Tobyhanna State Park
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| Tobyhanna State Park, Pennsylvania, USA | |
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| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location: | Monroe County and Wayne County, Pennsylvania USA |
| Nearest city: | Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 5,440 acres (22.01 km²) |
| Established: | 1949 |
| Governing body: | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
Tobyhanna State Park is a 5,440-acre (22.01 km²) Pennsylvania state park that includes the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake and a portion of Tobyhanna Creek. It is located 2.1 miles north of the town of Tobyhanna in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The most remote portion of the park extends into Wayne County to the north. The main park entrance is on Pennsylvania Route 423, and a portion (Yellow hiking trail) borders on Pennsylvania Route 196. The park lies immediately adjacent to Gouldsboro State Park, State Game Land 312, and State Game Land 127.
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[edit] History
[edit] Former Artillery Range
Tobyhanna State Park is one of the state lands carved from a large artillery training range that preceded Tobyhanna Army Depot. According to the Pennsylvania DCNR,
| “ | Visitors using more remote and undeveloped areas of Tobyhanna State Park should be aware that they may 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 about 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 and report the location to ensure proper disposal. | ” |
[edit] Rail line
The western boundary of Tobyhanna State Park is formed by a rail line once owned by Jay Gould (1836 - 1892). Gould, a native of New York, acquired an immense fortune during the Industrial Revolution, part of which included ownership of ten percent of all the railroad track in the United States at the time of his death. One of his railroads passed by what is now the western boundary of the park. Gould was also the co-owner of a tannery in nearby Thornhurst. Raw hides were shipped from the western United States and Australia on the railroads owned by Gould to the village of Gouldsboro (just west of the park in Wayne County). The hides were then sent to Thornhurst by way of wagons traversing a plank road.
As of 2006, this rail line forms the dividing line bewteen Tobyhanna State Park and Gouldsboro State Park in Monroe County. It is owned by the Lackawanna County Railroad Authority and operated by the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Co. Inc. Tourist excursions on this line are operated by Steamtown National Historic Site, and run from Steamtown's yard in Scranton to Tobyhanna.
[edit] Facilities
Rowboats and canoes can be rented at Tobyhanna Lake daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day, except in inclement weather. 60 overnight mooring spaces are available under permit. Boats must be registered and can only use electric motors. A sand beach is open from 8 a.m. to sunset from late May to mid-September. 300 picnic tables and a reservable picnic pavilion are available throughout the year.
[edit] Hiking trails
The trails in the park are well-marked; often half a dozen bright blazes of paint are visible at once. A 5.1-mile blue-blazed trail circles the lake; it is level, well-cleared and generally gravelled; "Although not recommended for persons with disabilities, wheelchair users have completed the trail" A 3.3-mile yellow-blazed trail extending northeast to Pennsylvania Route 196 and a 3.2-mile red-blazed trail linking the park to Gouldsboro State Park to the northwest are more difficult to pass due to tree roots and stones.
[edit] Soundscape
The park is close to Interstate Route 380 to the west-southwest, and the western portion of the park suffers frequent vehicular noise. Some vehicle noise is also present to the south of the lake from Pennsylvania Route 423. (Light plane traffic emanates from the Mount Pocono Municipal Airport, approximately 4 miles to the south. Other noise from park maintenance, constant restroom fans, vending machines, and residential neighbors affect the southern margin of the lake. The quietest portion of the park on marked trails is partway along the yellow trail north of its crossing of the Tobyhanna Creek, where natural sounds prevail a majority of the time.
[edit] Winter facilities
A 1.2-acre ice skating area and a 5.5-mile one-way snowmobile trail are designated during the winter. Ice fishing is popular, but ice thickness must be monitored by the user.
[edit] Hunting
Hunting is permitted on the park land and adjacent game lands except on Tobyhanna Lake and a small crescent of land to the east of Tobyhanna Lake. Signs demarcate the regions of the park where hunting is permitted, and admonish visitors to wear orange to be seen.
[edit] Accommodations
Five sites are available for organized group tenting of 20-40 people each. A 140-site camping area is available with hand-operated water pumps, toilets, and a dump station for trailers.
[edit] Health warning
Monroe County, like much of the eastern states, is now a hyper-endemic region for Lyme disease. In one study, an average of 34% of Ixodid ticks collected in the county carried the disease. Lyme disease is transmitted by nymphal and female ticks from May to August. Most importantly, Lyme disease can generally be prevented if these small ticks are located and removed during the first day of feeding, or if the infected person receives a single prophylactic dose of antibiotic within 72 hours after a fully engorged tick is found. [1]
[edit] Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Tobyhanna State Park:
- Archbald Pothole State Park (Lackawanna County
- Beltzville State Park (Carbon County)
- Big Pocono State Park (Monroe County)
- Frances Slocum State Park (Luzerne County)
- Gouldsboro State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
- Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (Northampton County)
- Hickory Run State Park (Carbon County)
- Lackawanna State Park (Lackawanna County)
- Lehigh Gorge State Park (Carbon and Luzerne Counties)
- Nescopeck State Park (Luzerne County)
- Promised Land State Park (Pike County)
- Prompton State Park (Wayne County)
- Varden Conservation Area (Wayne County)
[edit] References
- Tobyhanna State Park. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on February 13, 2007.
- Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on February 13, 2007. Note: Histories of both state parks
- Steamtown: Tobyhanna, PA Excursion. National Park Service, US Department of the Interior. Retrieved on December 30, 2006.
- 2006 Railroad Map of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved on December 30, 2006. (shows owners and operators)
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. "2006 General Highway Map of Monroe County". Retrieved on December 30, 2006. Note: shows Tobyhanna State Park
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. "2006 General Highway Map of Wayne County". Retrieved on December 30, 2006. Note: shows Tobyhanna State Park
- United States Geological Survey. Tobyhanna Lake, USGS Tobyhanna (PA) Topo Map. TopoZone. Retrieved on December 30, 2006.
