Use of a spotting scope will enhance birding efforts conducted in the spring, fall, and winter months when birders are scanning the lake for waterfowl. 

Visitors can expect large crowds and excessive background noise from late May-late September, especially during holiday weekends. Therefore, birding will be most enjoyed if done in the early mornings, especially during the fall-spring months. Birding along trails situated away from camping areas and cabins will also be significantly quieter. 

Visitors should plan on having little to no cell phone connection while exploring this park. Those hiking for extended periods of time should have a day-pack with plenty of water, trail food, and a hard copy of the Promised Land State Park Map. Waterproof footwear, insect repellent, & rain gear will also prove beneficial. 

Hard copies of the Promised Land State Park Map can be obtained from information kiosks located at most designated parking areas, boat launches, & campgrounds as well as from the Park Office & Masker Museum. 

Certain sections of the park will be opened to hunting in the fall & early spring, visitors to the park at these times should be cautious when on trail systems and are encouraged to wear brightly colored clothing. 

Birders parking beside roadways are encouraged to leave enough room for other vehicles to pass by. PLEASE RESPECT SPEED LIMITS; park roadways are narrow with many sharp & blind curves and often have people on/beside them. 

Although maintained by DCNR, Park Avenue, North Shore, Lower Lake, Bear Wallow, & Pickerel Point Roads often remain snow covered & slippery for extended periods of time during the winter months. Use of an AWD or 4WD vehicle is recommended at this time. 

Visitors in proximity of state cabins/summer cottages are asked to remain courteous to such properties; birding efforts should be limited to roadsides & away from private yards & boat docks. 

Pennsylvania state rules & regulations apply to all visitors using this park; proper licenses/permits are required for those hunting, camping, fishing, ORVing, & boating within the boundaries of the park and Delaware State Forest. For additional information on licensing, visit the websites for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, and/or the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. 

A large variety of songbirds & waterfowl make Promised Land State Park worth a visit! Diving ducks frequent the open waters of Promised Land's lakes in the spring, fall, & winter (when water remains open) while dabbling ducks conceal themselves in the shallower coves where aquatic vegetation is more abundant. Mud covered shorelines & the island of the Lower Lake have attracted various shorebirds during migration. Groves of Norway Spruce, especially those growing beside the roadways, host notable populations of Red-breasted Nuthatches, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Magnolia Warblers, & Blackburnian Warblers; the latter two of these species only occur in the spring through fall seasons. Eastern White Pine forests often host breeding populations of Pine Warblers. Yellow-rumped Warblers also occupy these forest types during the spring & summer months, but in limited numbers. Visitors exploring remaining woodlands should encounter a nice diversity of Vireos, Thrushes, & Wood-Warblers.  

**For additional information & safety tips, please click the link above to view the Promised Land State Park Hotspots Overview/Group Page**

Park Overview:

Some field guides and websites have labeled Promised Land State Park as one of the best birding destinations in all of Pennsylvania! Classified as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, the park has much to offer when it comes to bird diversity, especially with it's forests displaying some of the finest landscapes in the entire Pocono's Region! Visitors can experience a diverse array of ecosystems here including northern hardwood forests, White Pine & Norway Spruce plantations, glacial bogs & wetlands, dense stands of Mountain Laurel & Rhododendron, & two multi-use recreational lakes! The park is comprised of approximately 3,000-acres all of which are located in the heart of the Glaciated Pocono Plateau Regions of the Pocono Mountains. Park elevations vary at around 1,800 feet above sea level. 

Park History:

Prior to it's fame as one of Pennsylvania's finest state parks, Promised Land was the home of Shakers and early settlers. Lumber mills were established beside the Promised Land Creek & Pond to take advantage of the expansive forests present here at the time. After the region was stripped of it's timber resources and had began falling victim to excessive erosion and wildfires, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchased this "desert" in 1902-1904. In 1905, Promised Land became the 4th state park in the state with its first campground erected beside what is now known as Bear Wallow Road. In 1925, the campground moved to where the Promised Land Lake Day-Use Area exists today. In the early 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps. (C.C.C.) established Camp S-139 (1933-1941) near what has since become the Pickerel Point & Deerfield Camping Areas. Young men stationed here worked daily planting trees, establishing trails, and transforming the landscape into the park visitors have come to love today. 

Promised Land Today:

Visitors to Promised Land today take advantage of the park's many outdoor recreational opportunities. Promised Land Lake is a popular warm water species fishery and is managed as a Panfish Enhancement Lake by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. This lake is also sought after by kayakers, canoers, and the occasional sailor. Two swimming beaches are available, the more popular of the two is the one located within the park's Day-Use Area where picnicking, boat rentals, ball courts, and a snack bar are also available. The smaller Lower Lake is a more vegetated water body, and although it may not be as popular among fishermen, it remains famous for its kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities. Extensive trail networks, both within the park and through surrounding Delaware State Forest lands, present visitors with tranquil experiences through a variety of wooded landscapes. For those desiring an overnight stay, four campgrounds are available and include sites for tents, camping trailers, motor homes, & equestrian enthusiasts. Visitors interested in learning more about Promised Land park & natural history may visit the Masker Museum located near the entrances to the Pickerel Point & Deerfield Camping Areas. A variety of environmental education & amphitheater programs are also offered regularly by park staff & volunteers, especially during the spring & summer months. 

**Promised Land State Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Hours of operation for the Park Office can be found by contacting the office's front desk; the phone number is listed online & on the DCNR webpage for Promised Land State Park.