Frances Slocum State Park covers 1,035 acres in Luzerne County. Boating and fishing are available on Frances Slocum Lake; the lake is also home to numerous bird, fish and other wildlife species. Hiking and mountain biking trails, along with a large day-use area for picnicking and exploring the woods, add to the opportunities. Exhibits at the Patrick J. Solano Environmental Education Center showcase Indigenous peoples and the park’s ecology.
Woods, Water and Gorges
At Nescopeck State Park, 3,550 acres of wetlands, diverse forests and varied habitats shape the landscape. Trails follow Nescopeck Creek, wind through forests and run alongside wetlands. Environmental education programs and public outdoor activities are offered year-round. The different trail routes show how waterways, forests and wetlands together define the character of this park.
In Luzerne County, Lehigh Gorge State Park follows the Lehigh River from Francis E. Walter Dam toward Jim Thorpe; the park also extends into Carbon County. A deep, steep-walled river gorge, dense vegetation, rock outcrops and waterfalls shape the landscape. The park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset; individual facilities may have different seasons. The Lehigh Gorge Trail runs for more than 20 miles along the D&L Trail. The abandoned rail corridor offers opportunities for hiking, biking, sightseeing and photography, and is designated for non-motorized use.
At Ricketts Glen State Park, the Glens Natural Area encompasses a site designated a National Natural Landmark. The park has 22 named waterfalls, including the 94-foot Ganoga Falls. Waterfalls are the named natural features at the heart of this park; at Bear Creek Preserve, by contrast, stream valleys and forests shape the hiking experience. The preserve is in Buck Township in Luzerne County. As of August 4, 2025, Bear Creek Preserve covered 3,986 acres. The hikes pass through forests and steep stream valleys and are strenuous. Shades Creek, Bear Creek and Stony Run are classified as high-quality cold-water fisheries.
Trails and Outdoor Activities
For mountain biking, Moon Lake Recreation Area offers more than 18 miles of singletrack trails, as well as 2 miles of administrative roads. Boating is allowed on Moon Lake, but gasoline-powered motorboats are prohibited. Hiking trails are available in the Seven Tubs area of Pinchot State Forest. These examples differ clearly by activity: Moon Lake features designated mountain biking trails and a boating restriction, while Seven Tubs is identified as a hiking area.
The D&L Trail stretches 165 miles from Bristol, Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia, to Wilkes-Barre. In Luzerne County, it follows the Susquehanna River and uses the former rail corridor of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad. The combination of riverfront and former rail corridor gives this section a different character from the Lehigh Gorge Trail. If you’re planning a trip on the D&L Trail, check current conditions in advance.
History, Exhibits and Performing Arts
Eckley Miners’ Village preserves the social and architectural history of the anthracite coal region, its mining communities and their residents. The Luzerne County Historical Society Museum features a permanent exhibit about the Indigenous peoples of the Wyoming Valley in a building constructed in 1893. Temporary exhibits share stories about people, places and events in Luzerne County. The Swetland Homestead showcases historic period rooms from different eras, ranging from a summer kitchen from the 1790s to a Victorian parlor from the 1860s.
The Luzerne County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts offers another way to experience cultural history: the elegant movie theater built on Public Square in 1938 is now a restored performing arts theater. It also serves as a cinema for limited screenings, including art-house and foreign-language films. The Edwardsville Pierogi Festival is a two-day event featuring food vendors, live entertainment, a pierogi cooking contest and a pierogi parade. If you’d like to plan a visit around it, check the event dates.
Getting There and Getting Around
Luzerne County is accessible via Interstates 80, 81 and 84, as well as the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is in the northern part of the county. When planning, it’s worth matching your travel arrangements to your interests: the options described range from boating and mountain biking to exhibits and historic rooms.
Discover more destinations: Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, White Haven, Drums, Kingston, Avoca, Sugarloaf, Nanticoke, Freeland, Milnesville.
For the full travel overview: Pennsylvania.
