It's fitting that the entrance road to Nescopeck State Park is named Honey Hole. The definition of the name is a place that has a valued resource; Nescopeck State Park is just that. Possibly one of the lesser-visited state parks in our area, at least by people from our area, it's a short and scenic drive (see directions, below).

The 3,530-acre park is bordered by Mount Yeager to the south and Nescopeck Mountain - at 1,594 feet it's the highest mountain in Columbia County - to the north. The ridge that includes Nescopeck Mountain spans Luzerne and Columbia counties; it also serves as the dividing line between the watersheds for the Susquehanna and Lehigh rivers.One of the gaps in the ridge was carved by Nescopeck Creek, which is where Interstate 80 passes through the ridge. Oddly enough, given the beauty of the creek, its name from Native American origin means "black water" or "dirty water."During the warm summer months, the park's nine-acre Lake Francis may yield bass and panfish; during the spring, it's stocked with trout. Trout anglers pay more attention to Nescopeck Creek. Six miles of the creek are designated a high-quality, cold water fishery that holds brown trout and native brook trout.Hiking trails run along Nescopeck Creek. The park includes 19 miles of well-groomed hiking trails, most with trailheads along Honey Hole Road. One of the prettiest and easiest trails is the walkway around Lake Francis. There are picnic tables right at the lake's edge; paving the way for a family cook-out complete with an easy walk. Fishing tackle is available at the park's visitor center as a loaner program.The park habitat is very diverse. The surrounding woods is mainly hardwoods, and there are meadows, vernal pools and rock formations. The habitat is so varied that the park is a great fit as an outdoor natural laboratory, for visiting biologists and interns who are working on research projects. The park also has staff year-round, who provide environmental education programming for local schools and interpretive programs for park visitors.The park's education program has a focus - to teach about the natural world and critical environmental issues facing us, while offering programs about the natural, historical and cultural features of the area. Special emphasis is placed on the education and interpretation of Nescopeck's unique, natural biodiversity. If you're an educator, you may want to ask about the Watershed Education Program, which the park's education staff can make available to area high schools, teachers and other groups. There are also teacher workshops, based on state and national environmental education standards.But, it's too early to start thinking about school! But still not too late to make the drive to Nescopeck State Park.Directions, traveling West on I-80: Take Exit 273 (White Haven, Freeland). Turn right onto PA 940. At the stop sign, go straight onto PA 437 for about 4.5 miles. Directly after the power lines, turn left onto Honey Hole Road. Travel 2.5 miles to enter the Lake Frances Day Use Area.