Fort Bedford Museum

Fort Bedford Museum is a public boat launch on Juniata River - Raystown Branch.

It is owned and managed by Bedford Borough.

Fort Bedford Museum is a trailer boat launch.

The site is managed by Bedford Borough.

Juniata River - Raystown Branch is open to public fishing, boating and paddling across the rivers, lakes and mountain streams of Pennsylvania. Anglers here target smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, muskellunge, channel catfish, crappie and panfish.

Pennsylvania's famed limestone and freestone streams hold wild and stocked trout.

As moving water, it fishes by current — target seams, eddies, holes, bends and woody cover rather than open flats.

Fort Bedford Museum is a public access point to Juniata River - Raystown Branch for trailered boats, kayaks and canoes.

This launch sits on Juniata River - Raystown Branch; look for other public access points, marinas and shoreline fishing spots along the same water, and check the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for the full list of access sites nearby.

River current, woody snags, shifting sandbars and changing water levels are the main hazards. Respect the current, scout unfamiliar stretches, give way to any commercial traffic, and never anchor from the stern in a strong flow.

Carry U.S. Coast Guard–required safety gear, wear your life jacket, file a float plan for longer trips, and remember that spring and fall water is cold enough to cause hypothermia quickly.

A Pennsylvania fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older. Follow the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's seasons, size and creel limits, which vary by water and species.

Clean, Drain and Dry: remove all aquatic plants and animals, drain every compartment, and never move live fish or bait between waters — this is how invasive species like zebra mussels and invasive carp spread.

Observe posted launch rules, no-wake and idle zones near the ramp, and any local watercraft controls.

Stage your gear before backing down to keep the lanes moving, especially on busy mornings. Check the ramp depth for your boat's draft, and rig the trailer lights to handle a dunk.

Arrive early on summer weekends for parking, and have a plan for wind direction before you launch on open water.