Explore the Area
Adjacent to the southern end of the park is the town of Jim Thorpe (formerly known as Mauch Chunk) which is consistently named one of the “best” and most fun, romantic, and adventurous towns to visit in Pennsylvania.
Learn about some of the area businesses and things to do from Jim Thorpe and Discover Carbon County.
Nearby State Parks and Forests
Lehigh Gorge State Park is close to several state parks and one state forest, where visitors can enjoy recreation, education, and other activities.
Beltzville State Park
The 3,002-acre Beltzville State Park features the 949-acre Beltzville Lake, which is a rest stop for migrating waterfowl and is a destination for boaters and anglers. The sand beach and picnic pavilions are very popular.
Other recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and hunting.
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.
Tuscarora State Park
When viewed from the lake or the day-use area, Locust Mountain seems to drop right into the southern side of Tuscarora Lake. The scenic picnic area plays host to many trips and family reunions and the lake is a popular fishing spot.
The 1,618-acre Tuscarora State Park is home to the park office and visitor center for Tuscarora and Locust Lake state parks.
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
State Game Lands 129 and 141 are nearby, offering additional recreational opportunities. The Pocono Lake Preserve and Long Pond Conservation Easement are also not far to the east of the park.
Exploring Audubon’s Lehigh Auto Tour
Lehigh Gorge State Park and nearby Hickory Run State Park are featured in a unique auto tour entitled Exploring Audubon's Lehigh. The tour focuses on famed naturalist John James Audubon’s 1829 visit to the Rockport area of the Lehigh River Valley and looks at the valley’s natural and historical landscapes.
Brochures and CDs are available through the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. You can purchase the Exploring Audubon’s Lehigh guide online. Signs mark the route and identify tour stops. The tour begins in either Jim Thorpe at the train station or in White Haven at the Lehigh Canal Depot.
Eckley Miners' Village
One of the PA Historical and Museum Commission sites representing the lives of immigrant anthracite coal miners and their families. Eckley Miners' Village Museum is about 15 miles east of the park.
Frances E Walter Dam
The embankment dam located in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County was constructed in 1961 by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Frances E Walter Dam spans the Lehigh River at its confluence with the tributary Bear Creek, creating the Frances E. Walter Reservoir. Although the dam was originally constructed for flood management, its reservoir has since become a popular recreational area for fishing and boating.
Pennsylvania Heritage Areas
Heritage Areas protect, enhance, and promote Pennsylvania’s historic, natural, cultural, and scenic resources.
Lehigh Gorge State Park is in the Audubon’s Lehigh Reach of the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. The corridor stretches more than 150 miles from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, in eastern Pennsylvania, and follows the historic routes of the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad, the Lehigh Navigation, and the Delaware Canal.
The corridor showcases the extraordinary natural, cultural, and recreational resources and works in partnership to conserve the heritage and enhance the quality of life for its many residents. Corridor landings (visitor centers) are available throughout the region to direct visitors to many opportunities that tell the stories that make the region so nationally significant.
Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails
Located in Hazle Township, this trail follows the old Delaware, Susquehanna and Schuylkill rail line. The crushed stone pathways and gentle grade make it a popular spot for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.
The main segment begins at the intersection of PA 93 and PA 424 and extends four miles through dense woods and open meadows. Along the way, you’ll pass Dreck Creek Reservoir, which is the perfect spot to rest. Picnic tables and exercise stations are located along the trail. 570-455-1509