Tobyhanna and GouldsboroBrochure |
Park brochure for Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro State Parks (SP) in Pennsylvania. Published by Pennsylvania State Parks.
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Pennsylvania Pocket Maps |
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Gouldsboro State Park
Gouldsboro State Park is located in Monroe and Wayne
counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The 2,800 acre park
includes the 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake.
Recreational Opportunities at Both Parks
SWIMMING: The sand beach at each park is open from
late-May to mid-September, 8:00 AM to sunset. Swim at your
own risk. Please follow posted rules.
Directions
The park entrance is one-half mile south of the village of
Gouldsboro on PA 507. PA 507 intersects with I-380 at
Exit 13 two miles south of the park entrance, and with I-84,
13 miles north of the park entrance.
GPS DD: Lat. 41.22934 Long. -75.46340
FISHING: Common fish in Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro
lakes are bass, pickerel, yellow perch, catfish, and sunfish.
Tobyhanna Lake also has stocked brook and brown trout.
Gouldsboro Lake has walleye and crappie. An ADA
accessible fishing pier is available at each park.
ICE SAFETY: Ice thickness is not monitored. For your
safety, make sure ice is at least 4” thick for a single user and
7” thick for a small group. Always carry safety equipment.
Jay Gould
The name Gouldsboro comes from the village north of the
park that was named for Jay Gould (1836-1892). A native
of New York, Gould acquired a large fortune that, by 1892,
included ownership of ten percent of all railroad track in the
country. One railroad he owned was the Erie-Lackawanna.
This rail line parallels the eastern boundary of the park and is
now a part of the Steamtown National Historic Site railroad
excursion route between Scranton and Pocono Summit.
Gould was a co-owner of a leather tannery at Thornhurst,
a small village 9.5 miles west of Gouldsboro. Raw hides
shipped from Australia and the western United States came
to Gouldsboro by railroad, then were taken in two-ton loads
by horse-drawn wagons over a plank road to Thornhurst
for tanning.
In an Emergency
Call 911 and contact a park employee. Directions to the
nearest hospital are posted on bulletin boards.
NEAREST HOSPITAL
Geisinger Community Medical Center
1800 Mulberry Street
Scranton, PA 18510
570-703-8000
ICE FISHING: Both lakes are popular ice fishing spots.
ICE SKATING: Ice skating is available as natural conditions
permit.
HUNTING AND FIREARMS: Most of Tobyhanna and
Gouldsboro state parks are open to hunting, trapping, and the
training of dogs during established seasons. Common game
species are white-tailed deer, black bear, squirrel, and turkey.
Furbearers include beaver, muskrat, mink, fox, coyote, and
raccoon. Hunting is also permitted in nearby State Game
Lands 127 and 312.
Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is
prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day
following Labor Day through March 31 in designated
hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and
regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible
hunting information.
Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other
visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms
and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased
and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during
Nearby Attractions
Information on nearby attractions is available from the
Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, 800-POCONOS.
www.poconomountians.com
Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks are in the
famous Pocono Mountain resort area. Nearby attractions
include: Lake Wallenpaupack, one of the largest manmade lakes in Pennsylvania; State Game Lands 127 and
312; Big Pocono State Park at the top of Camelback
Mountain, which features a view of three states and a ski
area; and the Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area.
BOATING: electric motors only
The 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake has 78 overnight mooring
spaces, and the 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake has 50 overnight
mooring spaces. These seasonal spaces require a mooring
permit, which is available at Tobyhanna State Park’s office.
Both lakes have boat rentals. Rowboats, kayaks, paddle
boats, canoes, and electric motor boats are available daily
from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day, except in
inclement weather.
Motorboats must display a boat registration from any state.
Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat
registration from any state; launch permit or mooring permit
from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park
offices; launch use permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and
Boat Commission.
PICNICKING: Picnic areas with picnic tables and
charcoal grills are available at both Tobyhanna and
Gouldsboro state parks. Picnicking is permitted throughout
the year from sunrise to sunset.
At Tobyhanna State Park a small playfield is near Lot 4
and a playground can be found near the swimming beach. An
ADA accessible picnic pavilion with electricity is in
Lot 1 and may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a
fee. If unreserved, the picnic pavilion is available on a firstcome, first-served basis.
An ADA accessible picnic pavilion with electric in Lot 3 at
Gouldsboro State Park may be reserved up to 11 months in
advance. If unreserved, the picnic pavilion is available on a
first-come, first-served basis.
MOUNTAIN BIKING: In Gouldsboro State Park, mountain
biking on Old 611 and Old Entrance Road Trail begins in the
day use area. In Tobyhanna State Park, Lakeside Trail circles
the lake and borders the Black Bear and Bender Swamps
Natural Area.
ICE INDUSTRY: From about 1900 to 1936, Tobyhanna
and Gouldsboro lakes were the site of active ice industries.
The ice was cut from the lakes during the winter and stored
in large barn-like structures. During the rest of the year, the
Tobyhanna State Park is in scenic Monroe and Wayne
counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The 5,440-acre park
includes the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake. Tobyhanna is derived
from an American Indian word meaning “a stream whose
banks are fringed with alder.”
The rugged terrain of Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks
makes for challenging but rewarding hiking. All trails are
blazed. Double blazes indicate a change of direction or a trail
junction.
Directions
The park entrance is 2.1 miles north of the community of
Tobyhanna on PA 423. PA 423 intersects with I-380, 2.5
miles south of the park entrance. The park can also be
reached from I-84 via PA 507, PA 191 and PA 423, a total
distance of 11.4 miles.
GPS DD: Lat. 41.20736 Long. -75.39643
Recreational Opportunities
SNOWMOBILING: Tobyhanna State Park provides a
one-way snowmobile trail 5.1 miles in length that runs
counterclockwise on Lakeside Trail. The trail begins at Lot 1,
which has heated restrooms, parking, and unloading space.
Conditions permitting, snowmobiles may be operated only
on the designated, one-way trail from the day after the last
day of deer regular firearm season in December until April 1.
Operators and passengers must follow the PA Snowmobile
Law. Please remember to respect the environment and the
rights of others. Snowmobiles are prohibited in Gouldsboro
State Park.
ORGANIZED GROUP TENTING: Five rustic sites
are available in Tobyhanna State Park. Sites One to Four
accommodate up to 20 people. Site Five accommodates up to
40 people. All sites can be combined to accommodate up to
120 people. The area is adjacent to Parking Lot 4 and is open
year round. It has vault toilets and a hand operated
water pump.
Follow these rules for a safe hike:
• An adult should accompany children.
• Be sure to wear hiking boots.
• Motor vehicles are prohibited on trails, except snowmobiles
are permitted on Lakeside Trail at Tobyhanna State Park.
TRAILS AT GOULDSBORO STATE PARK
Old Entrance Trail: 1.8 miles, easiest hiking
This trail transects the Gouldsboro day use area, connecting
Prospect Rock Trail and Old Route 611. Access the trail from
any of the day use parking areas.
Old Route 611: 3.8 miles, easiest hiking
Beginning at the southern end of Old Entrance Trail, this flat,
wide trail runs along the western side of Gouldsboro State
Park, paralleling I-380. This trail is excellent for hiking,
bicycling, and cross-country skiing.
and no one should hike the trail alone. Be prepared to ‘rock
hop’ and cross a few wet areas. This trail follows the border
of the Black Bear and Bender Swamps Natural Area, passing
through several other wetlands and boulder fields created by
the last glacial period.
Prospect Rock Trail: 2.9 miles, more difficult hiking
This trail begins at the northern end of Old Entrance Trail
and connects with the northern end of Old Route 611. It has
several very rocky sections.
TRAILS IN BOTH PARKS
Frank Gantz Trail: 3.2 miles, most difficult hiking
Frank Gantz Trail connects Tobyhanna State Park’s
Lakeside Trail with the south day use parking lot in
Gouldsboro State Park. Children should not hike this trail
without adult supervision. Special care should be taken when
crossing PA 4013 (Tobyhanna Road). This is a demanding
trail with many areas where ‘rock hopping’ is necessary.
Good hiking boots are essential for a pleasant and safe hike.
Allow at least three hours for a round trip.
TRAILS AT TOBYHANNA STATE PARK
Lakeside Trail: 5.1 miles, easiest hiking
This improved trail has a hardened base for hiking
and bicycling in summer and cross-country skiing and
snowmobiling in winter. Allow at least 2.5 hours to complete
the entire trail around Tobyhanna Lake.
Range Trail: 3.3 miles, more difficult hiking
A Pennsylvania Recreational Guide for
Tobyhanna and
Gouldsboro State Parks
Caution: Please Read
Visitors using more remote and undeveloped areas of Tobyhanna
State Park should be aware that they could encounter old,
unexploded artillery shells. Three types of shells have been found
in the park. The largest projectile is 18 to 24 inches in length and
about 6 inches in diameter. The medium projectile is 2.5 inches
in diameter and from 10 to 14 inches in length. The smallest
projectile is 3 inches long and 1.25 inches in diameter. Shells
are found in severely rusted condition without any recognizable
markings or imprints. Their overall appearance is that of a
pointed cylinder of rusted steel. Visitors encountering such items
should not touch, attempt to move, or otherwise disturb the items,
and should call the park office to report the location to insure
proper disposal.
State Park Natural Area
The Black Bear and Bender Swamps Natural Area is made up
of acidic shrub swamps totaling 1,600 acres. Openings through
the trees contain sphagnum moss and rare plants and animals.
Black Bear and Bender Swamps will be maintained in a natural
condition by allowing physical and biological processes to
operate, usually without direct human intervention.
In an Emergency
Call 911 and contact a park employee. Directions to the nearest
hospital are posted on bulletin boards and at the park office.
NEAREST HOSPITAL
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Pocono Medical Center
206 East Brown Street
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
570-421-4000
Tell us about your hike at:
It is a 6.6-mile walk from the trailhead on Lakeside Trail to
PA 196 and back. Allow three hours for this trip. Range Trail
is a demanding hike and should not be attempted without the
proper hiking footwear. An adult should accompany children
History
The landscape of the area is broad, flat, and swampy mixed
with low hills covered with a northern hardwood forest.
Common tree species are beech, birch, and maple. This
landscape affected the settlement and industries of the area.
Tobyhanna State Park
Hiking: 20 Miles of Trails
Reservations
Make online reservations at www.visitPAparks.com or call
toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM to
5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.
hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during nonhunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be
kept in the owner’s vehicle or enclosed trailer. Exceptions
include: law enforcement officers and individuals with a
valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms are authorized
to carry a firearm concealed on their person while they are
within a state park.
CAMPING: A 140-site campground is open from the
second Friday in April to the third Sunday in October. For
an additional fee, 26 sites offer 30-amp and 50-amp electric
service. Pets are permitted at specific sites for a fee. Flush
toilets, showers, and water spigots are provided in a central
location. A playground is provided for children. Trailers
and motor homes may use a sanitary dump station located
between the park office and the campground entrance.
Due to the high elevation of nearly 2,000 feet above
sea level, campers should be prepared for cool nighttime
temperatures, even during the summer months.
Access for People with Disabilities
This symbol indicates facilities and activities that are
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for
people with disabilities. This publication text is available in
alternative formats.
If you need an accommodation to participate in park
activities due to a disability, please contact the park you
plan to visit.
Protect and Preserve Our Parks
Please make your visit safe and enjoyable. Obey all posted
rules and regulations and respect fellow visitors and the
resources of the park.
• Be prepared and bring the proper equipment. Natural areas
may possess hazards. Your personal safety and that of your
family are your responsibility.
For More Information Contact:
Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro State Parks
114 Campground Road
Tobyhanna, PA 18466-0387
570-894-8336
email: tobyhannasp@pa.gov
GPS DD: Lat. 41.20736 Long. -75.39643
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Information and Reservations
Make online reservations at:
www.visitPAparks.com or call toll-free
888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM
to 5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.
www.visitPAparks.com
Printed on recycled paper
visitPAparks
2018
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Because uncontrolled pets may chase wildlife or frighten
visitors, pets must be controlled and attended at all times and
on a leash, caged or crated. Pets are prohibited in swimming
areas.
Wildlife Watching
ice was added to railroad boxcars hauling fresh produce and
meats destined for east coast cities. Boxcar loads of ice were
also shipped to cities for use in family iceboxes. During the
summer when ice usage peaked, up to 150 boxcar loads per
day shipped out of the Tobyhanna, Gouldsboro, and Klondike
(near Gouldsboro) plants. Some ice was even shipped to
Florida for use in hospitals.
LAND ACQUISITION: In 1912, the federal government
acquired the land that became the Tobyhanna Military
Reservation. During World War I, 1914-1918, the Army used
the reservation as a tank and ambulance corps training center
and the National Guard used it as an artillery-training center.
From 1918 to 1931, the reservation was used for artillery
training.
In the early 1930s, the reservation housed Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) enrollees. From 1937 to 1941,
the reservation served as an artillery training center for West
Point cadets. During World War II, the reservation housed
German prisoners-of-war. From 1946 to 1948, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers used the reservation. In 1948, the War
Assets Administration took control of the property and in
April of 1949, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania received
a title to most of the 26,000 acres, with the remaining area
operated as the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Of the land acquired,
about two-thirds of the area was made into State Game Lands
127, and the remaining one-third was used to create both
Gouldsboro and Tobyhanna state parks.
Tobyhanna State Park opened to the public in 1949,
complete with parking areas, swimming beach, boat rental
and boat launching site, water supply, and sanitary facilities.
The camping area was added in 1959.
The former Department of Forests and Waters (DFW)
subsequently acquired additional properties, and in 1956,
the former Pennsylvania Fish Commission (PFC) purchased
Gouldsboro Lake and land not included in the larger
government tract.
In 1958, the DFW and the PFC agreed to combine the
area owned by both agencies into a single recreational site.
Gouldsboro State Park opened to the public in 1958. In 2004,
the lake and land owned by the PA Fish and Boat Commission
was transferred to the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources.
Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks are in the Pocono
Plateau, a rugged highland with rocky soil, nutrient-poor
bogs, dark evergreen forests, and a diversity of animals and
plants.
About 20,000 years ago, a giant sheet of ice at least one
mile thick covered the area. Evidence of the glacier is the
very rocky soil that is called glacial till and the abundance of
bogs.
Much of the park is characterized by sphagnum moss bogs,
evergreen trees, and thin, moist, rocky soil. Blackburnian
warbler, red-breasted nuthatch, and northern waterthrush are
common to this habitat. In the spring, spotted and Jefferson
salamanders and wood frogs migrate to the bogs to breed.
Interesting plants like the carnivorous pitcher plant, cotton
grass, and many sedges inhabit the bogs. Yellow bladderwort
is a carnivorous plant that lives in some of the bogs and in
Tobyhanna Lake. Sacks on the underwater portion of the
plant trap tiny aquatic animals.
Due to logging, large portions of the forest have regrown
with a mix of deciduous trees like American beech, many
species of oak, and red maple. American redstart, red-eyed
vireo, and Louisiana waterthrush are birds common to these
forests.
In early May, before any trees have leaves, the
serviceberry trees flower. In mid-June, the plentiful mountain
laurel blooms, followed in late-June to early-July by the
rhododendron. In mid-July, the highbush blueberries bear
fruit, providing a feast for bears and birds.
Black bears are common in the park. This omnivore eats
plants, grasses, berries, and occasionally meat. Unfortunately,
bears find human food to be nearly irresistible. Keep food in
the trunk of a car or in a camper. Please observe wildlife from
a safe distance.
Black bears normally avoid people, but bears dependent
on eating human food can become aggressive when people
get between them and food. If this situation occurs, make
loud noises like yelling, honking a car horn, or banging a
pot. Notify a park employee if you have difficulties with a
bear. Never approach a bear and be especially wary of mother
bears and cubs.
American black bear
Feeding wildlife is prohibited. Feeding raccoons, squirrels,
or chipmunks may expose you to the threat of rabies.
Feeding Canada geese at the swimming areas results in large
quantities of fecal droppings, which is offensive to park
visitors.
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0
1960
TOBYHANNA & GOULDSBORO STATE PARKS
2040
40
19
60
507
1980
1900
60
19
0
507
00
21
1920
18
186
To Angels, 1 Mi.
2120
20
18
1820
6
17
1920
60
2000
Snag
Pond
Westend
Pond
0
194
COUNTY
COUNTY
18
1960
19
A
00
1940
2000
To PA 196,
4 Mi.
0
190
1900
435
20
19
40
N
AN
1840
18
To PA 307, 1 Mi.
& Moscow, 5 Mi.
0
210
To Mt. Pocono, 4 Mi.
Rev. 12/14/18