Gouldsboro State Park

Gouldsboro State Park, in Monroe and Wayne counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, contains 2,800 acres of land, including the 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake. Tobyhanna State Park is nearby.

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Directions - Weather  - Recreation  - Trails  - Winter Report  - Accessibility  - History  - Jay Gould  - Wildlife Watching  - Nearby Attractions  - Volunteers  - Rules and Regs  - In an Emergency  - Contact Us  - Downloadables and Maps

Park Advisories

Directions

The park entrance is one-half mile south of the village of Gouldsboro on PA 507. PA 507 intersects with I-380 at Exit 13, two miles south of the park entrance, and with I-84, 13 miles north of the park entrance.

Recreational Opportunities

Hiking  - Mountain Biking  - Picnicking  - Swimming  - Boating  - Fishing  - Hunting  - Wildlife Watching  - Ice Fishing  - Ice Skating

Boating: electric motors only
The 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake has 60 overnight mooring spaces. The 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake has 50 overnight mooring spaces. A boat rental at each lake has rowboats and canoes and is open daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day, except in inclement weather.A state park mooring permit is required for overnight mooring and is available at the Tobyhanna State Park office.

A boat concession rents rowboats, canoes, paddleboats and motorboats. Visit their Web site at: sites.google.com/site/tedsvbboatrentals/

Motorboats must display a boat registration from any state. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration from any state; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks that are available at most state park offices; launch use permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

For complete information on boating rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Picnicking: Gouldsboro State Park provides five wooded picnic areas with picnic tables and charcoal grills. There is an ADA accessible picnic pavilion with electricity. Picnic pavilions can be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. If unreserved the picnic pavilion is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Make a reservation

Swimming: The sand beach at Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks are open from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to mid-September, 8 a.m. to sunset. Swim at your own risk. Please follow posted rules. The Tobyhanna bathhouse has flush toilets and changing areas. Showers are available for a fee. Gouldsboro has rustic restrooms.

Fishing: The common fish in the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake and the 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake are bass, pickerel, yellow perch, catfish and sunfish. Tobyhanna Lake also has brook trout. Gouldsboro Lake also has muskellunge, walleye, crappie, sucker and fallfish. An ADA accessible fishing pier is available at each park.

For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Hunting and Firearms: Most of Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks are open to hunting, trapping and the training of dogs during established seasons. Common game species are white-tailed deer, black bear, snowshoe hare, squirrel and turkey. Furbearers include beaver, muskrat, mink, fox, coyote and raccoon. Hunting is also permitted in nearby state game lands 127 and 312..

Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for accessible hunting information.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owner's car, trailer or leased campsite. The only exception is that law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms may carry said firearm concealed on their person while they are within the park.

For complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.

Ice Fishing: 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake and the 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake are popular for ice fishing. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment. Explore the Winter Report for current snow and ice depths.

For complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Ice Skating: Ice skating is available as natural conditions permit. Tobyhanna State Park has a 1.2-acre area near Parking Area 3. Gouldsboro State Park has a 1 acre area near Parking Lot 4. Ice thickness is not monitored. Be sure the ice is four inches thick and carry safety equipment.

Mountain Biking: In Gouldsboro State Park, Old 611 and Prospect Rock trails begin in the day use area. In Tobyhanna State Park, Lakeside Trail is an improved surface trail that circles the lake and borders the Black Bear and Bender Swamps Natural Area.

Trails

Trails at Gouldsboro

The rugged terrain of Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks makes for challenging but rewarding hiking. All trails are blazed. Double blazes indicates a change of direction or a junction of two trails.

Follow these rules for a safe hike:

• An adult should accompany children.
• Be sure to wear hiking boots.
• Motor vehicles are not permitted on the trails, except snowmobiles are permitted on designated trails.

Prospect Rock Trail: 5.8 miles, blue blaze, difficult hiking
This large, loop trail begins in the day use area. Some sections follow the old entrance road and Old Route 611, which are suitable for bicycling and cross-country skiing. But, there are several very rocky sections.

Old Route 611: 1.25 miles, blue blaze, easy hiking
This flat, wide trail runs along the western side of Gouldsboro State Park, paralleling I-380. Part of the trail is Prospect Rock Trail. This trail is excellent for hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing.

Trails at Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro

Frank Gantz Trail: 3.2 miles, red blaze, difficult hiking
Frank Gantz Trail connects to Tobyhanna at Lakeside Trail and to Gouldsboro in the south day use parking lot. Children should not hike this trail without adult supervision. Special care is needed to cross PA 4013 (Tobyhanna Road). This is a very demanding trail with many areas where ‘rock hopping’ is necessary. Good hiking boots are essential for a pleasant and safe hike. Allow at least three hours for a round trip.

Access for People with Disabilities

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

Jay Gould

The name Gouldsboro comes from the village north of the park that was named for Jay Gould (1836-1892). A native of New York, Gould acquired a very large fortune that by 1892 included ownership of ten percent of all railroad tracks in the country. One of the railroads he owned was the Erie-Lackawanna. This rail line parallels the eastern boundary of the park and is now a part of the Steamtown, USA railroad excursion route between Scranton and Pocono Summit.

Gould was a co-owner of a leather tannery at Thornhurst, a small village 9.5 miles west of Gouldsboro. Raw hides shipped from Australia and the western United States came to Gouldsboro by railroad and then were taken in two-ton loads by horse drawn wagons over a plank road to Thornhurst for tanning.

Nearby Attractions

Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks are in the famous Pocono Mountain resort area. Nearby attractions include: Lake Wallenpaupack, one of the largest man-made lakes in Pennsylvania; state game lands 127 and 312; Big Pocono State Park at the top of Camelback Mountain, which features a view of three states; and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

For more information about the many attractions and accommodations, please contact: Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, 800-POCONOS, www.800poconos.com.

In an Emergency

Contact a park employee or dial 911.
For directions to the nearest hospital, look on bulletin boards or at the park office.

Nearest Hospital:
Community Medical Center
1800 Mulberry Street
Scranton, PA 18510
570-969-8000

For More Information Contact:

Gouldsboro State Park
c/o Tobyhanna
Tobyhanna, PA 18466-0387
570-894-8336
Manager: William Friese

E-mail: tobyhannasp@state.pa.us
An equal opportunity employer

Make online reservations or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.