Tobyhanna State Park

Tobyhanna State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 5,440 acres. The park includes the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake and a portion of Tobyhanna Creek. Tobyhanna is derived from an American Indian word meaning “a stream whose banks are fringed with alder.”

There are four different day-use areas with picnic tables and charcoal grills. Choose a wide-open field or a cool, wooded setting, 300 picnic tables and a reservable picnic pavilion are available throughout the year.

Bring your own boat or rent a rowboat, paddleboat, kayaks, canoe, or electric motorboats. Tobyhanna Lake Boat Ramp is a boat launch on Tobyhanna Lake. Rentals are available daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day, except in inclement weather. 60 overnight mooring spaces are available under permit. Boats must be registered. For powered boats, only electric motors are permitted.

There are 140 mixed-use sites for RVs and tents in a beautiful campground.

More than 10 miles of scenic hiking trails. For an easy yet picturesque hike, start with the Lakeside Trail, 5.1 miles around the perimeter of the lake. The trail is relatively flat and should take you 2.5 hours to complete. This trail is also a popular spot for biking. In winter, a one-way snowmobile trail runs counterclockwise on the Lakeside Trail.

The almost 7-mile Range Trail is slightly more difficult. Several wet and rocky areas reward you with a view of wetlands and boulder fields.

The 3.2-mile Frank Gantz Trail directly connects Tobyhanna and neighboring Gouldsboro State Park. Bring your hiking boots and be prepared to rock hop while you venture between lakes. It’s a fantastic workout.

The 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake is a warm water fishery. Common species are bass, pickerel, yellow perch, catfish, and sunfish. Bonus: the lake is stocked with brook trout and brown trout. Tobyhanna is part of the Borrow a Rod & Reel program that loans rods, reels, and a tackle box full of hooks and other terminal tackle. You need a PA fishing license to borrow. The website for this program is kind of dodgy, so call the park for info.

A sandy beach is open from 8 am to sunset from late May to mid-September.