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McWilliams Reservoir

Conyngham · Mount Carmel · Cleveland, Pennsylvania — Columbia County.

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183Surface acres
1Public access sites
3.3 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 65653435).

Location & fast facts

Where McWilliams Reservoir is in Pennsylvania

The red circle marks McWilliams Reservoir.

Fast facts

About McWilliams Reservoir

  • Counties: Columbia, Northumberland
  • Shore towns: Conyngham, Mount Carmel, Cleveland
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 46 mi from Harrisburg and 190 mi from Pittsburgh, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Pennsylvania

Official PFBC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Paddling. 1 public access site, no trailer ramp listed
  • Fishing. Largemouth bass, Bluegill and Pumpkinseed
  • Walking. 3.3 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 5 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official fishing data (PA Fish and Boat Commission)

183Acres (state figure)

Fish species listed by PFBC biologists as warmwater/coolwater fishing opportunities: Bluegill, Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) warmwater/coolwater fisheries lakes and stocked trout waterbodies (via PASDA), record for Mcwilliams Reservoir, Columbia County. See PFBC fishing for regulations and stocking schedules. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

McWilliams Reservoir shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Mcwilliams Reservoir (Cartop / walk-in)1½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Cartop / walk-inShoreline trail
  1. 1Mcwilliams Reservoir
    Cartop / walk-in · Conyngham

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 65653435), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: PFBC fishing and boating access points. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

3.3 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 90%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 3.3 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the McWilliams Reservoir shoreline, mostly along the east shore. They follow about 90% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Mcwilliams Reservoir, 200 ft from a shoreline trail (PA Fish & Boat Commission access data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near McWilliams Reservoir

We found 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of McWilliams Reservoir. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

All campgrounds & RV parks in Pennsylvania

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (40.8332, -76.4129). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for McWilliams Reservoir. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at McWilliams Reservoir

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Mcwilliams ReservoirConynghamBureau of ForestryCarry-in (hand launch)—No feeBoating40.8314, -76.4202

    PFBC fishing and boating access points

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about McWilliams Reservoir

    How big is McWilliams Reservoir?

    McWilliams Reservoir covers about 183 acres in Conyngham, Mount Carmel and Cleveland, Pennsylvania (Columbia County).

    What fish are in McWilliams Reservoir?

    Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission lists Largemouth bass, Bluegill and Pumpkinseed.

    Is there a public boat launch on McWilliams Reservoir?

    No trailer ramp is listed, but there is 1 public access site for car-top boats or shore access.

    Are there campgrounds near McWilliams Reservoir?

    Yes. We list 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on McWilliams Reservoir?

    McWilliams Reservoir touches Conyngham, Mount Carmel and Cleveland in Columbia County and Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know McWilliams Reservoir? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Pennsylvania lakes & ponds · All waters in Conyngham