Owl Creek Reservoir Recreation Area

I found this recreation area about a year ago. I was just driving down a road I had never been on before and the large owl on the sign above caught my attention. Stopped for a photo and was surprised when I read the sign. Owl Creek Reservoir Recreation Area, I live close by and I had never heard of its existence before. So I went and parked my car in a pull off just past the sign and started down the trail and it turned out to be an interesting place.

This park is located in Schulkill County and is owned by the city of Tamaqua. It is not far from Mauch Chunk Lake Park on W White Bear Dr (Lentz Tr. turns into this). If you aren't looking for it though, you would probably pass right by it. Because of this, I don't think many people know about this area and I have never seen more than two other people there on a single trip. Most of my times there I have not run into another person at all.

The walk in to the first reservoir is not far at all and the massive pines that line the access road in make you feel like you are stepping back in time. Well at least for me, you might just see large trees.

On my first walk in the first reservoir was just being filled. This photo is from last month and it still is not filled completely. It is holding a lot more water than it was when I first set eyes on it though.

The view from the middle of the dam.

The dock is all ready to go and just waiting for the water. Artificial fish habitats have also been placed throughout the reservoir, the water has risen enough to cover all of them.

The trailheads here are not always easy to spot, this bench helped me find one where the entrance had become a little overgrown.

The trails themselves seem to be well maintained. If you are looking for a really easy hike though stick to the access roads. Some of the side trails can be soggy and slippery.

This is the second reservoir. It has filled completely, but is smaller than the first. Fishing is allowed in this area, but I was told by one of the few people I ran into there that it was just stocked last year and a catch and release policy is in effect. Which makes sense. Walking the shores I have only seen smaller panfish and catfish.

The view from the middle of this dam.

If you are looking for something different, this park has a fire tower for educational purposes. The sign posted on it gives information about the local fire towers and when they were in use.

I have never come across information for public programs here. So, for the first time, just now, I checked online. There is a facebook page entitled Owl Creek Reservoir Happenings, which does post events that are held here.

All of the facilities are newer and they seem to be kept up. None of which seem to get much use though.

I have to say this place does have character, the owl sign at the entrance, the fire tower and this stump full of fake bones. It is something a little bit different.  

Mauch Chunk Lake Park: Part 1

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. 

Gouldsboro State Park

Not to far off of route 380, you can find Gouldsboro State Park in Wayne County. Like many of the state parks in Northeast PA, the main attraction is a lake. Gouldsboro Lake is perfect for fishing, boating (no large watercraft) and swimming. There are also a lot of hiking opportunities available, with some trails connecting to those of Tobyhanna State Park and Black Bear and Bender Swamps Natural Area. Both of these parks share a border with Gouldsboro. If you decide to do a longer hike I would suggest parking at Tobyhanna, due to the sign below.  

Just remember if you go hiking here and get lost, they will lock you in.

This wild turkey was on the main park road into Gouldsboro. I had my dog Penny in the car and it wanted nothing to do with her or her barking.

Not many state parks have basketball courts, Gouldsboro has this one. It was only a half court, but was in good condition. This is most easily accessed by parking in parking area No. 1.

There are a few picnic tables with grills by the lakeside. The grass was not mowed, but I would think by Memorial Day that will be taken care of. It is still the beginning of the picnicking season so not everything is ready yet. They are located near the beach area and the swing sets below. There is another covered picnic table with grill and paved access that goes right up to it, for those who might have a little trouble walking.

This really is the coolest view I have ever seen from swings out of any park. Just imagine being a kid again and trying your hardest to swing as high as you could over the lake.

This beach area is large compared to the size of the park. 

For parents this is a good thing to know before you head out to the park. It just means you have to keep a more watchful eye when the kids get out swimming.

One dock is available for fishing. There are other boat docks in the park, but they are specifically for boating.

An island out in Gouldsboro Lake.

Canada Geese with goslings.

I hiked this trail while I was there. I did not take a park map with me which would have been helpful. Once you get to the railroad there are no signs directing you to where the trail picks up again. I had two options, left or right because the trail did not continue strait across the tracks. I chose left and it was not the way to pick up the trail. I did get more views of the lake so it wasn't bad. The park maps are extremely helpful though. They can be picked up at the office at Tobyhanna or at some of the information boards in Gouldsboro.

This was a first for me in Pennsylvania. I have seen signs like this before though, Sandy Hook in New Jersey also has the possibility of finding live munitions on its grounds. 

These were in bloom around the main stream flowing into the lake.

The wrong way down the tracks.

View from the opposite shore of the beach. For more information on Gouldsboro or a digital map you can go to this address: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/gouldsboro/

Nescopeck State Park

Nescopeck State Park is located in Luzerne County, not far from Hickory Run and Lehigh Gorge State Parks. It offers ample trails for hiking, a lake, ponds and trout stream for fishing and the education center offers public programs on a regular basis. 

The grand entrance from the main parking area to the main office and education center.

The main office and education center.

This is Lake Francis the easiest access for fishing in the park. It is stocked with trout which seems to be the main draw for the fishermen I talked to around the lake, but also has bass and panfish.

The trails in this park are strictly for hiking, no bikes allowed. Almost all of the trails are suited for almost everyone and the many intersections of trails let you expand or cut short a hike. I personally love the set up of this park. I never take a map and I always seem to find a new trail every time I go. I also can find my way out pretty easily.

A lot of the trails look like this, but there are some narrower ones that break away, like those that follow the stream. I will mention if you hike enough here you may find a wire line bridge across the stream. I found it last year and I tried crossing it. I could tell it was not maintained and I should have known the result. Not enough tension in the lines meant there was a lot of slack and when I got to the middle the distance between the top and bottom line led me to loose my footing. I did hang there for a minute and realized there was nothing I could do, but drop down into the stream. A couple of wet feet was the only result. So, if it is still there and if you find it, I suggest finding a different way to cross.

This is one of the calmer pools in the stream. There is rushing water in some sections. There are also enough choke points in the stream that would make it not so fun to paddle, so I would say canoeing is out of the question here.

Throughout the park there are small shallow ponds like this one. They are great for certain species of reptiles and amphibians and many of them have evidence of active beavers. I like the fact that some of these ponds are accessible and some are not, it is a nice balance and I think every state park should be like this. It allows for wildlife to be undisturbed in some areas and others where people can get right to the habitats edge.

For more information on Nescopeck State Park or for digital maps, you can go to this address: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/nescopeck/