Frances Slocum State Park
Frances Slocum State Park consists of 1,035 acres in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County. Frances Slocum Lake is the focal point of the park and forms a horseshoe covering 165 acres.
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Hiking - Mountain Biking - Picnicking - Swimming - Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Education - Sledding - Ice Fishing - Ice Skating - Organized Group Tenting - Camping
Make a reservation. Swimming: The swimming pool is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, unless posted otherwise. A seasonal snack bar has fast food and beverages. Boating: electric motors only Motorboats must display a current boat registration. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park offices; launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Complete information on boating rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.
Complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.
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 ADA 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. Complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site. Hiking: 13 miles of trails Bluebird Trail: 0.5 mile Buck and Doe Trails: 0.8 mile and 0.3 mile Campground Trail: 1 mile Deer Trail: 3.2 miles Upper Deer Trail: 0.6 mile Frances Slocum Trail: 0.7-mile Hilltop Loop Trail: orange blazes, 0.7 mile Lakeshore Trail: 1.4-mile Larch Tree Trail: 2 miles Macanaquah Trail: 2.5 miles Mountain Biking: 4 miles of trails Stay the Night
Explore the campground map. Explore camping for more information.
Make a reservation. Free Camping for Campground Hosts: 1 host position Organized Group Tenting: Organized groups can rent this modern area, which can accommodate up to 40 people. The camping area has drinking water, fire rings, picnic tables, flush toilets and shower facilities. Explore organized group tenting for more information. Winter ActivitiesExplore the Winter Report for the current snow and ice depths. The lake ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment. Cross-country Skiing: When conditions permit, the campground road and day-use areas are popular for skiing. Sledding: A good slope is west of the swimming pool. Ice Fishing: Ice fishing is permitted on the entire lake. Ice Skating: When conditions permit, ice skating is permitted on the frozen lake. Environmental Education and InterpretationNatural, cultural, historical and recreational programs are conducted by a park environmental educator from March through November. The park provides environmental education and interpretive programs that usually begin at the campground amphitheater from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Curriculum-based environmental education programs and teacher workshops are available to area schools. An environmental interpretive center in the day use area features exhibits on American Indians and ecological topics. Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward. Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information. Access for People with Disabilities
In an EmergencyContact a park employee or dial 911. Nearest Hospital Frances SlocumThe park is named for Frances Slocum, a young girl who was kidnapped by American Indians. Frances was one of ten children of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Slocum. This Quaker family lived on what is now North Street in Wilkes-Barre. On November 2, 1778, a small group of Delaware Indians entered the Slocum home and carried away Frances who was then just five years old. The first night after her abduction was spent in a crude shelter under a rock ledge along Abraham Creek, believed to be within the state park boundary. Frances tried to escape during the first night but was soon recaptured. Frances was taken along as the Delaware Indians moved westward and spent the rest of her life with them. Fifty-seven years after her abduction, Maconaquah, who could not remember her original name, told her story to a traveling merchant, who sent word back east. Several years later the brothers and a sister got the news and traveled to investigate. They found Frances Slocum living on a reservation near Peru, Indiana. She had been married twice and had borne four children. Frances refused the pleas of her brothers to return to Pennsylvania. The brothers wrote to her and learned many of the details of her abduction and life with American Indians. Frances Slocum died in Indiana in 1847, at the age of 74. Mississinewa Lake in Indiana contains the Frances Slocum State Recreational Area and Lost Sister Trail. Along the Mississinewa River in Indiana, there is a monument that marks the final resting-place of Frances Slocum, also called Maconaquah, the “Young Bear.” Park HistoryFrances Slocum Lake was created to control flooding. Picnicking areas and the dam were constructed and opened in the spring of 1968. In 1972, Tropical Storm Agnes devastated large areas of the adjacent Wyoming Valley. Frances Slocum State Park was closed to the public and 280 families moved into temporary houses in the park until their homes were restored. After the last family moved out, the park reopened to the public in June, 1974. Keep in TouchAdd yourself to the DCNR's online community to receive info on this park, or parks in general. Volunteering
Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.
Scouts and organized groups can earn free camping by completing service projects. Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Make a DonationTo a park - find this park's address below To a park or the Bureau of State Parks - Pennsylvania Parks and Forestry Foundation www.paparksandforests.org Through a purchase at a park gift shop Thank you for your support! Education ProgramsWe love when young people ask us how to get involved!
In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems. ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors. Explore education for more information on these and other programs. Explore the Calendar of Events to find a program near you. iConservePA
Come Work with UsPennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available. Tell us What You ThinkContact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park. Frances Slocum State Park Nearby AttractionsInformation on nearby attractions is available from the Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau. www.tournepa.com Two nearby state parks, Lackawanna and Ricketts Glen, offer camping and other attractions. Maps and Downloadables
You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf). Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files: Recreational GuideFrances Slocum State Park Map (.pdf) (489 kb, 3/11) Interactive GIS MapThe interactive map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources. Campground MapFrances Slocum State Park Campground Map (.pdf) (1,697 kb, 3/13)  The park is five miles from Dallas and ten miles from Wilkes-Barre. From Exit 170B of I-81, take PA 309 north 7.2 miles. Turn right (east) onto Carverton Road and drive for 4.2 miles. Turn left (north) on West 8th Street and drive 1.3 miles. Turn left (west) onto Mt. Olivet Road and drive one mile to the park entrance on the left. Driving Directions: The Interactive GIS Map has turn-by-turn driving directions to the park office from the Park information Window. Frances Slocum State Park
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Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.
Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. 
Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. 
Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.