 The park is named for Henry Colton , a Williamsport lumberman who cut timber there starting in 1879 . Although the Pine Creek Gorge was clearcut in the 19th and early 20th centuries , it is now covered by second @-@ growth forest , thanks in part to the conservation efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps ( CCC ) in the 1930s . The CCC built the facilities at Colton Point before and shortly after the park 's 1936 opening . Most of the CCC @-@ built facilities remain in use , and have led to the park 's listing as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places . Since a successful publicity campaign in 1936 , the park and gorge have been a popular tourist destination , attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year . Colton Point State Park was chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ( DCNR ) Bureau of Parks for its " 25 Must @-@ See Pennsylvania State Parks " list , which praised its " spectacular vistas and a fabulous view of Pine Creek Gorge " . 
