Buchanan's Birthplace State Park in Pennsylvania, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-30. Check linked official notices before travel.

Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park is a small memorial and picnic destination near Cove Gap in Pennsylvania’s Tuscarora Mountain. Plan a stop at the pyramid-shaped monument and the wooded picnic area beside Buck Run. This is the birthplace site, rather than a tour of Buchanan’s later home.

See the monument and stay for a wooded picnic

The memorial stands 31 feet high and measures 38 feet square at its base. Pair the historical stop with time beside Buck Run, where picnic tables and two pavilions provide a simple setting for a meal.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Download a map before reaching Cove Gap

Do not rely on continuous cell service. Download the park map from the official page before travel. Arrange the visit within daylight hours and confirm any facility needed by your group.

Respect the memorial and creek habitat

Leave the monument and wooded setting undisturbed. Hunting is prohibited. Buck Run supports native trout and has approved-trout-water rules, so a picnic visit does not by itself grant permission to take fish.

Arrange a group visit with the managing office

For a pavilion gathering or a group with specific needs, call the Cowans Gap State Park office at 717-485-3948. Confirm the facility, seasonal availability and booking arrangements before bringing the group.

Find Stony Batter Road near Cove Gap

Use 2831 Stony Batter Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236. From US 30 at Fort Loudon, take PA 75 south and follow signs toward Cove Gap and the park. The destination lies between McConnellsburg and Mercersburg, near PA 16.

Nearby state parks by road

Cowans Gap State Park is at 6235 Aughwick Road near Fort Loudon, reached northward from US 30 via PA 75 and local signs. Caledonia State Park lies farther east at US 30 and PA 233, with its office at 101 Pine Grove Road near Fayetteville. Both list sunrise-to-sunset grounds access; check individual facility seasons before extending the trip.

Plan a focused history stop

• Visit the pyramid monument at the birthplace site.
• Use the wooded picnic area for a meal beside Buck Run.
• Read the park’s history before visiting to understand the trading property and the monument.

Two pavilions beside Buck Run

The picnic area has two pavilions, tables, restrooms and drinking water. These facilities sit in woodland near the stream. The picnic-area information helps distinguish this compact site from a larger recreation park.

About the president’s birthplace park

The 18.5-acre park protects a memorial landscape in a gap of Tuscarora Mountain. Pennsylvania DCNR manages it through the Cowans Gap office. Its compact scale suits a historical stop with a picnic rather than a full-day trail itinerary.

From Stony Batter to a 1907 monument

James Buchanan was born here on April 23, 1791. His father operated the Stony Batter trading property before moving the family to Mercersburg. Workers completed the monument on November 15, 1907. The official site history explains the memorial’s construction.

A native-trout stream in woodland

Buck Run supports native trout within the park’s wooded setting. Observe the stream from the picnic area without disturbing its banks. Fishing laws apply separately from general park access.

Contact

Call 717-485-3948 or email [email protected]. The managing office can confirm facility seasons and arrangements for your visit.