Up Valley

Living in the Up Valley means access to family-friendly neighborhoods, community parks, local dining, and everyday conveniences. The region sits just 20 miles northeast of Scranton, offering convenient access to regional employers while maintaining a relaxed, suburban feel.

Stretching through the Lackawanna River Valley and into the area’s rural northern edge, the Up Valley includes the city of Carbondale, Archbald, Blakely, Jermyn, Jessup, Mayfield, Throop, Vandling, Fell Township, Greenfield Township, and the villages of Simpson and Peckville. Residents enjoy Merli Sarnoski Park, the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, Archbald Pothole State Park, and community recreation areas spread across the region. Carbondale serves as the area’s central hub for dining, markets, and lodging.

Visitors can find comfortable lodging options in Carbondale and the surrounding boroughs.

Community Life & Local Connections

Daily life in the Up Valley centers on local parks, community libraries, youth athletics, bike-friendly trail access, and strong nonprofit organizations. Seasonal celebrations, concerts, and outdoor programs bring neighbors together throughout the year. One of the region’s most unique traditions, Saint Ubaldo Day in Jessup, draws local families and visitors for a cultural celebration held only in Jessup and Gubbio, Italy.

The Up Valley also features a growing collection of local shops, boutiques, cafés, and small markets that reinforce a shop-local culture across its connected towns and boroughs.

Whether planning a weekend outdoors, exploring towns connected by the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail near Scranton, or experiencing one of Lackawanna County’s most community-focused regions, the Up Valley offers something for every season.

The Up Valley grew from small settlements shaped by coal mining, railroads, and waves of European immigration. Carbondale played a particularly significant role, serving as the starting point of the D&H Gravity Railroad—America’s first commercial railroad—moving anthracite over the Pocono Mountains to Honesdale and beyond. Nearby boroughs like Archbald, Blakely, and Jermyn expanded during this era, developing the small-town centers still alive today.

Historic landmarks, museums, and interpretive sites along modern trail corridors preserve the Up Valley’s long connection to rail, industry, and the Lackawanna River.

Did you Know?

The first commercial railroad in America got its start in Carbondale in 1829. The Delaware & Hudson Gravity Railroad shipped freshly-mined Wyoming Valley anthracite across the Pocono Mountains from Carbondale to Honesdale. From there, it was loaded on canal barges and sailed off to New York City and beyond, fueling America’s industrial revolution.

The famous Archbald Pothole—carved during the last Ice Age—is the largest glacial pothole in the world.