Track any spring or summer holiday weekend over the last few years and you’ll find a large crowd gathered at Beltzville State Park. Throw in a national health pandemic closing or limiting access to many public pools in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, however, and the park’s capacity is at its tipping point.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley has heard about it all from drug use in the park to drinking to setting off fireworks. He said Monday it’s time for action.

“We’re sending a letter from my office to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (the entity overseeing state parks) and asking the to limit the main day use areas at Beltzville to in state residents only until the COVID-19 emergency declaration is lifted,” Heffley said.

“It’s just simply too crowded in those areas and there is no social distancing going on. I don’t want to see a spike in Carbon County’s COVID numbers because of the situation there. It makes no sense to restrict businesses from safely reopening across the Commonwealth only to allow this lawlessness on our state-owned properties.”

Heffley said the limitation would apply to the swimming area, day use recreation area and hiking trails. Boating and fishing access would be permitted in designated areas provided that all CDC guidelines and state license and permitting regulations are followed.

Pennsylvania, unlike New York and New Jersey, does not charge admission for entry to its state parks.

Nearly every weekend, local residents turn to social media to post pictures of garbage at Beltzville and vehicles parked illegally along Pohopoco Drive and other access points. The Beltzville State Park Concerned Citizens Facebook Group has grown to over 3,500 members.

“I have been coming to this lake for more than 20 years,” Denise Schreiber posted on Sunday. “I grew up on this lake boating with my parents and now my husband and children. I have never seen this many people on the shorelines.”

Parking areas are limited to 75 percent of normal capacity, and park staff was forced to close the gates this weekend due to reaching that threshold.

“There is just nowhere for people to go,” Heffley said. “Many of the urban pools in New York and New Jersey are closed and people are flooding Beltzville like always. DCNR has sent some additional staff to the park to help out, but it’s a challenge.”

Weekends and holidays at Beltzville have been keeping area tow truck drivers busy.

Jared Hoffman of All Points Towing said multiple companies are usually on scene with the total number of trucks usually over 10 on any given weekend.

“How many tow depends on the weekend,” Hoffman said. “On July 4, I think we towed around 30. A lot of people honestly don’t care. The lots are full and they’re willing to take their chance parking out on the road.”

At the end of the day, tow companies send a list of the cars they have to the state police barracks. If people call the barracks, police can tell them which company towed their cars.

“Most people have been nice,” Hoffman said. “Some people even tipped us when people came to pick up their vehicle because we stayed open for them. Others weren’t too happy. We’ve been threatened a few times.”

Hoffman credited the park for trying its best to handle things given staff limitations.

“How are 15 people going to stop 300 people from walking into the park off the road?” he said. “It’s just not going to work. The change needs to come from Harrisburg.”

In 2018, DCNR announced plans for a study related to the local community and visitor experience at Beltzville.

Heffley said on Monday that the study is still going forward, but had been stalled due to COVID-19.

“Penn State had not sent the information yet, but I want people to know that is still out there,” he said. “I’m still in support of a charge for parking.”

Park manager Alma Holmes could not be reached for comment before press time.