Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountains

The Eales Preserve (Moosic Mtn, Jessup Mtn) is highly regarded for having beautiful trails. It features some remarkable views that overlook the NEPA valley. Some of the trails venture off onto large slabs of quartzite infested conglomerate. The trails are lined with with berry bushes that are control burned every now and then.

Here's a link to the website run by the Nature Conservancy: Eales Preserve

How to get there: From I-81, take exit 187 for Carbondale/Route 6. Once on Route 6, go just over four miles. Take Exit 3 for Jessup, and travel south on Moosic Lake Road/Route 247 for about two miles. The entrance to the parking area will be on your left.

The Blueberry Trail is a great start for newcomers.

As for a challenge, try out Bruised Ego and Gene's Trail.

Most of the other trails are more along the intermediate-experienced side.

This is a new feature-- hard, compacted earth makes for a sidewalk-esque feel through the Blueberry Trail.

(Update 06/14: this feature has become a bit washed out)

Prompton State Park

Prompton State Park offers twenty-three miles of classic single-track. It's located just off of State Route 170 in bewteen Waymart and Honesdale. There is also a 280 acre lake in the 2000 acre park. It is easy to navigate with large, wooden signs that indicate the trails.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operate the park. You can check out the park's website here: Friends of Prompton

The first time I went, I took the red loop that starts to the left of the dam and weaved in and out of the other branching trails. The view from the dam is really impressive, as well as from the top of the hiker trail. 

Sidewinder is my favorite trail, of all of them. The red loop is relatively moderate in elevation and a great workout. Some tricky rock sections, but the overall level of difficulty is relatively intermediate. I am disappointed that I probably wont get to ride these trails for a while. Prompton is ultra-classic and is definitely on to put on the tick list if you haven't already ventured out to it's trails.

Here's some trails.

Merli-Sarnoski Park

Merli-Sarnoski has some great intermediate single-track trails. With around ten miles worth of trails, it is definitely interesting, some-what technical, and provides some features that could trip you up. The entire park covers thirty-five acres.

It's located in Fell township (next to Carbondale) just off of 106. You can't miss the entrance gate.

The loop eventually leads out to a scenic overlook of Carbondale.

The trails were created in loops that can make navigation really simple.

There has been logging as of 2006, but as of recently, I am unaware of any logging going on, currently.

The park was named after the two local Medal of Honor recipients Gino Merli and Joseph Sarnoski.

(some trail footage I found on YouTube)

Along with the bike trails, there is also fishing, soccer fields, swimming at the lake, and pavilions throughout the park. 

Lackawanna State Park

Lackawanna State Park is located near Dalton on Route 524 just off exit 199 of Interstate 81.

It was established in 1968. 

The park is about 11 miles north of Scranton and has around 15 miles worth of trails.

It covers around 1,400 acres and the main attraction of the park is the man made lake.

-And of course the mountain biking.

Lackawanna is one of my favorite places to ride. It offers a multitude of trails that cater to any rider of most difficulties.

Here's a trail map:

(There are updated maps at the kiosks located at the parking lots)

Notable Beginner Trails: Snowflake, Frostbite, Lakeshore

Notable Intermediate Trails: Bull Hill, North Woods, Quarry Ridge, Orchid, Abington, Zeigler (not on map)

All of the trails are fun. If you go during the week, you are most likely the only one on the trails.

After about a year of riding on these trails, I still venture out to Lackawanna State Park.

It can get very wet and muddy after even the lightest of rains. Pick a nice dry day and have fun!

North Eastern Pennsylvania Mountain Biking

North Eastern Pennsylvania is a spectacle of the northeast when it comes to mountain biking. This is a guide that can help all riders of the spectrum discover the gems that NEPA has to offer.

A little about myself: 

My name is Tim.

I started mountain biking in the summer of 2010.

Currently, I ride a 2011 Specialized Rockhopper 29er Comp.

I also have a 2008 Specialized Langster.

I post occasionally on my Instagram.

Hope you enjoy!