# Frances Slocum State Park

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State park in Pennsylvania, United States

Frances Slocum State Park Swampland in the park in autumn Interactive map of Frances Slocum State Park Location Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States Coordinates 41°20′40″N 75°53′31″W / 41.34433°N 75.89186°W / 41.34433; -75.89186[1] Area 1,035 acres (419 ha)[1] Elevation 1,148 feet (350 m) Established 1968 Administrator Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Website Official website Frances Slocum State Park Frances Slocum State Park Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Frances Slocum State Park Frances Slocum State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States Pennsylvania State Parks

Woodland in Frances Slocum State Park

**Frances Slocum State Park** is a 1,035-acre (419 ha) [Pennsylvania state park](/source/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_parks) in [Kingston Township](/source/Kingston_Township%2C_Luzerne_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [Luzerne County](/source/Luzerne_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), in the United States. Frances Slocum Lake is a 165-acre (67 ha) man-made, horseshoe-shaped lake that is a popular [fishing](/source/Fishing) and [boating](/source/Boating) destination. The park is 5 miles (8.0 km) from [Dallas](/source/Dallas%2C_Pennsylvania) and 10 miles (16 km) from [Wilkes-Barre](/source/Wilkes-Barre%2C_Pennsylvania).

## Namesake

The park is named for [Frances Slocum](/source/Frances_Slocum), who was taken captive by a group of [Lenape](/source/Lenape) on November 2, 1778, when she was just five years old. Her family had been among the first whites to settle in the [Wyoming Valley](/source/Wyoming_Valley) of Pennsylvania. It is believed that she escaped captivity that first night; she was soon recaptured. Frances was held for the night under a rock ledge along Abraham Creek in what is now part of the state park. She spent the rest of her life with the Native Americans. Her brothers found her 59 years later living on an [Indian Reservation](/source/Indian_Reservation) near [Peru, Indiana](/source/Peru%2C_Indiana). Despite the pleadings of her brothers, Frances refused to leave her family. She had been married twice and was the mother of four children. Frances, now called "Mocanaquah" (meaning "Young Bear"), lived for the rest of her life in [Indiana](/source/Indiana). She died in 1847 at the age of 74. Her name lives on in Indiana, where the *Frances Slocum State Recreational Area* and *Lost Sister Trail* (in the [Mississinewa Reservoir and State Forest](/source/Mississinewa_Lake_Dam)) are named in her honor. Her final resting place is marked with a monument along the banks of the [Mississinewa River](/source/Mississinewa_River) in Indiana.[1]

Main article: [Frances Slocum](/source/Frances_Slocum)

## History

Frances Slocum Lake was built to help control [flooding](/source/Flood) in the [North Branch Susquehanna River](/source/North_Branch_Susquehanna_River) basin in 1968. Frances Slocum State Park was built around the dam and lake. The park became home to 280 families that were displaced by the flood created by [Hurricane Agnes](/source/Hurricane_Agnes) in 1972. The park was closed to the public and was not reopened until 1974 (when all the families had moved out of their temporary homes).[1]

## Recreation

A frozen Frances Slocum Lake

Salamanders are a common sight along Lakeshore Trail

### Hunting and fishing

About 700 acres (280 ha) of Frances Slocum State Park are open to hunting. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are [squirrels](/source/Eastern_Gray_Squirrel), [rabbits](/source/Eastern_Cottontail) and [white-tailed deer](/source/White-tailed_deer). The hunting of [groundhogs](/source/Groundhog) is prohibited.[1]

Frances Slocum Lake is a warm-water fishery. Fisherman can catch [crappie](/source/Crappie), [bluegill](/source/Bluegill), [walleye](/source/Walleye), [muskellunge](/source/Muskellunge), [pickerel](/source/American_pickerel), and [smallmouth](/source/Smallmouth_bass) and [largemouth bass](/source/Largemouth_bass) from the shore, fishing pier and from electric or non-powered boats. Gasoline-powered boats are prohibited at Frances Slocum State Park.[1]

### Camping and picnicking

There are 100 campsites at Frances Slocum State Park. 15 are walk-in tent sites and 85 sites can accommodate tents or trailers. The larger sites have electric hook-ups. Each site has a fire ring and [picnic table](/source/Picnic_table). There is a modern bathhouse with showers, flush toilets and drinking water. There is a large group tenting area that has a 40 tent capacity. It is within walking distance of the main camping area and its bathhouse.[1]

The Park made some changes to its registration process in 2008 to accommodate a new camp store for campers. Previously, camper registration was performed at the Contact Station along the road to the campsites. That building is no longer used, and camper registration is performed at the Main Office near the entrance to the Park.

Frances Slocum State Park has several picnic areas. There are three [pavilions](/source/Pavilions) available to rent. The picnic areas have tables, grills and charcoal disposal pits. They also have restrooms, drinking water, and garbage and [recycling](/source/Recycle) bins.[1]

### Swimming

The swimming pool is open daily from 11:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, unless posted otherwise. A fee is charged for pool use. A seasonal snack bar has fast food and beverages. This activity or structure is ADA accessible.

### Trails

Frances Slocum State Park has 9 miles (14 km) of hiking trails.[1]

- **Frances Slocum Trail** is 0.7 miles (1.1 km) in length. It is marked with blue blazes. It begins and ends at the boat rental parking lot and passes the rock ledge where Frances Slocum was held for the first night of her captivity.[1]

- **Campground Trail** is 1 mile (1.6 km) in length. It is marked with white blazes. It runs from the Stony Point [parking lot](/source/Parking_lot) to the group tenting area.[1]

- **Deer Trail** is 3.8 miles (6.1 km) in length at its greatest. It is marked with yellow blazes. Deer Trail has three loops. It passes the lakeshore, a [thicket](/source/Thicket), a [hemlock](/source/Tsuga) stand, a [marsh](/source/Marsh) and mixed and hardwood forests. This trail is used by hunters during [hunting](/source/Hunting) season.[1]

- **Lakeshore Trail** is 1.4 miles (2.3 km) in length. It is marked with red blazes and provides access to the lakeshore for hikers and fishermen.[1]

- **Larch Tree Trail** is 2 miles (3.2 km) in length. It is marked with orange blazes. It loops through a stand of [larch](/source/Larch) trees.[1]

### Winter activities

Frances Slocum State Park is open during the winter months for [ice fishing](/source/Ice_fishing), [ice skating](/source/Ice_skating), sledding, tobogganing, and snowmobiling.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-fssp_1-14) ["Frances Slocum State Park"](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/frances-slocum-state-park). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved December 30, 2025.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Frances Slocum State Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Frances_Slocum_State_Park).

- [Pennsylvania portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Pennsylvania)

- [Frances Slocum State Park](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/frances-slocum-state-park) Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

- ["Frances Slocum State Park official map"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120525014145/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ucmprd1/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004696.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ucmprd1/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004696.pdf) (PDF) on May 25, 2012. (473 KB)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frances Slocum State Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Slocum_State_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Slocum_State_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.