Sitting atop Mt Prospect, this park is named for US senator John Weeks, a Lancaster native who introduced legislation in 1909 that helped to stem the degradation of local lands caused by unregulated logging. Weeks' legislation became known as the Weeks Act, a precursor to the national forest system. The park encompasses the 420-acre Weeks estate, where you can drive the 1.5-mile scenic auto road, explore the Weeks home and enjoy 360-degree mountain views from the property’s stone fire tower.
By authorizing the federal government to purchase land at the head of navigable streams, the Weeks Act kick-started the national forest system, adding more than 19 million acres of land to the nation’s holdings.
