Tuscarora State Park Review with Kids
Kristina
—Aug 30, 2024
Tuscarora State Park is in Schuylkill County and next to Locust Mountain. It features a large lake with beach, hiking trails and boating. It is a great place for a shorter trip, 3 nights would do it, to unwind, spend time in nature and embark on some family adventures.
The beach has a stunning mountain forest backdrop and my 3 kids, aged 1, 3 and 4 at the time, enjoyed hours spent playing in the sand there. We stayed in the yurts the week the schools started and got a private beach. The water was still warm and although the snack stand wasn’t open during the week we thoroughly enjoyed our time at the beach.
My daughter was taking her first steps here and really had a great time discovering the sand and different textures.
In this Article:
Facts about Tuscarora State Park
- Size: 1,618 Acres
- Swim Options: Tuscarora State Park Beach
- Playground: Yes
- Hiking: 9.1 miles of trails
Where to Stay at Tuscarora State Park
Tuscarora State Park has two options for staying the night, 6 camping cottages or 4 yurts. The camping cottages are basic without any kitchen basics such as stove, microwave or fridge that the yurts come with. The accommodations require you to park and walk once you have unloaded your luggage.
There are no RV spots or tent camping at this location.
A short walk from the camping cottages and yurts is a shower house and dish washing station.
This was my first trip with my family staying at a state park yurt and we were impressed by the yurt set up. Tuscarora State Park yurts are more modern and include handy add ons such as wall hooks and wood flooring. It feels more plush than yurts at Ohiopyle State Park.
My Yurt Experience at Tuscarora State Park with Kids
As I said above this was my first experience with yurts and my three kids, my mother and I had a great time. The hooks around the yurt were super convenient to hang our jackets and towels.
The bunk beds had railing making it safe for kids to stay on the top bunk. The sleeping area was large enough to set up my baby daughter’s pack-n-play and have room to walk around it.
The kitchen area was clean and provided lots of cabinet space for the food we brought. The table had four chairs which isn’t always the case in state park yurts and we appreciated it.
We had a nice large wooden porch that my kids enjoyed running around in. The picnic table was on the porch and clean.
Packing for Tuscarora State Park with Kids
Lodging
At Tuscarora State Park you only have two options, yurt or cabin camping. No tent or RV available at this park.
Yurts
None of the yurts are stocked with linens or cookware so you will need to plan all the basics.
- Cookware: A Camping cookware set is what I bring and it works well
- Plates and silverware: plastic sets work well
- Sheets, Pillows, blanket or sleeping bags: cabins come bare
- Aeropress and camping mugs: my preferred coffee making equipment when camping
- Camping Chairs: needed to sit around the firepit
- Basin, Soap and Dish Towels: allows for easy ability to wash up dishes
- Towels: for showers and after swimming in swimming hole and creek
- Kids Camping Journal: interactive journal to keep your child engaged and give them the ability to record their stay
- Hammock: nice space to relax outside and cuddle a child
Camping Cabins:
The camping cabins are more basic than the yurts without any kitchen setup. It will be the same but you will need to figure out your own way of obtaining food, cooking on the grill or going out for meals.
Hiking Gear
Hiking is a main thing to do at Tuscarora State Park and there are trails you can access right from the yurts and camping cabins. For more information on hiking with young kids check out Toddler Hiking Gear and Hiking with a Baby.
The basic hiking gear to bring are:
- Hiking Backpack: I have Kelty PerfectFIt carrier for my kids 4 and under, because let’s face it, little kids don’t have the best track record for long hiking.
- Kids hiking shoes: Summer time I have all my kids hike in Keen Newport H2 sandals. These are perfect to hike to the beach and also to keep on as they explore the water once there. I have my own pair of Keens women sandals that serve the same purpose. More on shoes at Best Hiking Shoes, Sandals and Boots
- Bug Spray and Sunscreen
- Water and Snacks: The essentials for all kids!
- Kids hiking journal: My kids love logging their own hikes and remembering them in their own way
Water Gear
Tuscarora State Park has a great beach your kids will want to visit.
Beach Essentials for Kids
- Beach Towel
- Bathing Suits
- Shovel and Buckets
- Sunscreen
- Beach Chairs (I use ones that double as hiking and camping chairs) I use the Joey Lightweight Chairs
Options Beach Gear
- Shade Tent for younger kids
- Swim Vests for younger kids
Kid Camping Toys
I don’t recommend bringing a ton of camping toys, but a couple key ones can make a huge difference. Have you ever noticed that the smaller the number of toys you bring the more creative the kids are with playing with them?
Suggested Camping Toys
- Kids Camera: Lets them capture their trip their own way
- Bubbles: Always magical for kids
- Yoto Player: Good at downtimes and if you are staying for multiple days
- Bikes: especially if planning to visit Locust Lake State Park and ride bike trail
To read more suggestions for camping toys check out 24 Camping Toys.
What To Do At Tuscarora State Park with Kids
The top things to do with kids are:
- Spend the day at Tuscarora State Park Beach
- Hike the Trails
- Spend time at the Campground Playground
- Go Fishing
- Rent a boat to explore Tuscarora Lake
Spend the day at Tuscarora State Park Beach
Tuscarora has a lovely lake beach with plenty of sand for the kids to play. When staying at the cabins or yurts you can walk the Lake View Trail, an easy walk through the woods with look outs onto the lake.
Plan to bring a stadium blanket and chairs, double up with lightweight hiking and camping chairs and you have yourself a great day, as long as the weather is nice! The water is tested often to ensure it is safe for people to swim so check the website before visiting.
Don’t forget some of the classic beach toys for kids, we always have to have a bucket and shovels at the bare minimum.
Also available from Memorial Day to Labor Day is a snack stand. Here you can get ice cream or some snacks for yourself and kids. The beach area has a large bathhouse to help get ready for the beach or clean up.
Hike the Trails
Tuscarora doesn't have the largest miles of trails but does have 9.1 miles which is plenty for kids and if you are only staying a long weekend. The Lake View Trail is the most obvious trail to hike and takes you on one side of Lake Tuscarora before you have to turn around and hike back or continue around by connecting to other trails.. This is an easy trail for kids and as I said we used this trail from the yurts to the beach each day we were there.
The longest trail in the park is Spirit of Tuscarora Trail and is beautiful for wildflowers and spotting butterflies with your young ones. It is a point to point trail so with smaller kids I recommend only hiking a mile or two before heading back. If you have toddlers bring a hiking backpack and let them ride back.
Most of the other trails are short point to point and you can combine trails to reach them. For example a great one we did was to park at Crow Tail and combine that hike with Locust Mountain Trail. This combo takes you to the top of Locust Mountain and has a great view, however it is steep for little ones. Plan to carry them or challenge an older child.
Spend Time at Campground Playground
The campground playground is a short walk away from the cabins or yurts, near to the parking lot. The playground features a large climbing frame, swings, seesaws and slides. My kids, aged 1, 3 and 4 at the time, spent a lot of time here.
There are some benches at the playground and, if you're lucky, a great place to meet other families with kids. At the time we went, midweek and after school started, we didn’t see any other families with kids, but I would anticipate in the summer months you would.
Go Fishing on Lake Tuscarora
If you are a fishing family then you are in luck. The lake is 96 acres and night fishing is allowed. Common fish in the lake are Bass, Catfish, Pickerel, Muskellunge, and Yellow perch.
There are many places you can fish from the land, or you can take a boat onto the lake for fishing. In the winter you can also ice fish.
Even though my kids have gone fishing, we didn’t bring the gear to fish on this state park trip.
Rent a Boat to Explore Lake Tuscarora
Even if you don’t fish you can still have a great time on the lake via boat. The boat rental is near the beach and available Memorial day to Labor day and weekends in fall and spring.
You can rent:
- Rowboats
- Canoes
- Kayaks
- Pedal boats or boards
To bring your own boat you will need to obtain a permit from the park office.
Family Friendly Places Around Tuscarora State Park
Beyond the state park there are many other family friendly attractions to check out within 15 minute drive.
1.Visit Locust Lake State Park
Locust Lake State Park is only 15 minutes away and offers 9.5 miles of hiking. If you are looking for tent camping or RV you might want to consider staying at this state park instead. If camping with a toddler check out Best Toddler Camping Gear and Checklist.
I recommend Oak Loop Trail. I love loop trails so you don’t have to double back on yourself and this one is a kid friendly distance of 2.2 miles which circles a ridge and mostly walks through a forest with some stream crossing.
Locust Lake State Park features a 1.3 mile Bicycle Trail that goes around the lake. If you want to bring your bikes this is a great safe family friendly place to cycle.
There is a beach at Locust Lake open from May to September, however you have to park at day-use visitors parking and walk .5 miles to the beach.
2. No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum
It is always fun to add some history to family trips. No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum lets you explore an old coal mine that first opened in 1855 by Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company.
Not only do you get to walk some of the “mule-way”, but first take a ride on the rail to 1,600 feet into the mountain before the walking tour starts. You get to lay eyes on what a miner’s hospital in the ruck looks like and get a feel for the past.
The museum is outside and holds the largest collection of mining artifacts in the area. You can see all sorts of tools used in the mine and other pieces from the time period. A gift shop is also available.
This attraction can only be seen starting in April until November each year.
3. Let Adults Unwind at Stockers Brewing Company while the Kids Play
Tamaqua is the closest town to Tuscarora State Park and downtown is Stokers Brewing Company. They have a nice garden in the back with picnic tables, adirondack chairs and large Connect 4 for the kids.
Once the adults have finished their beer you can check out the rest of town for food, coffee or an ice cream treat!
Final Thoughts on Tuscarora State Park with Kids
Tuscarora State Park is a great place to visit with kids. The nice lake beach will be your main attraction with the kids and you can unwind in the peaceful nature setting of the yurts and camping cottages. The hiking is all acheivable with kids and great way to spend a long weekend!