Promised Land Lake

Promised Land Lake is the larger of the park's two lakes: 422 acres with about nine miles of shoreline, set at roughly 1,800 feet on the Pocono Plateau. It holds both swimming beaches, the boat rental, Conservation Island and three of the park's campgrounds along its shores. Only electric power is allowed, and boats leave no wake, so the lake stays quiet for paddlers and anglers.

Around the Lake

The Day Use Area and main beach sit on the lake's shore along PA 390. Pickerel Point Campground fills a peninsula on the south side, with its own beach at the tip. Deerfield Campground is tucked into the woods south of the lake, and the Pines Campground is at the northwest end, linked to the picnic area and main beach by a paved path. Conservation Island lies offshore, reached by its own trail.

A 6.5-mile paved road circles the lake and Lower Lake Road, and cyclists share it with cars. See Biking.

Swimming

Two sand beaches, the main beach and Pickerel Point Beach, are open from Memorial Day to mid-September, 8 a.m. until sunset, unguarded, so everyone swims at their own risk. See Swimming.

Boating

Rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, paddleboards and electric motorboats all use the lake. The boat concession rents rowboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and electric motors in summer, and seasonal mooring spaces are rented April through October. Bring the right registration or launch permit for your own boat. See Boating.

Fishing

DCNR lists largemouth and smallmouth bass, pickerel, muskellunge, yellow perch, sunfish and catfish. An ADA-accessible fishing pier stands at the Snow Shanty Boat Launch. In winter, anglers fish through the ice for bass, pickerel and panfish. See Fishing and DCNR's depth map of the lake.

The Dam

The lake is held back by a dam whose original 1890 earthen crib structure was rebuilt by the state in 1911 for $1,000, a few years after the park opened. Read more on About.

Good For

• Quiet paddling with no gas engines on the water.
• A swim and a picnic in one stop at the Day Use Area.

Maybe Skip If

• You want to run a gas outboard: the lake is electric-only. Lake Wallenpaupack, a separate 5,700-acre lake owned by PPL about 25 minutes north, is open to public boating under its own rules (nearby lands).
• You want a guarded beach: neither beach has lifeguards.