No Bears, But Some Birds, Bugs And Snakes At Egypt Meadows And Bruce Lake In Wayne County.

We are blessed here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There are so many beautiful  parks , rivers, lakes and mountains where we can visit, hike and explore nature.  One of my favorite is Bruce Lake near  the Promised Land State Park in Wayne County. Created by the retreat of glaciers in the last Ice Age, it has remained unchanged for almost 20,000 years. Wooly mammoths, saber toothed tigers and giant sloths may have waded in its waters. Native Americans probably fished along its shores. I love hiking up to the scenic and secluded lake and reflecting on its long history.

I have been away a lot this Spring, on  weekend road trips.  And, although I am behind in yard work and  chores , it was a busy and stressful week.  So,  I decided to return  to Wayne County  for the weekend and hike up to Bruce Lake to look for bears, birds  and snakes. I was staying at the quaint and comfortable Rex Hotel  , conveniently located between the Promised Land State Park and the Bruce Lake Natural Area.

It is the perfect place to stay and explore State Park and surrounding trails.  In fact, one of  the trail heads  in the  park is on the hotel property.

I arrived at the hotel mid afternoon, around 2:30 p.m.  I used my access code to enter my room, dropped off my luggage and was soon off to the  Bruce Lake Natural Area trail. It was sunny and warm and I didn’t expect to see much wildlife.  But you never know when you head into the forests here in the Pocono Mountains. I was hoping to see a bear  this weekend. I have seen them  on all of my previous  hikes  in the Bruce Lake Natural Area.

I was the only one  at the Bruce Lake trail head parking when I began my hike. It is only a mile from my hotel. It was mid afternoon and I didn’t really expect to see a lot of wildlife on my hike.

The grassy trail took me through a mature, mostly oak,woodlands with some hemlock and maple trees. The trees and plants were lush and green. Late June is the peak of the growing season.

Many different ferns grew in the understory of the woodlands and along the trail, there were mostly hay-scented ferns,

with some interrupted ,

cinnamon and

bracken ferns. The ferns  added  to the lush green colors along the trail.

I also saw the last of the mountain laurel flowers that had bloomed earlier.

It looks like there was a large bloom up here this year. I wish I were here to see it.

And the another beautiful wildflower was  beginning to bloom,

the also beautiful rhododendrons. It looks like they will also put on a spectacular show.

I wasn’t surprised when I hear, and saw, some oven birds along the trail. These small warblers sing all day, even on the hottest days of Summer.

I was surprised to see and hear a lot of other birds  in the afternoon, including   a few black and white warblers,

yellow throated vireos,

a black throated blue warbler and

a veery.  The veery and black throated blue warblers could be easily identified by their similar raspy calls and songs.

I also saw and heard this brilliantly colored  male scarlet tanager. I often see the males singing in the treetops on my hikes.

I don’t see the drab yellow females to often but I did on this hike.  These were all migratory birds and  they all will fly south, to Florida, the Caribbean Islands, Central America and even South America in late Summer.

There were also a couple of year long resident birds, a juvenile downy woodpecker being fed by a parent.   It was nice to  see so many birds in the afternoon. They were all in the mature oak forest  which provided some shade from the mid-day intense June sun.

I continued on my hike, over a stream,

and through a woodland with more white pine and hemlock trees.

After about 1 1/4 miles I came to Egypt Meadlow Lake.  This scenic 47 acre lake and wetland is man made, created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935.

It was a beautiful place to be on this late June afternoon. Cumulus clouds floated in the blue skies over the blue lake.

A bridge separates the wetland from the lake. There were usually a lot of waters snakes here on the rocks below the bridge but I didn’t see any Friday.  There were some Summer wildlfowers blooming here near the lake including, daisy fleabane,

whorled yellow loosestrife  and,

common elderberry flowers.

Cow lilies bloomed on the water,

and India hempo flowers were ready to bloom. These are all native to Pennsylvania.

Invasive oxeye daisies also grew in the clearing near the lake. This one being visited by a common eastern bumblebee.

There was also a colorful chestnut sided warbler,

and song sparrow singing in the now late afternoon sunshine.

As I took in the peace and quite of the beautiful scene I saw this snapping turtle pop it’s head up out of the water in the lake.

I didn’t  think I’d make it up Bruce Lake that evening. It was another 1 1/4 miles up a ridge.  It was a long day and I was getting hungry. So I only followed the trail for about another 1/2 mile. I would hike up to Bruce Lake in the morning.

 I saw this beautiful red breasted grosbeak,

singing loudly in the trees.

I started my hike back to the parking lot, and  back at the lake saw a few smaller inhabitants of the forest understory a few red efts, the land stage of the eastern newt,

and a seldom seen wood frog.

Back near the lake I saw a great blue heron in on the lake,

 and a great crested flycatcher in the treetops.  Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my afternoon hike . Promised Land  Egypt Meadows Lake  birds June 26 2026.

I walked back under the late afternoon sun, and finished my 4 mile hike.  Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with some more photos from  my afternoon hike . Promised Land  Egypt Meadows Lake    June 26 2026.

I was going to  return to my hotel and shower before dinner, but I was hungry and so stopped at the quaint Old Rangers Inn for dinner on the way back to my hotel. I love this hotel that opened in the 1930’s. Great food and a friendly staff. I enjoyed their great salad bar.

I  had a baked potato and a broiled  seafood platter for my main course.  I returned to my hotel, right across the highway,  and edited photos. I retired early, looking  forward to a hike up to Bruce Lake in the morning, and , hopefully seeing a bear.

I was up at  dawn, and after brewing  some coffee in my room, I was back at the trail head to Bruce Lake. I was a little disappointed when I saw a car on the parking lot. I usually see a bear when I am the first one on the trail.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be a leasurely hike.   The weather forecast called for rain starting around 11 a.m.  I planned to hike 7 miles and, when I am taking phtographs, this could take  5 or 6 hours.

So I quickly followed the same trail through the lush green woodlands as I did the previous afternoon.   I saw and heard many of the same birds but it was mostly cloudy and stil dark  and I wasn’t going to stop and take photos.

I walked to the scenic Egypt  Meadows Lake,

and was disappointed I didn’t see many water birds or a bear near the lake. I have seen a few bears here on my past hikes in the park.

I did see two new birds, a Canada warbler,

and a magnolia warbler singing in the trees.

I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the lake again. and then continued up the ridge toward Bruce Lake.

Like the trail on  the first part of my hike,  there is a lot of grass on the trail here. I have encountered many ticks here in the past. However this time I applied a lot of insect repellant, I use Ranger Ready, and it really works.  I didn’t  have one tick attach on my hike. (and I don’t get paid a dime for my recommendation).

There are more chesntut oak trees on this part of the trail, and smaller red maple, striped maple,  serviceberry, witch hazle and sweet birch trees along the trail here,and, as I neared the lack more white pine and hemlock trees. 

It was a 2 1/2 mile hike up to Bruce Lake. The walk is always worth the view of this natural, ancient lake. I stood along it’s shores and again reflected on it’s long history.

 In the distance I saw a small boat on the lake, it’sd occupant, or occupants, where the folks in the parking lot, and who probably scared any bear that may have been in the area.

I continued along the lake for anothe 1/2 mile or so, here there were less old oak trees and more huckleberry, deerberry and blueberrry plants laong the trail.

I came to an old hand water pump,

near a rock outcrop where someone had built a fire.  I am not sure why the pump was here.

I decided to hike back to Eygpt Meadows Lake and spend some time there before the rains came. On the way I saw a pair of yellow-bellied sapuckers in a tree.  I have seen these migratory woodpeckers on my Winter visits to Florida.

I continued on my hike back and, as I neared the Egypt Meadow lake,

it beagan to rain, about 1 1/2 hours earlier than the forecast.

As I walked past the rocks near the bridge I saw this northern watersnakes peeking out from under the rocks.  Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with some more photos from  my morning hike  to the lake  . Promised Land  Egypt Meadows, Bruce   Lake     2026 June 27

I was glad I wore a waterproof  jacket. I was able to keep my camera and iPhone dry  but my shorts and shoes got soaked. I finished my 7 mile hike and  returned to my hotel.  I took a long hot shower.  It was now near noon and I drove to the nearby Promised Land Inn where I had a nice arugula salad  with salmon  for lunch.

The rain continued all afternoon, and I edited photos, and did some reading about the park until I deiced to eat again in the evening. I returned the the Old Ranger Inn and had another great visit to the salad bar and scallops and linguini for dinner. I like to eat on my road trips.

I was up early again on Sunday morning .   I was going to hike  back up  Bruce Lake. I was on the Bruce Lake Trailhead parking lot by 6 a.m.  Once again time wasn’t on my side. I had a 10 a.m. check out so had to make it another short and quick hike.  I was glad when I arrived and was the only car at the parking lot.

There  was a heavy fog after the rain the previous day. I began my hike  through the now  wet grass and   heard and saw some of the birds I saw the previous day. Because  it was still dark on the trail from the fog  and I decided to only photograph any new species of birds I would see, and, of course any bears that I may run into.    It was a peaceful walk through the rain soaked woodlands. The forest was so alive after the rains. .

One thing I noticed in the fog was the many spider webs along the trail.

Covered in rain they stood out everywhere along the trail. The rain and fog also brought out the mosquitoes and deer flies. They were swarming  around my head the entire hike. Thankfully, I once again applied generous amounts of insect repellent. Still, I got a few  mosquitos bits on my ankles and ears where I didn’t apply the  repellent.

The rain  also brought out this russula mushroom.. They pop up quickly after a rain and on humid summer nights.

I walked to the Egypt Meadows Lake again where I saw this family of Canada geese on the mist covered bridge.

The fog and mist created  the magical scene  on the lake.

I then  hiked  up the ridge through the now  misty woodlands toward  Bruce Lake.

The grass was wet from the rains on Saturday, as were the leaves on the trees, this is a white oak leaf,

and this a scarlet oak leaf.

There were dozens of red efts scrambling across the wet trail, and   watching them I noticed this plant, a waxflower shinleaf, one I have never seen on my hikes. It is native to our area.

I also noticed this apple tree with some small fruit along the trail. This tree would not have been here when the Native American roamed this woods. The apple was brought here from Europe and this tree probably grew from an apple core discarded by a hiker on the trail.

I was again attacked by swarms of mosquitoes  and deer flies as I approached  the wetlands  near Bruce Lake,  as the sun gradually began to burn off the fog ,

and I was able to get some photos of the many eastern towhees.

and red eyed vireos singing in the trees  along the trail.

The sun burning  through the mist when I reached the lake,

where I stopped and again reflected on, and enjoyed the tranquility of the ancient lake.

Along the lake I saw the first pickerelweed ,

and ghost or Indian pipe flowers blooming in te water and along the shore. Both are native to our area. The white ghost or Indian pipes look like a fungus but are actually wildlfowers that do not produce chlorophyll but are parasitic on fungi in the soil.

I didn’t see any bears on my hike up to the lake and realized I probably wouldn’t see one on my hike back. I enjoyed the sun which was now shining and filtering through the lush canopy of leaves as I walked back down the ridge.

I hiked  back to Egypt Meadows Lake  where the waters reflected the now partly  clear blue skies.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning scene

And, I was delighted to see a northern watersnake and a eastern garter snake interacting on the rock below the bridge.

I don’t know why these two  different species were apparently so friendly with each other,

it appeared as if they were mating,

until the northern watersnake climbed to the top of the rock. There were at least four other garter snakes and one other watersnake in and around the rocks.  I love observing snake on my hike. Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the snakes  I saw on my morning  hikes . Promised Land  Egypt Meadows Lake  snakes  June 28 2026.

I also saw a few more birds  in the trees along the lake, this common yellowthroat,

 a few swamp sparrows,

and a gray catbird.    Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my morning  hikes . Promised Land  Egypt Meadows  Bruce Lake  birds June 27 -28 2026.

Native water lilies were blooming on the lake ,

and the rhododendrons were now almost in full bloom along  trail.

It was now after 9 a.m. and I had  over a mile hike back to the parking lot. I hiked back quickly  and reluctantly, on this beautiful sunny Sunday morning. I  wish I could have stayed longer in this wonderful forest.  It is a great place to explore and observe the beauty of nature.

I wish I could have seen a bear on this trip but I was content with the birds,  snakes, wildflowers and be the beauty of Egypt Meadow and Bruce Lakes. I made it back to my hotel in time for checkout, and as I was leaving one of the housekeepers told there was a mother bear and three cubs that often visited the hotel. I hope to be back soon to see them.  Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with some more photos from  another  morning hike  to Bruce  Lake  . Promised Land  Egypt Meadows, Bruce   Lake    June 28 2026

“Make your heart like a lake with a calm, still surface and great depths of kindness.”
– Lao Tzu