Delaware State Forest
Managed by Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
2,816 acres2.9 mi of trail
Thunder Swamp Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Zion Lutheran Church · Photo: National Park Service · Public domainA−Outdoors
Outdoors in Middle Smithfield Township
40% of Middle Smithfield Township’s land is conserved: 13,477 acres
5,185 acres are parks and preserves, 324 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Delaware State Forest (2.9 mi). 27% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 77% of U.S. towns · #341 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Conserved land
40%
13,477 acres · of 53.2 sq mi of land
Trails
18 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,185 ac
324 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
27%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.0 mi
0.1 mi lanes · 6.0 mi paths
Highest peak
1,211 ft
Pine Mountain
Lakes & rivers
21
2 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Middle Smithfield Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Middle Smithfield Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Middle Smithfield Township is ahead of 77% of U.S. towns, #341 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Middle Smithfield Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land40% of the land · typical PA town 8% · U.S. 4%A+Trails0.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (18 mi) · PA 0.4 · U.S. 0.4B−Park land324 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,185 acres) · PA 14 · U.S. 13AParks close to home27% of residents within a half mile of a park · PA 73% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 77%
LessMore
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,037)Ahead of 67%
Pennsylvania towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 8%; the U.S., 4%), so Middle Smithfield Township’s 40% is ahead of 96% of Pennsylvania towns, while its trails per square mile lead 43% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Delaware State Forest, with 2.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Resica Park
Managed by Middle Smithfield Township
47 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Coolbaugh Community Gardens Park
Managed by Middle Smithfield Township
40 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Judy Putek Memorial Park
Managed by Middle Smithfield Township
18 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 6 parks & preserves
Delaware State Forest2,816 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
Echo Lake Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Middle Smithfield Township
DirectionsResica Park47 acres · Middle Smithfield Township
Coolbaugh Community Gardens Park40 acres · Middle Smithfield Township
Judy Putek Memorial Park18 acres · Middle Smithfield Township
Pocono Heights Park7 acres
Who protects it
13,477 conserved acres
40% of Middle Smithfield Township’s land. Who manages Middle Smithfield Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits21,350 ac
State natural resources5,563 ac
National Park Service4,111 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government1,160 ac
Joint875 ac
Town or city67 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)20 ac
Recreation or Education Easement · 11,444 acConservation Easement · 10,175 acState Resource Management Area · 5,563 acNational Recreation Area · 4,111 acLocal Park · 1,076 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 5,356 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 6 of 56 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 5,563 | Open |
| Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area National Recreation Area | National Park Service | 4,111 | Open |
| East Stroudsburg Boro. Water Dept. Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 901 | Closed |
| Country Club of the Poconos Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 99 | Unknown |
| Cradle of Libery Council Acquisition - (BSA) Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 64 | Open |
| Resica Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 57 | Open |
| Cradle of Libery Council Acquisition Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 43 | Open |
| Coolbaugh Community Gardens Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 42 | Open |
| Judy Putek Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 14 | Open |
| Echo Lake Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 14 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
57 places to go in Middle Smithfield Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Middle Smithfield Township
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Swimming spots in Middle Smithfield Township
Cool Dip
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Middle Smithfield Township
Egress Road
DirectionsPlus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Middle Smithfield Township
W. Leroy Lewis Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Middle Smithfield Township
Hidden Lake Boat Launch
DirectionsWaterfalls in Middle Smithfield Township
Scenic views in Middle Smithfield Township
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Middle Smithfield Township
Pine Mountain1,211 ft elevation
DirectionsKahkhout Mountain925 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Middle Smithfield Township
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Middle Smithfield Township
Alosa Campsites R2-R6Delaware Water Gap NRA
DirectionsBC-2Fee · National Park Service
DirectionsBear Paw
DirectionsCamp Big Springs
DirectionsCamp Firestone
DirectionsCamp Great Bend
DirectionsCayuga
DirectionsCherokee
Directions22 more campgrounds
Cheyenne
DirectionsChinook
DirectionsChippewa
DirectionsComanche
DirectionsDeer Run
DirectionsDelaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA HolidayFee · KOA
DirectionsFP-10Fee · National Park Service
DirectionsFP-2Fee · National Park Service
DirectionsFP-4Fee · National Park Service
DirectionsFP-6Fee · National Park Service
DirectionsFP-8Fee · National Park Service
DirectionsLittle Mohawk
DirectionsMohawk
DirectionsNavajo
DirectionsNorth Wind
DirectionsOtter Lake Camp ResortFee
DirectionsPocono Springs Camp
DirectionsPueblo
DirectionsRunning Fox
DirectionsSeneca
DirectionsShawnee
DirectionsShenandoah
Directions37 campgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Trails & water
3 named trails and 21 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 4.5 mi
Hidden Lake Trail1.8 mi
McDade Recreational Trail0.3 mi
Thunder Swamp Trail0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Coolbaugh LakelakeDeer LakelakeEast Stroudsburg ReservoirreservoirEcho LakelakeEmerald LakelakeHiawatha LakelakeHidden LakelakeLake AnnlakeLake MonroelakeLake RogerreservoirMeadow LakelakeOtter LakelakePipher's PondpondPocono Highlands LakelakeRake PondpondSean's Swamp PondpondTimothy LakelakeWerry LakelakeWhite Heron LakelakeDelaware RiverPond Creek
Biking & sports
6.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
6.0 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
5Tennis
4Basketball
2Baseball
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Zion Lutheran ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itCapt. Jacob Shoemaker HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itJohn Turn FarmBuilding · listed 1979
About itSchoonover Mountain HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itCold Spring Farm SpringhouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itJohn Michael FarmBuilding · listed 1980
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Middle Smithfield Township: April, May, July and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 46 | 59 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 62 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.2 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Middle Smithfield Township →
Next door
Middle Smithfield Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Hardwick Township97 miWalpack Township63 miPorter Township51 miLehman Township24 miMiddle Smithfield Township18 miPrice Township11 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Smithfield Township | 40% | 0.3 | 324 | 27% | A− |
| Lehman Township | 50% | 0.5 | 766 | 53% | A |
| Price Township | 34% | 0.4 | 67 | 21% | B+ |
| Porter Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Middle Smithfield Township
Where can I hike in Middle Smithfield Township?
The longest trail networks: Delaware State Forest, 2.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Middle Smithfield Township is conserved land?
40% of its land, against a typical 8% for a Pennsylvania town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Middle Smithfield Township’s trails?
Delaware State Forest and Resica Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Middle Smithfield Township?
6.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.1 of painted or protected lanes and 6.0 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Middle Smithfield Township?
131,493 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Middle Smithfield Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 11,159 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Middle Smithfield Township have?
Ahead of 77% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #341 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Middle Smithfield Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →