Gouldsboro State Park is a
Pennsylvania state park in
Coolbaugh Township,
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe:
* Monroe County, Alabama
*Monroe County, Arkansas
* Monroe County, Florida
* Monroe County, Georgia
*Monroe County, Illinois
*Monroe County, Indian ...
and
Lehigh Township,
Wayne County,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
in the United States. The park includes the
Gouldsboro Lake. Gouldsboro State Park is located very close to
Tobyhanna State Park and
Pennsylvania State Game Lands The Pennsylvania State Game Lands (SGL) are lands managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) for hunting, trapping, and fishing. These lands, often not usable for farming or development, are donated to the PGC or purchased by the PGC with hun ...
127 and 312. It is on
Pennsylvania Route 507
Pennsylvania Route 507 (PA 507) is a state highway located in Monroe, Wayne, and Pike Counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 435 and at an interchange with Interstate 380 (I-380) near Gouldsboro. The northern terminus is ...
near the small village of
Gouldsboro.
History
Gouldsboro State Park is named for Gouldsboro, which was in turn named for
Jay Gould
Jason Gould (; May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) was an American railroad magnate and financial speculator who is generally identified as one of the robber barons of the Gilded Age. His sharp and often unscrupulous business practices made him ...
(1836 - 1892). Gould, a native of
New York, acquired an immense fortune during the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
, part of which included ownership of ten percent of all the
rail tracks
A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleeper ...
in the United States at the time of his death. One of his
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
s passed by what is now the eastern boundary of the park. Gould was also the co-owner of a
tannery
Tanning may refer to:
*Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather
*Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin
**Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun
**Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
in nearby Thornhurst. Raw hides were shipped from the western United States and
Australia on the railroads owned by Gould to Gouldsboro. The hides were then sent to
Thornhurst by way of wagons traversing a
plank road.
[ ''Note: Histories of both state parks'']
As of 2006, this rail line forms the dividing line between Gouldsboro State Park and
Tobyhanna State Park in Monroe County, and is owned by the Lackawanna County Railroad Authority and operated by the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Co. Inc. Tourist excursions on this line are operated by
Steamtown National Historic Site, and run from Steamtown's yard in
Scranton
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 U.S. census, Scranton is the largest city in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Wyoming V ...
to
Tobyhanna.
[ (shows owners and operators)]
A dam and spillway were built on an existing lake in 1895 by the North Jersey & Pocono Mountain Ice Company. The new dam allowed more ice to be harvested from the lake in winter. In 1956 the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is an independent state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the state of Pennsylvania within the United States of America. Unlike many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has a sepa ...
took over ownership of the dam. The park opened in 1958 and the dam was transferred to the DCNR in 2003.
Inspections on the dam in 1979 revealed "the dam’s drain gate was inoperable and its spillway was deteriorating".
The lake was partially drained in 1985 and 1995 for repairs to the dam and spillway, and completely drained in January 2005. Repairs included removing debris, installing a culvert, fence and erosion control measures, and replacing the spillway. Repairs were completed and the lake was refilled in January 2008.
Recreation
Gouldsboro Lake
Gouldsboro Lake is a man made lake. It is open to
boating,
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
,
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
and
ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities.
Shelters
Longe ...
. Gas powered boats are prohibited on Gouldsboro Lake. Electric powered and non powered boats must have current registration from any state, or a launch permit from the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is an independent state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the state of Pennsylvania within the United States of America. Unlike many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has a sepa ...
. A beach at the lake is open from
Memorial Day
Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
weekend through
Labor Day weekend. The beach does not have
lifeguards. Gouldsboro Lake is a warm water fishery. The common game fish are
pickerel,
yellow perch
The yellow perch (''Perca flavescens''), commonly referred to as perch, striped perch, American perch, American river perch or preacher is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Sam ...
,
bass,
walleye
The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...
,
sunfish,
muskellunge
The muskellunge ''(Esox masquinongy)'', often shortened to muskie, musky or lunge is a species of large freshwater predatory fish native to North America. It is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae.
Origin of name
The name "muskell ...
, and
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...
. Gouldsboro Lake is also a popular ice fishing destination, however the thickness of the ice is not monitored by the park staff so visitors are asked to use caution when venturing out onto the ice.
Hunting and trapping
Hunting
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...
is permitted at Gouldsboro State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the
Pennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States. It was originally founded years ago and currently utilizes more than 700 full-time employees and ...
. The common game species are
squirrels
Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...
,
wild turkey
The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...
,
white-tailed deer
The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
,
black bear
Black bear or Blackbear may refer to:
Animals
* American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species
* Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species
Music
* Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
, and
snowshoe hare
The snowshoe hare (''Lepus americanus''), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sin ...
. The hunting of
groundhog
The groundhog (''Marmota monax''), also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots.
The groundhog is a lowland creature of North America; it is found through mu ...
s is prohibited. The
trapping
Animal trapping, or simply trapping or gin, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, the fur trade, hunting, pest control, and wildlife management.
History
Neolithi ...
of
muskrats,
raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
s,
beaver,
mink,
fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
, and
coyote is permitted with the proper license.
Picnics
Gouldsboro State Park has five
picnic areas with about 300
picnic tables. All five picnic areas are shaded and open year-round. There is one
pavilion
In architecture, ''pavilion'' has several meanings:
* It may be a subsidiary building that is either positioned separately or as an attachment to a main building. Often it is associated with pleasure. In palaces and traditional mansions of Asia ...
with an electric hook-up.
Trails
*Old Route 611 is a "easy" trail that is flat and wide and runs parallel to
Interstate 380 on the western edge of the park. The trail is open to
hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
,
bicycling
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
and
cross-country skiing.
*Prospect Rock Trail is a "difficult" trail that is a loop that begins and ends in the day use area, passing over some very rugged terrain.
*Frank Gantz Trail is a "difficult" trail that connects Gouldsboro State Park with Tobyhanna State Park. The trail is very rocky and therefore very demanding, with an estimated round trip completion time of three hours.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within of Gouldsboro State Park:
*
Archbald Pothole State Park (
Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County (; unm, Lèkaohane) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania and had a population of 215,896 as of the 2020 census. Its county seat and largest city is Scranton.
The county ...
)
*
Beltzville State Park
Beltzville State Park is a List of Pennsylvania state parks, Pennsylvania state park in Franklin Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Franklin and Towamensing Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Towamensing townships, Carbon County, Pennsyl ...
(
Carbon County)
*
Big Pocono State Park
Big Pocono State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jackson and Pocono townships in Monroe County, Pennsylvania in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The park is located on Camelback Mountain and is maintained jointly by the Pennsylvania Department ...
(Monroe County)
*
Frances Slocum State Park (
Luzerne County
Luzerne County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county by total area. As of ...
)
*
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is a Pennsylvania state park near Wind Gap, in Bushkill Township, Northampton County in Pennsylvania. The Jacobsburg National Historic District is almost entirely surrounded by the park. Jacobsburg En ...
(
Northampton County)
*
Hickory Run State Park
Hickory Run State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Kidder and Penn Forest Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is spread across the Pocono Mountains. The park is easily accessible from Interstate 476 and ...
(Carbon County)
*
Lackawanna State Park
Lackawanna State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Benton and North Abington Townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Lake Lackawanna, a man-made lake, is the central focus of recreation at the park. Lackawanna Sta ...
(Lackawanna County)
*
Lehigh Gorge State Park
Lehigh Gorge State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Luzerne and Carbon Counties, Pennsylvania. The park encompasses a gorge, which stretches along the Lehigh River from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control dam in Luzerne County to J ...
(Carbon and Luzerne Counties)
*
Nescopeck State Park (Luzerne County)
*
Promised Land State Park (
Pike County)
*
Prompton State Park
Prompton State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Clinton and Dyberry Townships, Wayne County, Pennsylvania in the United States. This park, which was established in 1962, is officially listed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservati ...
(Wayne County)
*
Tobyhanna State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
*
Varden Conservation Area
Varden Conservation Area is a Pennsylvania state park on in Lake and South Canaan Townships, Wayne County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The conservation area is currently under development. The land was donated to the Commonwealth of Pen ...
(Wayne County)
Climate
According to the
Trewartha climate classification
The Trewartha climate classification (TCC) or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC) is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köppen ...
system, Gouldsboro State Park has a Temperate
Continental climate (''Dc'') with warm summers (''b''), cold winters (''o'') and year-around precipitation (''Dcbo''). ''Dcbo'' climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ , all months with an average mean temperature < and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid in Gouldsboro State Park, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with
heat index
The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is als ...
values > . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on 07/15/1995, and the highest daily average mean
dew point
The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will cond ...
was on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for
thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...
activity which correlates with the average warmest month of the year. The average wettest month is September which correlates with tropical storm remnants during the peak of the
Atlantic hurricane season. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on 09/30/2010. During the winter months, the
plant hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
is 5a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of .
Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on 01/21/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with
wind chill values < . The average snowiest month is January which correlates with the average coldest month of the year.
Ice storm
An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on e ...
s and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow occur nearly every year, particularly during
nor’easter
A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below), or an East Coast low is a synoptic-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. The original use of ...
s from December through March.
Ecology
According to the
A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 1907–1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system in widespread use in the United States. Some of this database has bec ...
U.S.
potential natural vegetation
In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...
types, Gouldsboro State Park would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern
Hardwood (''106'') with a dominant vegetation form of
Northern hardwood forest
The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south-central Canada, Ontario, and Quebec, extending south into the United States in northern New England, New York, and Pennsyl ...
(''26'').
The peak spring bloom typically occurs in early-May and peak fall color usually occurs in early-October. The
plant hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
is 5a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of .
References
External links
*
{{authority control
State parks of Pennsylvania
Protected areas established in 1958
Pocono Mountains
Parks in Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Parks in Wayne County, Pennsylvania
1958 establishments in Pennsylvania
Protected areas of Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Protected areas of Wayne County, Pennsylvania