Promised Land State Park is about 3,000 acres on the Pocono Plateau, at 1,800 feet, in Pike County, 10 miles north of Canadensis on PA Route 390. It's surrounded by 12,464 acres of Delaware State Forest, so the woods go on much farther than the park itself.
It has two lakes, two free sand beaches, quiet electric-motor boating and about 50 miles of trails. Like every Pennsylvania state park, there's no entrance or day-use fee.
Beaches
- Two sand beaches: the main beach in the Day Use picnic area, and Pickerel Point Beach at the end of Pickerel Point.
- Open daily Memorial Day to mid-September, 8 AM to sunset. There are no lifeguards: swim at your own risk, and children 10 and under need someone 14 or older with them.
- No smoking or vaping on the beaches. A refreshment stand near the main beach is open on summer weekends (noon to 6 PM).
Boating and boat rentals
- Promised Land Lake is 422 acres with about nine miles of shoreline; Lower Lake is 173 acres. Both are electric motors only, at slow, no-wake speed.
- Rowboats, electric motorboats, kayaks, canoes, sailboats and paddleboards are allowed, with five launch areas (one ADA accessible). Boats need a registration or a launch permit.
- Rentals (rowboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and electric motors) run from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, 10 AM to 6 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 7 PM on weekends and holidays, plus two weekends either side of the season. The rental stand is off PA 390, south of the Day Use area (570-676-6010).
Best trails
- About 50 miles of trails in the park and the state forest around it, marked with blue blazes.
- Conservation Island Loop: 1 mile, easy, self-guided around an island in the lake.
- Little Falls Trail: 1-mile loop, more difficult, past small waterfalls on the East Branch Wallenpaupack Creek.
- Bruce Lake Trail: 2.5 miles (easy) to Bruce Lake, outside the park.
- Rhododendron Trail: 2.2 miles, easy, also a bike-friendly way around PA 390.
- Boundary Trail: 5.8 miles out and back, easy.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash of 6 feet or less. Hunting is allowed in season, so wear orange in the fall.
Camping and cabins
- Six camping areas, from rustic sites with no electricity to full hookups. Lower Lake Campground (Beechwood, Northwoods, Rhododendron and the Hemlock Hill horse sites) is the largest; Pickerel Point has a few sites and cottages open all year.
- Bear Wallow Cabin Colony: 12 rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s beside Lower Lake, each with a fireplace insert, refrigerator, stove and a private bathroom (bring your own linens).
- Reservations: 888-PA-PARKS or online. If you'd rather have a whole house with a hot tub, see the homes below.
A little history
The land was clear-cut for timber and almost bare by 1903. The state bought it from 1902 to 1904, and in 1905 it became Pennsylvania's fourth state park. From 1933 to 1941 a Civilian Conservation Corps camp worked here, building the Pickerel Point campground, the Bear Wallow cabins and most of North Shore Road, and planting more than a million trees. The park holds a CCC festival every August.
Good to know
- Cell service is unpredictable: download the park map before you go.
- Park office: 570-676-3428. Nearest hospital: Wayne Memorial in Honesdale.
- Alcohol isn't allowed in Pennsylvania state parks.
Sources: PA DCNR: Promised Land State Park · Boating · Hiking
