Nescopeck State Park: Nescopeck and Lake Trails (Blog Hike #967)

Trails: Lake and Nescopeck Trails
Hike Location: Nescopeck State Park (41.08875, -75.88049)
Geographic Location: northeast of Hazleton, PA
Length: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: September 2023
Overview: A double loop along Nescopeck Creek and Lake Francis.
Park Information: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/NescopeckStatePark/Pages/default.aspx
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=947275
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In northeast Pennsylvania, take I-80 to SR 309 (exit 262).  Exit and go south on SR 309.  Drive SR 309 south 0.9 miles to Honey Hole Road; there is a traffic light at this intersection.  Turn left on Honey Hole Rd.  Drive Honey Hole Rd. northeast 5.7 miles to the main state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park and drive the main park road past the Visitor Center and the Nature Discovery Area to the parking loop at its end.  Park here.

The hike: Established only in 2005, Nescopeck State Park is one of the newest state parks in Pennsylvania.  The park is located in the southwest corner of northeast Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, and its 3550 acres include both wetlands along Nescopeck Creek and steep terrain on adjacent Nescopeck Mountain and Mount Yeager.  Hunting and fishing are this park's most popular activities, and the park is largely surrounded by Pennsylvania State Game Lands #187.

            Nescopeck State Park offers no lodging, and hence it is open for day-use only.  The park offers an excellent Visitors and Environmental Education Center, and 19 miles of trails open only to hiking and skiing allow visitors to interact with nature first hand.  The route described here is a double loop with the first loop exploring the wetlands along Nescopeck Creek and the second loop encircling Lake Francis, the park's main developed area.  Thus, this hike explores the park's main attractions without pegging the distance or difficulty meters.

Start of Lake Trail at parking loop

            From the rear of the parking loop, head west on the wide fine-gravel trail marked with a wooden sign that says "Lake Trail."  Most trails at Nescopeck State Park are unmarked, but they were obvious and easy to follow on my visit.  Soon small but beautiful Lake Francis comes into view on the right, and I saw several people in kayaks paddling around the lake.

Lake Francis

            At 0.25 miles, you reach the southwest corner of Lake Francis.  The Lake Trail turns right to continue its loop around the lake, and we will go that way eventually for our second loop.  To head around the first loop, turn left to hike a short connector trail, then angle left again to begin following the Nescopeck Trail.  The Nescopeck Trail follows what looks like an old road as it heads south through young forest.  Oak trees are the most numerous trees in this forest, but you will also pass through some stands of pines.

Hiking the Nescopeck Trail

            Ignore the Hill Trail that exits left and the north arm of the Creekside Trail that exits right.  At 0.75 miles, where the south arm of the Creekside Trail continues straight, turn sharply left to continue the Nescopeck Trail.  Note that the blue-blazed Creekside Trail features an extended segment through a beautiful pine forest along Nescopeck Creek.  The 1.6 mile Creekside Trail would be an excellent "third loop" for this hike, but it was closed due to a bridge out on my visit.

Hiking the Nescopeck Trail

            The sunny and grassy Nescopeck Trail heads northeast on a rolling course that goes more down than up before going more up than down.  Bugs will be a problem here during the warmer months due to the nearby wetlands, so be sure to dress accordingly and wear bug spray.  At 1.4 miles, you reach a nice area beside some small rapids in Nescopeck Creek.  Despite this trail's name, this spot is the only place the Nescopeck Trail comes beside Nescopeck Creek.  Some rocks make nice places to sit, rest, and enjoy the creek near the midpoint of this hike.

Nescopeck Creek

            1.6 miles into the hike, you reach another trail intersection.  The wide sunny trail continues straight as the Red Rocks Trail, but you want to turn left to remain on the Nescopeck Trail as it begins following a narrower rockier course.  A small unnamed pond appears through the trees to the right.  The trail dips to rock-hop a small stream before the Woodland Way Trail enters from the right.

Final segment of Nescopeck Trail

            A gradual climb returns you to the parking area to complete the first loop.  To start the second loop, head the same way you started this hike: down the Lake Trail with Lake Francis on your right.  Upon reaching the southwest corner of Lake Francis for a second time, turn right to stay on the Lake Trail as it loops around Lake Francis.

Lake Francis

            The trail crosses the dam that forms Lake Francis before treading a narrow strip of land with the lake on the right and the creek from which water is diverted into the lake on the left.  A few fall colors dotted the lakeside area when I hiked here in late September, but most of the trees remained green.  Ignore a trail that crosses the creek to the left and heads for an alternate parking area.  After crossing the channel that diverts water from the creek into Lake Francis, you come out at the park's picnic area.  Angle right to walk through the picnic area and return to the parking loop to complete the hike.