Varden Conservation Area

Fishing: The pond in the Tannery Tract has largemouth and smallmouth bass, sunfish and catfish. Middle Creek provides trout fishing. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws apply.

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Hunting and Firearms: The Tannery Tract is open to hunting, trapping, and dog-training during established seasons. Common game species are deer, bear and turkey.

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.

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Hiking: The Varden Conservation Area offers a variety of short hiking trails through farm fields, forests and wetlands. Please stay on the trails and respect private property.

Tannery Tract Trails: 4.03 miles of trails

Bluebird Trail: 0.71 mile
This trail winds around the edges of meadows and is a good trail for observing plants and animals. It includes numerous bluebird boxes that are monitored by volunteers.

Middle Creek Trail: 0.45 mile
This trail follows the course of Middle Creek at the edge of a large, flat meadow and ends at the conservation area boundary.

Pond Loop Trail: 0.73 mile
This trail begins at the teaching pavilion at the Tannery Tract, loops around to Middle Creek, passes through a forested area around a pond, and wraps back to the pavilion. Pond Loop is ADA accessible.

Shortcut Trail: 0.1 mile
This wooded road is between Steel Tower Trail and the barn on Tannery Trail.

Steel Tower Trail: 0.27 mile
This trail traverses the road beneath a portion of the newer power line.

Tall Timber Trail: 0.35 mile
This rugged trail winds through forest connecting Wood Tower Trail to Tannery Trail.

Tannery Trail: 0.63 mile
This trail begins on Pond Trail at the footbridge that crosses Middle Creek. Tannery Trail crosses an old meadow, winds through a hemlock forest and then merges with Bluebird trail. Most of the trail follows an abandoned township road.

Wildcat Trail: 0.37 mile
This trail starts off of Hemlock Road, across from the Western Wayne Middle School entrance, and winds through the forest and connects with the Bluebird trail in a meadow.

Wood Tower Trail: 0.79 mile
This trail begins on Bluebird Trail, intersects Tall Timber Trail, and ends near Middle Creek. Wood Tower Trail follows the original power line built in the 1920s to carry electricity from Lake Wallenpaupack to the Lackawanna Valley.

Mid Valley Tract Trails: 3.32 miles of trails

Bear Paw Trail: 0.62 miles
This trail begins at the Mid Valley Tract access area then splits into a loop that follows the western edge of the park and travels through a conifer plantation planted by Dr. Shaffer.

Beechwood Trail: 0.15 mile
A branch off of Overlook Ridge Trail, Beechwood Trail travels through northern hardwood forests and a utility right of way.

Critters Run: 0.08 mile
The shortest trail in the conservation area, Critters Run connects the northern and southern portions of Overlook Ridge Trail. Hemlock, white pine and many northern hardwoods border this trail.

Deer Run: 0.12 mile
This trail bisects Overlook Ridge Trail, going east to west and through a utility right-of-way.

Holster Creek Trail: 0.55 mile
This trail follows the northern boundary of the conservation area for a ways, including Middle Creek, then crosses Mid Valley Road to meet Shaffers Way Trail. Diverse vegetation can be seen along Holster Creek Trail.

Overlook Ridge Trail: 1.14 miles
Beginning and ending on Bear Paw Trail, Overlook Ridge Trail travels the heart of the Mid Valley Tract. This is an excellent trail to see many tree species, including hemlock, white pine, red maple and ash.

Pond View Trail: 0.43 mile
This trail intersects with Shaffers Way Trail twice, and then loops partway around the spring-fed pond. Amphibians and other wildlife can be seen during the spring and summer months.

Shaffers Way: 0.23 mile
Connecting Overlook Ridge and Pond View trails, and intersecting Holster Creek Trail, Shaffers Way travels through hundreds of conifers planted by the man who donated the property to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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Cross-country-Skiing: All trails are recommended for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when conditions permit.

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Environmental Education and Interpretation

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Varden Conservation Area offers a wide variety of environmental education programs. Through hands-on activities, guided walks, and special events, participants gain appreciation and understanding, as well as develop a sense of stewardship toward natural and cultural resources. Standards-based environmental education programs are available to school and youth groups. Programs must be arranged in advance and may be scheduled by contacting environmental education specialist at the Promised Land State Park office.

Programs are offered from April through October. Many programs feature the abundant wildlife and forest management practices that can be seen in the conservation area. For more detailed information on programs, contact Promised Land State Park.

Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.

Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.

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Access for People with Disabilities

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

 

There are many opportunities to see wildlife in the conservation area. The forest consists of numerous planted trees, including: blue and white spruce, ash, white birch, red pine, Norway spruce, white pine, Douglas fir and balsam fir. Hemlock and red maple are also present in the conservation area. The diverse forest and wetland habitats produce ideal conditions for amphibians, mammals and birds. White-tailed deer, black bear, squirrel, wild turkey, beaver and many species of birds inhabit the area.

The land that became Varden Conservation Area was part of the frontier region under considerable turmoil during the later portion of the 18th century. The Susquehanna Company was formed to encourage settlement by the Connecticut people in an area along the east branch of the Susquehanna River. In 1754, the Onondaga tribal council deeded the greater part of this land to the Susquehanna Company. However, the French and Indian War prevented settlement until after 1760. From this time and prior to the Revolutionary War, Connecticut and Pennsylvania waged a bitter battle for the land. From 1770 to 1784, the Yankee-Pennamite Wars took part in the region. After the Revolutionary War in 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a commission to settle the dispute. The conclusion favored Pennsylvania, effectively ending land rights for Connecticut.

In the 1780’s, European-American pioneers entered the area and set up settlements along Middle Creek and it’s tributaries. The settlers engaged in farming the land and tapped into Middle Creek to supply water to power tanneries, and water powered mills of various types. Increased settlement was established because of the large degree of transportation routes established throughout the early 1800’s. The Northern Road, Belmont and Easton Turnpike, and another turnpike connecting Milford, PA and Oswego, NY were completed by 1815. Other industries were limited to lumbering, milling and tanning. The white and yellow pine, white and red beech, maple, hemlock, and birch were abundant in the area.

In the early years of settlement, many people of German descent inhabited the Varden area. One well-known family was the Shaffer’s. John Shaffer, probably born in Germany came to America sometime before the Revolutionary War. According to family tradition, John was a stowaway in a ship on its passage to America. Very little of his early life is known. John may have lived in Orange County, New York where he married. Family tradition states he was married three times. It is claimed that John served in the Orange County Militia during the Revolutionary War. After the war, John heard of land near Middle Creek. John probably came to the area sometime between 1783 and 1786. Hans Ulrich Swingle and Henry Curtis accompanied John on the trip to Pennsylvania, spending their first night sleeping under a large tree in what is now Varden. The area John settled was first known as the Dutch Settlement and later as Shaffertown, Shaffer’s Hollow, and Millville. William Rufus Shaffer, who became postmaster in 1886, chose to name the town Varden, taking the name from his favorite literary character, Dolly Varden from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens. Throughout the years, Shaffer acquired land that would later become Varden Conservation Area. Here the Shaffer family has lived for over 200 hundred years. The agricultural past is evident in the area. Old foundations, stonewalls, stone piles, a barn, and the famous Shaffer chimney are still present.

Dr. Mead Shaffer

For over 200 years, the Shaffer family has been living in Northeastern Pennsylvania. First settled by John Shaffer, the Shaffer Homestead has experienced much through several generations of Shaffer families. The latest resident is Dr. Mead Shaffer of Boothwyn Township, Delaware County. Dr. Shaffer spent his childhood years living on the Shaffer Homestead. He spent two years at war, came home and became a veterinarian. Mead has planted many trees, created a pond, and preserved the superb habitat. Mead has stated that he wishes future generations would benefit from the donation of the conservation area. With the vast history of the Shaffer family in the area, and at Varden specifically, Mead’s donation greatly illustrates his devotion and admiration of the Varden area.

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Volunteering

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.

Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.

• Sign up to be a Conservation Volunteer
  OR
• Contact your local state park directly and ask for the Conservation Volunteer coordinator - you'll be hooked up with an interesting and appropriate project in Pennsylvania's natural resources.
   

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

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. www.paparksandforests.org

Make a Donation

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Thank you for your support!

Education Programs

We love when young people ask us how to get involved!

DiscoverE has programs for young people ages 4 to 17, provided by Pennsylvania State Park educators. By combining recreation and education, we hope to motivate children to learn more and return often, leading to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and conservation leadership. 

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

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. Take conservation personally.

Come Work with Us

Pennsylvania 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 Think

Contact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park.

Varden Conservation Area

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from:

Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau www.800poconos.com

Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau. www.endlessmountains.org

Maps and Downloadables

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.

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:
For Windows users, right click on the link then left click on "Save target as" to download the file to your computer. For Mac users, hold down the "Options" button and click on the link, then select "Save" to download the file to your computer.

Recreational Guide

Varden Conservation Area Map (.pdf)  (1,033 kb, 4/13) 
Varden Conservation Area Recreational Guide (.pdf)  (374 kb, 4/13)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)

Interactive GIS Map

The Interactive GIS 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 and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.