Lakeside Trail

Adventurers hiking the Lakeside Trail at Tobyhanna State Park will enjoy more than beautiful views of the lake.

Tobyhanna State Park, located in Monroe and Wayne counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, offers 5,440 acres to explore including the 170-acre lake known as Tobyhanna Lake.

The name, Tobyhanna, is derived from a Native American word. It means, “a stream whose banks are fringed with alder.” A member of the birch family, Alders are the only native deciduous tree to have tiny cones.

Located near the park is the Tobyhanna Army Depot. The site has served the nation in a variety of roles including: artillery training of West Point cadets; a tank and ambulance center during World War I; a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II; a storage point for gliders used in the 1944 D-Day landings at Normandy; and as a World War II anti-aircraft artillery training site.

Hikers in the state park, especially in the more remote and undeveloped areas, should be aware that they could encounter old, unexploded artillery shells from the Army Depot. Three types of shells ranging in size from three inches long to 18-24 inches in length have been found in the park. Visitors should not touch the shells and report the location to the park office for proper disposal.

Rated as easiest hiking, Lakeside Trail is located in a more developed area of the park. The trail leads completely around the lake. There are several locations to access the trail. One convenient location to access the trail is to park by the boat launch. Flush toilets, picnic tables, a picnic pavilion and benches are located in this area which also offers a scenic view of the lake.

Parts of the trail lead hikers through hardwood forest with short sections leading through evergreens. Watch for evidence of beaver activity alongside the trail. Here, especially when there are no leaves on the trees, adventurers may see the beaver’s lodge in the lake. After the trail follows a short section of roadway, there will be a clear view of a beaver dam.

Along the trail, hikers will pass the park’s sandy beach, picnic area, playground and a bathhouse with flush toilets. A small picnic area and toilets are also available along the trail near the man-made dam. There are no benches along the majority of the trail. The trail crosses a bridge that is directly in front of the impressive dam that forms the lake. Hikers can watch the water flow over the dam and then continue along Lakeside Trail to the boat launch to complete the day’s adventure.