Snow, Ice And Wind: A Frigid Hike In Locust Lake State Park

It’s been a long time since I visited Locust Lake State Park in the Winter. The last time  was when I was in college and that was over four decades ago. It was on a cold and windy Winter day when I went ice fishing on Locust Lake with some friends.

It was another cold,  windy and frigid Winter morning when I decided to return last  Sunday. After trudging through the deep snow at the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County  on Saturday, I was looking for a plowed road or trail to hike on Sunday. I thought of Locust Lake State Park and remembered ice fishing there so many years ago. I thought that there may be some plowed roads in the park where I could hike without walking in the foot of snow that is on the ground here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was about a half hour drive to the State Park. A strong northwesterly wind was  blowing as I drove down Interstate 81 to Ryan Township, Schuylkill County where the park is located.  Drifting snow  covered the steep and  narrow Brockton Mountain road which I drove down to get to the park. . I drove through the scenic Locust Valley and  was glad to find the park open when I  arrived. A road was  road plowed over the crest  of the dam above  Locust Lake Lake.

There were a few cars in the parking lot along the frozen lake and a few brave  folks were  ice fishing on the frozen lake.

It was  sunny, windy and frigid when I left my Jeep. The temperature was around 7 degrees. I walked onto the frozen lake and walked toward the center of the lake. There was only ice along the shore of the lake.  However as I  got further out on the lake I encountered deep snow, and, to my surprise, there was water beneath the snow.

I walked back  closer to the shore and past a pair of ice fishermen. They told me the snow gets deep intoe middle of the lake, and there is water  beneath the snow, but it is safe to walk on. I decided to just walk on the exposed ice near the shore,

and not for long. The strong winds were whipping across the exposed lake so I walked back to shore.

I decided to walke on the road that led to the Fire Tower Trail, which I had hiked before. It was plowed  so I followed it up a ridge,

but, again, not for long.

The winds became stronger and howled through the tall oak trees along the trail. The oak trees swayed and creaked in the wind.

Snow swirled in the wind that came off the mountain and tore into my  face. I decided this was not a great place to hike in the wind. I looked across the lake and thought the roads under the Brockton or Broad Mountain may be protected from the wind.

I walked down the ridge and saw the only wildlife I would see on my 3 mile hike, a few dark eyed juncos, or ” snow birds” feeding on the  the grass and leaves exposed by the plowing of the road,

and this white-breasted nuthatch  crawling down a tree trunk.

I walked across the crest of the dam and again encountered the biting northwesterly winds which blew snowing my face.

It wasn’t a pleasant walk, especially in my older years, but  Locust Lake looked beautiful covered in snow. I recalled that frigid Winter day many years ago when we walked  across the lake and  used an auger to drill holes to fish. I didn’t fish, I didn’t have license but my friends who did didn’t catch any fish either. It was still a great experience and now a wonderful memory. Sadly, one of my friends on this adventure has passed away.

As I walked along the crest of the dam I looked down at the Locust Creek below.

In the Summer I see many song birds, butterflies and other insects visiting the flowers and the seeds they produce along the road. Now only the withered and brown flowers remain.

On the other side of the lake  I found that road to the campsites was gated but they were  plowed.  I was glad . I could  now walk on the plowed road beneath the mountain ridge which protected me from the northwesterly winds.

It was cold, but not too windy  walking on the plowed road under the large oak trees. I love hiking here in the Summer. The lush green woodlands echo with the haunting calls of the many wood thrushes that  nest in the trees.

 I didn’t hear any of the wood thrushes, they migrated south,  or any other birds on this frigid morning. And I didn’t see any wildlife either, but I knew there were plenty of critters  in the woods. I am not an expert but I was ab le to identify the cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel and deer tracks in the snow along the trail. And there were a lot of them.

I also saw these tracks leading into a culvert under the road which I couldn’t identify. It could  be a skunk. opposum, raccoon or fox.

The skies were now clear and a deep blue,providing a vivid contrast to the bare dark tree and white snow. It’s not my favorite time of the year but I will have to admit it was a beautiful scene.

I followed the road past the now desolate park store and,

into the camping sites.  

The picnic tables,

and wood piles, were covered in deep snow. I reflected on my hikes and visits in the warmer months, when the air would be filled with smoke from campfires and echoed the voices, laughs, songs and music from the folks camping there. Many warm and wonderful memories were made under these now bare and snow covered trees.

I continued on the plowed road and followed some footsteps in the snow back down to the lake near the beach. It was a peaceful,  primeval and somber view of lake now  frozen and covered in snow  on this frigid morning.

I continued on the road, past the new restroom and beach changing  building,

and up a ridge past some more snow covered campsites.  I was out about 1 1/2 miles. I was getting cold and tired. I  had hiked 3 miles in my neighborhood earlier, and the  frigid temperatures take more out of me anymore, so I decided to hike back. 

It wasn’t too bad walking on the road beneath  protection from the wind the moutntain side gave ,

but I immediately felt the fury of the wind when I walked back across the road on the crest of the dam.

The view of the lake from the road,

and parking lot was beautiful, and I enjoyed my frigid hike, but I was very glad to get into my Jeep and turn the heat up. I got my hiking in, and I appreciated the beauty of the Winter scenery but I am looking forward to Spring, when the woodlands of Northeastern Pennsylvania awaken from their deep freeze and  Winter sleep.  This is a link to a gallery with some more photographs on my blog website from my 3 mile hike in the park. Locust Lake State Park February 1, 2026  

“Nothing will ever be more beautiful than a landscape of fresh snow…”  Lindsey Lanza 

“The ice does not forgive.” — Finnish Proverb

“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.”
― George R.R. Martin