Locust Lake State Park

Nestled on the side of Locust Mountain in eastern Pennsylvania, the 1,772-acre Locust Lake State Park offers scenic beauty in every season, with abundant recreation. Camping is one of the park’s largest draws, offering two sites split by 52-acre Locust Lake, which draws visitors for fishing, boating, and swimming. 

Cruise around the lake in a kayak, canoe, paddle board, pedal or row boat, all available for rent seasonally, or you can bring your own registered boat with a state-appointed launching permit. Cast a line and you’re bound to reel in one of the many common species found in lake—brook and brown trout, pickerel, and large- and smallmouth bass. In colder seasons, when water freezes over, ice fishing is permitted, with popular catches including trout and panfish. 

Hikers will also love the park, with its five diverse nature routes. Stroll along the easy, 1.3-mile, Beach Loop, a paved path around Locust Lake that’s not only great for hikers and bikers but is ADA-accessible and ideal for wheelchairs and strollers. For the most challenging of routes, only intended for experienced hikers, opt for the Fireside Loop, a 3.6-mile trail that traverses the rugged mountain terrain overlooking Locust Lake and the Locust Valley. 

Depending on the path, surrounding forests contain sections of hemlock and white spruce trees, and are filled with oaks, sycamore, yellow birch, red maple, white ash, and tulip poplar trees, making for great leaf peeping in fall. Other blooming beauties seasonally include dogwood, mountain laurel, and rhododendron. 

Like nearby Tuscarora State Park, Locust Lake State Park offers a wide variety of plant and animal life, ideal for any nature lover. Usual suspects like squirrels, chipmunks, and deer are common sightings, as well as bear, grouse, pheasants, and turkey, if you really keep your eyes peeled. 

As for birds, the park’s location along key migration routes in the Appalachian Mountain section of the Ridge and Valley Province make it home to over 100 species, including 16 birds of prey like merlin, hawks, and even bald eagles. 

If you’re looking to stay a while, two campgrounds—the north side of the lake for tents only, and the south side for either tents or trailers—include nearly 300 sites, plus playgrounds and a camp store.