After a smooth start at our first campground, we packed up and hit the road for Tobyhanna State Park in northeastern Pennsylvania. It was about a 250-mile drive, and the scenery along the way was gorgeous—lots of trees, little towns, and that backroads magic we love so much. Jasper, of course, was unimpressed, he is still getting used to travel days.
When we pulled into our site, I had one of those “oh no” moments—it was a back-in. I’m still not the queen of backing up our RV (definitely something we should’ve practiced more or at all), but we made it work. Not graceful, but no one was harmed and nothing got crushed, so I’m counting it as a win. I may have muttered a few four-letter words, but hey, that’s part of the charm of RV life, right?
Last fall, I got an email that they were going to have to drain the lake for dam repairs, which was a little disappointing. But thankfully, those plans were pushed to after the holiday, so the lake was still full when we arrived. And it was beautiful. You know how some places just feel peaceful the second you get there? That was this lake. I found myself walking down there a few times just to sit and watch the birds. Something about water just calms my soul. Ducks paddled by like they owned the place, and I didn’t mind one bit.
Unfortunately, the rain showed up too, and it stuck around for most of our stay. Not a full downpour the whole time, but definitely a steady rotation of showers. We still made the most of it, though! The mist over the lake was actually really pretty, and it kind of forced us to slow down and enjoy some quiet time. Rain isn’t a deal-breaker—it’s just an invitation to cozy up, rest, and reset. We played cards, planned some future stops, and even bought Poconosopoly to play.
One major hiccup: no cell service. Like, zero bars. Not even enough signal to fake it. Since I need to be online for work (and to post updates for y’all!), I caved and bought a Starlink kit. It was surprisingly easy to set up, and it’s been a total lifesaver in spots like this. It’s not cheap, so we’re only using it for work—not burning through data on Netflix binges. But I’m super grateful to have it as a backup. If you’re working remotely from the road, it’s worth considering—even if it hurts the wallet a bit.
Layla had fun biking around the campground—there are some nice, quiet roads and trails that loop around the lake and through the woods. She loves just cruising and soaking it all in. We were both wishing the weather had been a little better, but honestly, she still had a blast. She’s turning into quite the trail scout. There’s a day-use area and beach on the other side of the lake that we wanted to check out, but with the rain and our day trip to Scranton (more on that coming soon!), we didn’t make it over. We’ll just have to come back!
We did spot some wildlife—deer, groundhogs, tons of birds, and some cute little bunnies. It always makes me smile when we catch a glimpse of animals just doing their thing. Even saw a few big birds hanging around the lake. One morning, we watched a deer quietly stroll right past our site, unbothered and majestic. Jasper was in the window, totally transfixed.
A little history for my fellow nerds: Tobyhanna means “a stream whose banks are fringed with alder,” which is just a cool detail. The park sits on land that used to be a military training ground, and it was even used as a prisoner-of-war camp during WWII. Pretty wild, right? There’s still the occasional warning about unexploded shells in the remote areas, so if you visit, stick to the trails!
The surrounding area has its own charm too. Tobyhanna Township has been around since the early 1800s and was a big player in the timber industry back in the day. The word “Tobyhanna” itself comes from the Native American Lenape language, and the area’s rich history really shines through when you visit. It’s also close to the Poconos, which means lots of forested beauty and quaint little towns to explore. Just driving around felt like we were in one of those cozy mountain postcards.
The campground itself was clean and well-maintained. Nice, spread-out sites meant we didn’t feel on top of our neighbors. The camp host was a little odd, but she was quiet and kept to herself so it was OK. Even with the dreary weather, the place had a kind of rugged beauty. It’s the kind of campground that makes you want to wake up early just to walk around with a cup of coffee and listen to the birds.
Overall, even with the rain and some hiccups, this stop was peaceful and beautiful. We got some rest, some much-needed nature time, and a good reminder that not everything has to go perfectly to be worth it. That’s kind of the whole point of this journey—leaning into the imperfections and finding the joy anyway.
Have you been to Tobyhanna? Or do you have a favorite rainy day camping story? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear it! Or if you’ve got a must-see Pennsylvania stop, let me know. We’re always looking for hidden gems to add to the list!
Travel Turtles 