Explore the Area
The Borough of Lehighton is near the state park and is situated upon the western bank of the Lehigh River. It was originally settled by the German Moravian Brothers as Gnaden Huetten (Cabins of Grace). Just eight miles away is the town of Jim Thorpe (formerly known as Maunch Chunk) which is consistently named one of the “best” and most fun, romantic, and adventurous towns to visit in Pennsylvania. The area is known for its whitewater rafting and biking opportunities.
Learn about some of the area businesses and things to do from the Carbon County Chamber & Economic Development.
Nearby State Parks and Forests
Beltzville State Park is close to several state parks and one state forest, where visitors can enjoy recreation, education, and other activities.
Big Pocono State Park
The 1,306-acre Big Pocono State Park is in Monroe County in northeastern Pennsylvania. The park consists of rugged terrain on the summit and slopes of Camelback Mountain and features scenic views of three states.
Popular recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, hunting, downhill skiing, and wildlife watching.
Hickory Run State Park
The 15,990-acre Hickory Run State Park lies in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains.
The park contains 44 miles of hiking trails and a large picnic area with picnic tables, restrooms, playground equipment, drinking water, and trash containers located near Sand Spring Lake, which has a swimming beach, and offers opportunities for disc golf and orienteering.
Nescopeck State Park
Bordered on the south by steep Mount Yeager and on the north by Nescopeck Mountain, the 3,550-acre Nescopeck State Park encompasses wetlands, rich forests, and many diverse habitats. Nescopeck Creek, a favorite of anglers, meanders through the park. Hiking trails follow the creek, pass through quiet forests, and skirt wetlands.
An environmental education center provides year-round educational programs on the park’s diverse resources. Interpretive exhibits highlighting the park’s natural history can be seen inside the environmental education center.
Tobyhanna State Park
The 5,440-acre Tobyhanna State Park includes the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake. Popular activities on the lake include kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and swimming. The park also offers camping, organized group tenting, hunting, hiking, and mountain biking.
Weiser State Forest
The nearly 30,000-acre Weiser State Forest is located in the ridge and valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The forest offers many outdoor opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, boating, kayaking, fishing, hunting, camping, and even hang gliding.
Weiser State Forest contains approximately 114 of the 229 miles that the Appalachian Trail covers in Pennsylvania, four miles of which are located on state forest land.
Other Nearby Outdoor Spaces and Natural Places
The Overlook Rotunda, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is just off Pohopoco Drive and provides a complete view of Beltzville Dam and Lake. Local fossil specimens, models of the outlet works tower, and other exhibits, including a geological history of the area, are on display at the rotunda.
The Beltzville Wildlife Management Area 414 is adjacent to the park. This area is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and public hunting is permitted during established seasons. For additional information, contact the commission’s Northeast Region.
Pennsylvania Heritage Area
Heritage Areas protect, enhance, and promote Pennsylvania’s historic, natural, cultural, and scenic resources.
The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is a multi-use trail spanning 165 miles through a five-county region. This is a nationally significant historic transportation route that traverses railroads, canals, rivers, and trails.