2023 Annual Appeal Letter from our president
Click here to read the annual appeal letter from our president.

Friends of Whitehall funds bog footbridge construction project
Two years ago Friends of Whitehall identified an almost impassable portion of the Whitehall perimeter trail along the eastern shoreline. It was a quagmire full of rocks, roots, vines, peat, and deep water for a lengthy stretch of what used to be a trail. We decided to apply by written letter to the Student Conservation Association (SCA) headquartered in Rowe, MA in hopes they would accept the project of building a bog bridge at the site. The SCA is a valuable resource for the hands-on conservation service they provide to state and national parks throughout the United States. SCA accepted our project and scheduled it for the following summer. Then the pandemic hit and we were put on hold. The project came to fruition in September 2021 when a group of 5 SCA volunteers came to Whitehall State Park ready to go to work. Sponsored by DCR and guided by Park and Forest Supervisor Rich Trubiano, the group of young people worked enthusiastically and tirelessly constructing the 60 foot long bog bridge. Friends of Whitehall paid for the materials used for the bridge and it took the volunteers a week to finish the project in less than ideal conditions. They worked in humid, rainy weather with muck up to their knees and even had to make a dash into a local barn to avoid a fast moving thunder storm. FOW, with the support of DCR, will continue to help maintain the trail system in and around the lake and volunteers are always welcome to be a part of our conservation efforts. (Click on thumbnail for a larger image)

Commercial dog walkers now must have a permit to use DCR parks 
Starting in 2019 all commercial dog walkers using any DCR park for their businesses MUST have an annual permit. Please click here to see more information regarding these permits and other requirements that commercial dog walkers must abide by when using Whitehall and other DCR parks.