Park Spanning Wayne and Monroe Counties, Tobyhanna State Park Features Hiking, Biking, Fishing and So Much More
Enjoy a peaceful escape and plenty of outdoor recreation at Tobyhanna State Park in Tobyhanna, PA. This 5,440-acre park, located in the Pocono Mountains is only a short drive from Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. And it’s easy to reach from just about anywhere in NEPA.
Tobyhanna State Park offers 10 miles of trails ranging in difficulty from more difficult point-to-point trails to easy lakeside loop trails. Explore dense hardwood forests, fertile wetlands and even a boulder field. Some trails are even open to mountain biking and snowmobiling. The popular Frank Gantz Trail also connects to neighboring Gouldsboro State Park.
The park also features Tobyhanna Lake for fishing, swimming and boating, a playground, boat rentals, picnic sites, camping areas, public restroom facilities and plenty of parking.
Tobyhanna State Park is open all year from sunrise to sunset. Get outside. Grab a park map and check out these highlights.
The 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake serves as the centerpiece of the park. The popular warm water fishery allows fishing from shore, boat or ice and features an ADA accessible fishing pier. The lake is a popular spot for bass fishing in the summer and fall and trout fishing in the spring. Visitors can also swim at the sandy beach area in the summer months.
The popular, 5.1-mile Lakeside Trail traverses the entire lake. It passes through the sandy beach area and campgrounds and offers plenty of opportunities for spotting wildlife. Along the relatively flat trail, you’ll find benches, picnic tables and long stretches of tranquil, dense forest.
The out-and-back Range Trail, at 2.75 miles, connects to the Lakeside Trail and carries you through Bender Swamp, a natural shrub swamp featuring rare plants and animals. The trail ends at a small parking area along State Route 196.
The Frank Gantz Trail is a 3.2-mile, point-to-point trail that connects Tobyhanna State Park to Gouldsboro State Park. The trail runs for approximately 1.9 miles within Tobyhanna State Park and traverses both the Black Bear and Bender Swamp Natural Areas.
With ample opportunities for fishing, over 10 miles of rugged trails and two swamps, spring and summer are ideal at Tobyhanna State Park. Be prepared for plenty of young, emerging wildlife and unique wildflowers. Autumn brings unmatched scenery as the foliage around the lake and on the trails contrasts with the blue skies above. In winter, it’s all about ice fishing, hiking through the fresh-fallen snow and maybe a little cross-country skiing. No matter the season, there’s always plenty of outdoor fun at Tobyhanna State Park.
The 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake, classified as a warmwater fishery, offers great fishing for bass, pickerel, catfish, yellow perch, multiple species of panfish along with stocked brook and brown trout. All fishing activity is regulated by the PA Fish & Boat Commission. Almost every area of Tobyhanna State Park is open to hunting and trapping during seasons established by the PA Game Commission. The park is home to many popular species of game, including white-tailed deer, black bear, squirrel and turkey.
Chilly autumn hikes are a popular activity at Tobyhanna State Park. The dense forest trails, vibrant wetlands and lakeside views combine for truly spectacular photo ops during September and October. Just be sure to pay close attention to the foliage forecast.
From Memorial Day to mid-September, swimming is allowed at the sandy beach area on Tobyhanna Lake. The beach features restrooms with changing areas and showers. The beach remains open from 8 a.m. until sunset and swimmers are expected to follow all posted rules.
Tobyhanna Lake is also open to boating for both electric-motored boats and non-powered boats and offers 60 overnight mooring spaces. Visitors can also rent rowboats, kayaks, paddleboats, canoes and electric motor boats during the summer months.
Tobyhanna State Park’s thick, hardwood forests, low, rolling hillsides and swampy wetlands provide the more than enough scenery and wildlife to entice any avid hiker. With three trails totaling just over 10 miles, there’s a little adventure in store for every experience level.
Picnicking is a popular year-round activity in the park. There are four convenient picnic areas, each with picnic tables and charcoal grills. An ADA-accessible picnic pavilion with electricity can be reserved in advance for a nominal fee. The picnic areas are also close to the park’s small playfield and playground.
Spending the night or weekend at Tobyhanna State Park is easy with 135 camp sites. The camping area is open from early April through mid-October. All campsites are located near a central rest area with flush toilets, showers and water spigots. Pets are also permitted at select camp sites for a fee. The park also features a sanitary dump station for trailers and motor homes.
Tobyhanna State Park is situated in the Pocono Plateau. The park’s prevalence of bogs, dense forests and hills make it a perfect stop for migratory birds, large mammals and reptiles. Unique plant life abounds in the park as well. Keep an eye out for the carnivorous pitcher plant, mountain laurel, rhododendron and highbush blueberries.
Tobyhanna State Park is open to visitors all year long. This includes the winter months which are just as full of activity as the summer months. Snowy trails are open to hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Tobyhanna Lake welcomes ice skating, ice fishing and even ice boating. There are also designated snowmobile trails throughout the park.
Make it a Day Trip
Conservation Tip
By following these responsible outdoor ethics from our friends at DCNR, we can help keep Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests top-tier outdoor recreation destinations for generations to come.
Leave No Trace
- Plan Ahead and Prepare: Know regulations, prepare for weather and emergencies, travel in small groups, minimize waste, and use a map and compass instead of marking trails.
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Stay on established trails, camp at least 200 feet from water, and avoid damaging pristine areas.
- Dispose of Waste Properly: Pack out all trash, use catholes for human waste, and wash dishes 200 feet from water sources with biodegradable soap.
- Leave What You Find: Preserve historical sites, avoid disturbing nature, and prevent the spread of invasive species.
- Minimize Campfire Impacts: Use stoves when possible, keep fires small, burn wood to ash, and fully extinguish campfires.
- Respect Wildlife: Observe from a distance, don’t feed animals, store food properly, and control pets to avoid disturbing wildlife.
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors: Respect others by keeping noise low, yielding on trails, and camping away from high-traffic areas.
Article updated from its original version published on 9/18/23.
