Prompton State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prompton State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Prompton Lake
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 Prompton State Park
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Wayne, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,289 ft (393 m) |
| Established | 1962 |
| Named for | the nearby community of Prompton |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Prompton State Park |
Prompton State Park is a cool state park in Pennsylvania. It covers about 2,000 acres in Wayne County. The park first opened in 1962. Even though the state doesn't manage it directly, the park is open for everyone to visit and enjoy!
A group called "Friends of Prompton State Park" is working to help take care of the park. They want to manage it like other parks run by local groups. Prompton State Park is located about 4 miles west of Honesdale, right off Pennsylvania Route 170.
Contents
Park History
In May 1942, there was a huge flood in the area. Heavy rains caused the Lackawaxen River and Dyberry Creek to overflow. This caused a lot of damage and sadly, 29 people lost their lives in nearby Honesdale and Hawley.
After this big flood, people decided to build dams to stop future flooding. In 1948, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers got approval to build two dams. Jadwin Dam was finished in 1959. Then, in 1960, Prompton Dam was completed, which created a large lake. The park officially opened for public use in 1962.
Fun Activities at the Park
Prompton State Park is open all year round for visitors. You can do many fun things here, like fishing, hiking, boating, and having a picnic. You can also go mountain biking, hunting, ice fishing, geocaching, sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The park is only for daytime activities and closes at dusk. There are no campgrounds for overnight stays.
Disc Golf Course
The park has an awesome 18-hole disc golf course. It has different types of land, including small hills and lightly wooded areas. You can find the disc golf course near the dam entrance at the south end of the park.
Boating on the Lake
You can use small motorboats on the 280-acre lake, as long as they have 10 horsepower or less. Kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and other boats without motors are also allowed. There's a boat launch on the west side of the lake. You can get to it from Route 170, about 2 miles from the Route 6 intersection.
Fishing and Hunting Fun
You can go fishing in the 290-acre Prompton Lake. This includes ice fishing when the lake freezes over. Hunting is also allowed in most parts of the park during hunting season. You can also do trapping and dog training. Remember, you need the right licenses for both fishing and hunting.
Exploring the Trails
There are over 26 miles of hiking trails around the lake. All the trails have special marks called "blazes" to guide you. These trails are also great for mountain biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. The trails have different types of land and hills, so some are easier and some are more challenging.
You can find parking at both the north and south ends of the park. The south parking lot is next to the dam on Route 170. The north parking lot is off Beech Grove Road.
Trails on the East and West Shores
- East Shore Trail is 4.5 miles long and marked with red blazes. It goes along the entire length of the lake, from Beech Grove Road in the north to the dam in the south. The first mile of this trail is paved. This paved part was actually the original Route 170 before the dam was built and the rest of the road was covered by the lake!
- West Shore Trail is 3.5 miles long and also has red blazes. This trail runs along the entire west side of the lake, from the dam in the south to the RV airplane field in the north.
- Orchard Trail is 3.5 miles long and marked with white blazes. It runs along the west side of the lake, right next to the West Shore Trail.
- Sugar Shack Trail is 2 miles long and has white blazes. It starts on the East Shore Trail and connects with the Eagle Pass Trail on the east side of the lake.
Trails from the North End
- Cliff Trail is 1.3 miles long with red blazes. It starts at Sidewinder Trail and loops back to Pine Creek Trail.
- Blueberry Trail is a 1.5-mile loop with blue blazes. It branches off Pine Creek Trail at the northeast end of the park.
- Eagle Pass Trail is 1 mile long with green blazes. It connects Cross Trail with the East Shore and Sugar Shack trails.
- Sidewinder Trail is 1 mile long with red blazes. It goes from the East Shore Trail to the start of Sidewinder Trail.
- Pine Creek Trail is 1.7 miles long with orange blazes. This trail is in the northeast part of the park and starts and ends at Cliff Trail.
Trails from the South End
- Bone Ridge Trail is 2 miles long with yellow blazes. It starts and ends on Hemlock Trail near the east side of the dam.
- Hemlock Trail is 2 miles long with yellow blazes. It starts at the east end of the dam and meets up with High Ledge Trail.
- High Ledge Trail is 2 miles long with white blazes. It starts at East Shore Trail and meets Sugar Shack Trail.
Nearby State Parks
If you like Prompton State Park, you might also enjoy these other state parks that are close by:
- Archbald Pothole State Park (Lackawanna County)
- Gouldsboro State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
- Lackawanna State Park (Lackawanna County)
- Promised Land State Park (Pike County)
- Tobyhanna State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
- Varden Conservation Area (Wayne County)
