Poconos Mountains Region
State Forests

Poconos Mountains state forests (northeastern region) offer outdoor recreation and fun all 4 seasons of the year.

Enjoy fishing, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, snowshoeing, and sightseeing on foot or in your car.

Delaware State Forest
HC 1, Box 95A
Swiftwater PA 18370
570-895-4000

hiking - Blooming Grove 4-H Hiking Trail, also used for snowshoeing. 7 miles of trails, W of Rte 402 1/2 mile S of Rte 6. Thunder Swamp Trail System - 26 miles of trails in southern Pike County

• camping - overnight backpacking camping

• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - has the George W. Childs Park, waterfalls, picnic tables. Permit needed for camping along the River
• Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River - canoeing, rafting, fishing
• 13 lakes and ponds in the Forest - trout fishing, warm water fishing

• Tarkill Forest Demonstration Area - self guided nature trail
• Messing Nature Center - on Marshall Creek Road. Trails for hiking
• Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center - near Belfast in Northampton County. Hiking, fishing, hunting, horse riding, cross country skiing
• Snow Hill Picnic Area - tables, charcoal grills, trail, playground, fishing on a small lake

• Pecks Pond Picnic Area -same as Snow Hill plus a boat launch
• Bruce Lake Natural Area - has 2 lakes, Bruce Lake and Egypt Meadow Lake

• Stillwater Natural Area - canoeing on Little Bushkill Steam
• Pennel Run Natural Area - has Utts Swamp, is a protected area for reptiles and amphibians

• Buckhorn Natural Area has a high mountain swamp and is also a protected area
• Pine Lake Natural Area has a glacial bog

• Little Mud Pond Swamp Natural Area - has a boreal conifer swamp
• State parks near the forest - Promised Land State Park, Big Pocono State Park, Gouldsboro State Park and Tobyhanna State Park

• ATV Trails open from Memorial Day - last September weekend:
  Maple Run Tract in Pike County. Accessible from parking lot on Rte 402, 1.75 miles N of Pecks Pond.
• ATV summer and winter Trails (open day after last day of deer season to April 1):
  1. Burnt Mills in Pike County - Accessible from parking lot on Route 402, 1 mile S of Porters Lake.
  2. Dixon R. Miller Recreation Area - Monroe County - Accessible from Rte 115, 5 miles S of I 80
• snowmobile trails - 1. Monroe County - Dixon Miller Recreation Area Trail and Snow Hill Trail
  2. Pike County - Promised Land State Park and Edgemere - Pecks Pond Trails

Lackawanna State Forest
RR 1 Box 230
Dalton PA 18414
570-945-7249

• Thornhurst tract - in Lackawanna county. Picnic (tables, grills), hiking, backpacking, hunting, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, fishing and nature trail walking
• Pinchot Trail - easy walks, overnight backpackin
• hunting
  
• trout fishing on Choke Creek

• trails for snowmobiling and cross country skiing
• 17 miles of automobile sight seeing roads. Top of Pine Hill has a stunning view.

• West Nanticoke Tract - in Plymouth Township, Luzerne County PA. Hunting, fishing, hiking, wildlife and nature viewing
• Spruce Swamp Natural Area - on Thornhurst tract. Has a glacial bog
• Howley Orienteering Area - has a pace course, 1/2 mile basic compass course, and 2 mile intermediate compass course

• snowmobile trail - in Lackawanna County - Thornhurst Trail

Loyalsock State Forest
6735 Rte 220
Dushore PA 18614
570-946-4049

• state parks in the forest - World's End State Park
• Dry Run Picnic Area - on Dry Run Road, 1 mile E of Rte 87

• Bear Wallow Pond, Sones Pond - visited by ducks and geese. Picnic, boats without motors allowed
• High Knob Overlook
• Kettle Creek Gorge Natural Area - in Forest's southern area, only reachable by foot

• Devils Elbow Natural Area - small bogs
• Tamarack Run Natural Area - by Sones Pond
  
• The McIntyre Wild Area - waterfalls. On Rte 14, N and E of Ralston.

One Nessmuk Lane
Wellsboro PA 16901
570-724-2868

In Bradford County and Tioga County PA in the Poconos Mountains area.

• 3 picnic areas
• snowmobiling

• hiking - West Rim Trail - 30-mile long hiking trail, on western rim of Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Pine Creek Trail - parallels Pine Creek 62 miles south from Wellsboro Junction to Jersey Shore in Tiadaghton State Forest
• cross country skiing trails
• walking trails
  
• horseback riding trail on a certain segment

• biking trails
• Pine Creek Gorge Natural Area (Pennsylvania Grand Canyon) is a National Natural Landmark. Bradley Wales Picnic Area, Colton Point State Park, Leonard Harrison State Park and Barbour Rock Trail offer scenic views. Offers rafting, canoeing, hiking, fishing, hunting.
• Black Ash Swamp Natural Area - in the Asaph Wild Area in the Poconos Mountains
• Reynolds Spring Natural Area - NW of Cedar Run on Reynolds Spring Road, N of Lycoming/Tioga County Line

• Asaph Wild Area - in Shippen and Clymer Townships, Tioga County. Has Asaph State Forest Picnic Area in the south. Backpack camping allowed.
• State parks near the forest - Leonard Harrison State Park, Colton Point State Park and Hills Creek State Park

• snowmobile trails - in Tioga County - North Central Trails and Armenia Mountain (trails not groomed.)

Weiser State Forest
Box 99
Cressona PA 17929
570-385-7800

In Schuylkill County, Carbon County PA, Berks County and northern Dauphin County PA in the Poconos Mountains area.

• hunting
• fishing 
• 2 picnic areas on the Haldeman State Forest Tract in Dauphin County
• major hiking trail - Appalachian Trail
• snowmobile trails - in Dauphin County - Haldeman-Greenland Trail, and in Schuylkill County - Port Clinton Trail in the Poconos Mountains region
  

Enjoy your visit to Poconos Mountains area state forests.

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