake with muskie, walleye, channel catfish, and hybrid striped bass.
There are plenty of boat launches and several marinas on Lake Arthur. Visitors can rent sailboats, motorboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, and pontoon boats. The lake is perhaps best known for sailing and windsurfing. The annual Regatta at Lake Arthur has been run since 1998. The two-day event is the largest regatta in western Pennsylvania and includes the sailboat race, canoe and kayak races, crafts, food, and hot air balloon rides.
Lake Arthur has swimming beaches on both its north and south shores. There are bike rentals and paved bike trails in the state park, and there almost thirty miles of trails for hiking along the shore and through the forest. There are also trails for horseback riding and an 18-hole disc golf course. Winter sports include cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, ice fishing, ice boating, and ice skating.
