At Locust Lake State Park, located in eastern Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill County, adventurers will find a beautiful forested park surrounding a 52-acre lake, providing plenty of enjoyable outdoor activities.
The 1,772-acre park offers a sandy beach for sunbathing and building sand castles. A section of the lake is marked with buoys for swimming, while boat rentals are available to explore the rest of the lake. Choose from canoes, kayaks, double kayaks, rowboats or motorboats. Or bring your own boat. A boat launch is available for non-powered boats and electric motor boats only. Boat registrations and launch permits are required.
Enjoy fishing? Cast a line into Locust Lake. It is a coldwater fishery that receives several stockings of both brook and brown trout every year. The lake is also home to pickerel, largemouth and smallmouth bass, as well as panfish. A pier is available but note that a sign at the pier reads, “Yield use of this pier to physically challenged people.” If visiting in the winter, ice fishing is permitted; beware the ice thickness is not monitored.
Within the park, adventurers can choose from 6.75 miles of trails with varying degrees of difficulty. Since visitor parking is located at the entrance to the park only, visiting hikers need to walk through the park to reach the trails.
The park has two unique opportunities which were created for Eagle Scout projects: a Compass Course by Keith Herring of Troop 743 and a Tree Discovery Area by Adam Weschler from Troop 755. A large sign directs visitors to both areas. The Tree Discovery Area invites visitors to “enjoy a leisurely walk through the park area & discover a variety of trees common to Locust Lake State Park.” Along the trail, hikers will find numbered posts with interesting facts about plant life in each location.
A 1.3 mile paved bike trail conveniently circles the lake and leads bikers, walkers and even skateboarders past the amphitheater, beach, boat launch, camp store, playground and through both tent and trailer camping areas. Restrooms with flush toilets and showers are available.
A park office and visitor center is located 6 miles away at Tuscarora State Park.
Note: a Locust Lake State Park sign along Moss Glen Road does not mark the park entrance. This rough, dirt road leads to an abandoned fire tower.
Follow Locust Lake Road to the park entrance.
Find more information on the State Park website and the Park Guide.
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