Tuscarora State Park

Tuscarora State Park, in eastern Pennsylvania’s Locust Valley, is a 1,618-acre recreational hotbed, offering Appalachian Mountain hiking, fishing and boating on a 96-acre lake, wildlife viewing, and picnicking.

Officially established as a state park in 1971, Tuscarora’s eight hiking trails range from easy nature walks to the more moderate inclines of Locust Mountain. Hikers can meander through diverse forests that feature vibrant colors in fall and the fragrant, year-round greenery of spruces, hemlocks, and pines. Plant life in the park is also impressive, with over 15 fern species and nearly 240 types of wildflowers. 

Wildlife lovers can spot frogs, newts, deer, foxes, and over 58 bird species, including merlin, green herons, a variety of hawks, grouse, and more. Anglers flock to Tuscarora Lake for its impressive variety (and sizes) of fish, including bass, yellow perch, trout, walleye, and more. In fact, according to Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission reports, 15 percent of all bass caught in the lake are over 15 inches long, and muskellunges can reach 4 feet! Winter waters also allow for ice fishing and ice skating.

Natural beauty and recreational draw aside, the park also shares an important history. The region was originally inhabited by the native Tuscarora tribes, who were forced out of North Carolina following growing conflict with European settlers in the early 1700s. Local tradition holds that, between 1715 and 1722, the tribe resided in Pennsylvania's Locust Valley. For 90 years, they migrated north, eventually assimilating into New York’s League of Five Nations. Today, the state park’s name honors these original inhabitants.