Gouldsboro State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gouldsboro State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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 Gouldsboro State Park
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 2,880 acres (11.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,909 ft (582 m) |
| Established | 1958 |
| Named for | Jay Gould and nearby Gouldsboro |
| Visitors | 100,000 |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Gouldsboro State Park |
Gouldsboro State Park is a fun place to visit in Pennsylvania, United States. It covers about 2,880-acre (1,170 ha) of land. The park is home to the beautiful 250-acre (100 ha) Gouldsboro Lake. You can find it near the small village of Gouldsboro. The park is also close to Tobyhanna State Park.
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Park History
Gouldsboro State Park gets its name from the nearby village of Gouldsboro. This village was named after a famous person named Jay Gould. He lived a long time ago, from 1836 to 1892. Jay Gould became very rich during the time when factories and railroads were growing fast. He even owned a lot of the railroad tracks in the United States!
One of his railroads ran right next to what is now the park. Jay Gould also owned a tannery (a place that turns animal hides into leather) nearby. Raw hides were sent from far away places like the western United States and Australia on his railroads. Then, wagons carried them to the tannery.
Today, this old railroad line still separates Gouldsboro State Park from Tobyhanna State Park. You can even take fun train rides on this line! These rides go from Scranton to Tobyhanna.
How the Lake Was Made
The lake in the park wasn't always this big. In 1895, a dam and spillway were built on an existing lake. This allowed people to collect more ice from the lake in winter. In 1956, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission took over the dam. The park officially opened in 1958.
Over the years, the dam needed repairs. The lake was partly drained in 1985 and 1995 for these fixes. In 2005, the lake was completely drained to make big repairs. Workers cleaned out debris and replaced parts of the dam. The repairs finished in 2008, and the lake was filled up again.
Fun Activities at the Park
Gouldsboro Lake Activities
Gouldsboro Lake is a 250-acre (100 ha) lake perfect for many activities. You can go boating (but no gas-powered boats!), swimming, and fishing. If you have an electric or non-powered boat, make sure it's registered or you have a launch permit.
There's a beach at the lake that's open from late May (Memorial Day) to early September (Labor Day). Just remember, there are no lifeguards, so be careful!
The lake is a great spot for fishing. You might catch fish like pickerel, yellow perch, bass, walleye, sunfish, muskellunge, and catfish. In winter, many people enjoy ice fishing here. Always be careful on the ice, as park staff do not check how thick it is.
Hunting and Trapping
If you enjoy hunting, it's allowed in certain areas of Gouldsboro State Park. You need to follow the rules set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Common animals you might hunt include squirrels, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and black bear. Hunting groundhogs is not allowed.
Trapping is also permitted with the right license. You might see people trapping animals like muskrats, raccoons, beaver, mink, fox, and coyote.
Picnic Areas
Gouldsboro State Park has five different picnic areas. There are about 300 picnic tables available! All these areas are shaded and open all year round. There's even one pavilion where you can plug in electrical devices.
Park Trails
The park has several trails for you to explore:
- Old Route 611 is an "easy" trail, about 1.25-mile (2 km) long. It's flat and wide, great for hiking, bicycling, and cross-country skiing.
- Prospect Rock Trail is a "difficult" trail, about 5.8-mile (9.3 km) long. It's a loop that starts and ends in the day-use area. Be ready for some very rocky parts!
- Frank Gantz Trail is another "difficult" trail, about 3.2-mile (5.1 km) long. This trail connects Gouldsboro State Park to Tobyhanna State Park. It's very rocky and can be tough, taking about three hours to complete a round trip.
Nearby State Parks
If you like Gouldsboro State Park, you might also enjoy these other state parks within 30 miles (48 km):
- Archbald Pothole State Park (Lackawanna County)
- Beltzville State Park (Carbon County)
- Big Pocono State Park (Monroe County)
- Frances Slocum State Park (Luzerne County)
- Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (Northampton County)
- Hickory Run State Park (Carbon County)
- Lackawanna State Park (Lackawanna County)
- Lehigh Gorge State Park (Carbon and Luzerne Counties)
- Nescopeck State Park (Luzerne County)
- Promised Land State Park (Pike County)
- Prompton State Park (Wayne County)
- Tobyhanna State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
- Varden Conservation Area (Wayne County)
Park Climate
Gouldsboro State Park has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. It gets rain all year round. Most summer days are comfortably humid. However, sometimes it can get very hot and humid. The hottest temperature recorded was 93.5 °F (34.2 °C) in July 1995.
July is usually the warmest month and has the most thunderstorms. September is often the wettest month, sometimes due to leftover storms from the Atlantic hurricane season. The most rain in one day was 7.57 inches (192 mm) in September 2010.
In winter, it gets very cold. The coldest temperature recorded was −23.5 °F (−30.8 °C) in January 1994. You can expect strong winds and very cold temperatures. January is usually the coldest month and has the most snow. Big snowstorms with over 12 inches (30 cm) of snow happen almost every year, especially from December to March.
Park Nature
The main type of plants you'll find in Gouldsboro State Park are from a Northern Hardwood forest. This means you'll see many trees like maples, oaks, and birches. The best time to see flowers blooming in spring is usually early May. The leaves change to beautiful fall colors around early October.
