Mauch Chunk Lake Park is located just west of historic downtown Jim Thorpe in Carbon County. As a result of the parks size and the amount of attractions to see and do there, I have decided to make this a three part series moving across the park from east to west.
Taking Lentz Trail out of Jim Thorpe my first stop is the Switchback Trailhead, just off of Lentz on Flagstaff Drive. There is parking at the trailhead, but it is limited to several small pull offs. The Switchback here leads into the park following a small stocked trout stream. The trail is maintained very well and offers a nice flat hike with a small uphill grade. Our state tree, the Eastern Hemlock provides shade over the majority of the trail to the lake and this location is often very cool even on a hot summer day.
This is the stream that the trail follows. There are many access points along it for fishing and even on a busy day you can still find a place to throw in a line if you are willing to walk.
On my last hike down this section of the Switchback my dog spotted something just off of the trail. She was very insistent and we ended up stepping off of the trail for a moment. I soon saw what she was smelling and as it was climbing up a tree. The little one above was around thirty feet up before it found a branch it felt safe on and yes, porcupines do climb trees.
If you make it to the lake via the Switchback, this will be your view from the dam. This area can also be accessed by parking at the lakes first parking lot off of Lentz Trail, just after the Penn State Extension Office. This lot is not paved and can be easily missed.
The Switchback does continue on past the lake and can be accessed again at the main entrance of the park. This is the view looking back in the direction of the dam.
There is a nice photo op, here if you have kids or in my case a dog. Penny is riding the rails in this one.
This is the main office of the park and what you will see right off through the main entrance. I will talk more about what they have to offer in my next blog post. For now I am just going to stick to the lower section of the lake.
If you drive down to the left of the office the road will take you to a parking lot right next to the lake. Here you will find the Mauch Chunk Lake Boat Rental. This small lakeside business specializes in everything you need to get out on the water and have a great time!
They have kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, paddle boats and row boats with an optional motor. Bait, snacks and refreshments are also available.
From my experience in stopping by, the staff is very friendly and would be happy to get you out on the water! Reservations are recommended. If you are interested in reserving a boat or paddle board for a specific day and time or just need the address, you can use the following:
Mauch Chunk Lake Boat Rental
625 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
(570)-325-4389
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8am to 7pm
Sat, Sun and Holidays 7am to 8pm
Hours may change due to weather conditions.
Looking up the lake from the public boat launch.
The lake has two public access boat launches. This one is at the end of the first main parking area. There are also public restrooms and a fishing pier at this location as well. All of the parking locations I have mentioned in this post can be found on my blogs map located in the upper right hand corner above the ads.
No comments:
Post a Comment