# LakePA 100
> Pennsylvania's 100-lake paddle list: an independent, free list of 100 public Pennsylvania lakes worth paddling, with put-ins (coordinates, parking), boat-traffic class, permit line and the date each fact was checked.
> Published by WeldonPC (Cleveland, Ohio). Not affiliated with PFBC, DCNR, USACE, the Game Commission or any park or passport program.
> Every lake fact cites a public source (PFBC, DCNR, USACE, PA Code ch. 111, USGS NHD, US Census) and a checked date.
> Rules summaries are dated and linked; posted signs and the regulations control.
> Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Cite as "LakePA 100 (lakepa.org), checked {date}".

This season: 100 list lakes and 29 alternates; 79 list lakes are Quiet Water (paddle-only or electric-only), 15 are Big Water (1,000+ acres), 42 are Small Water (under 100 acres). Lake details checked 2026-10-04.

## Key dated facts (checked 2026-10-04, source: pa.gov PFBC pages)
- Unpowered boats (kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats and sailboats without motors) need a boat registration, a PFBC launch permit or a DCNR State Parks launch permit to use PFBC lakes and access areas and Pennsylvania State Parks and State Forests access areas. A boat may have either one; it does not need both. (checked 2026-10-04)
- Launch permits are for unpowered boats only. All motorboats must be registered. (checked 2026-10-04)
- PFBC lists a launch permit at $12 for 1 year or $22 for 2 years, and an unpowered boat registration at $22 (registrations cover 2 years). PFBC notes that pricing does not include the $1.00 agent fee, the $0.97 transaction fee or other service fees. (checked 2026-10-04)
- Other states recognise a Pennsylvania boat registration. They do not recognise a Pennsylvania launch permit. (checked 2026-10-04)
- A launch permit does not include mooring privileges. (checked 2026-10-04)
- Each person in a canoe, kayak, rowboat or paddleboard must have a wearable, USCG-approved life jacket. Children 12 and under must wear one while underway on boats 20 feet or less and on canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. (checked 2026-10-04)
- From November 1 through April 30, a life jacket must be worn while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet long and on any canoe, kayak or paddleboard. (checked 2026-10-04)
- Carry a sound-producing device (PFBC says an athletic coach's whistle is acceptable) and, if you are out between sunset and sunrise, a hand-held light. (checked 2026-10-04)

Sources: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/boating/paddlesports/launch-permit-vs-boat-reg ; https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/faqs/boat-registration-&-titling-faqs ; https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/boating/register-title-a-boat/unpowered-boats ; https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/boating/regulations/unpowered-boat ; https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/boating/regulations/cold-weather-life-jacket

## Key URLs
- https://lakepa.org/lakes — the 100 and the alternates
- https://lakepa.org/lakes.json and https://lakepa.org/lakes.csv — all public fields, sources and dates
- https://lakepa.org/paddling-rules — the dated rules
- https://lakepa.org/quiet-water · /big-water · /small-water — tiers
- https://lakepa.org/near/{hub} — lakes near 14 cities: pittsburgh, philadelphia, harrisburg, allentown-bethlehem, scranton-wilkes-barre, state-college, erie, lancaster, reading, york, williamsport, altoona-johnstown, cleveland-youngstown, new-york-north-jersey
- https://lakepa.org/sources — sources and retrieval dates
- https://lakepa.org/faq — questions and answers