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Places We Protect

Long Pond Preserve & Hauser Nature Center

Pennsylvania

A view of a large meadow filled with tall green and brown grasses grows in between two dense tree lines.
Long Pond Preserve Long Pond is a complex comprised of an estimated 12,000 acres, featuring swamp, bog, and marsh habitats. © Melisa Soysal/TNC

This part of the Pocono Mountains sustains the highest known assemblage of globally rare species in the state.

Overview

Description

The Nature Conservancy’s Long Pond Preserve complex in western Monroe County, Pennsylvania, includes the Hauser Nature Center, Cathy's Trail and the nearby Long Pond Barrens. Situated along the southeastern edge of the Pocono plateau, the preserve contains a wide variety of wildlife habitats including bogs, swamps, barrens, oak forest, boreal forest and northern hardwood forest.

TNC and its partners have surveyed plant and animal communities on the preserve using spatial and demographic data, a crucial step for effective long-term management. Working with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, TNC has also used prescribed fire to restore more than 2,000 acres in the barrens over the past decade.

The Long Pond Preserve is open to the public 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Hours

The Hauser Nature Center is open Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm. The trails are open to the public 365 days a year, from sunrise to sunset.

Highlights

Swamp, bog and marsh habitats; birdwatching; rare butterflies and moths. Enjoy hiking trails and birdwatching through wooded and meadow habitat in the Poconos. Seasonal hunting is allowed in accordance with the PA Game Commission.

Size

Long Pond is a complex comprised of an estimated 12,000 acres owned by entities that include Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, Pennsylvania State Parks, Wildlands Conservancy and TNC.

Electric Vehicle Charging

The parking lot of Hauser Nature Center offers two Rivian brand chargers that are open to the public and accessible to all-electric vehicle brands with a J1772 plug.

Explore our work in Pennsylvania

Brightly colored flowers grow in front of a barn.
Hauser Nature Center During the spring and summer months, visitors can explore the native pollinator garden at Hauser Nature Center. © John Hinkson/TNC

Hauser Nature Center

The Hauser Nature Center serves as the center of operations for TNC staff in northeastern Pennsylvania.  Located just behind the Tunkhannock Township Office, visitors are welcome to use the picnic tables, grills and playground. Enjoy the pollinator garden during the summer and fall, featuring beautiful native flowers that provide food and habitat for native bees, moths, butterflies and birds. Electric vehicle chargers are available in the parking lot.

A wooden kisok sits at a trail entracne.

Cathy's Trail & Universal Access Trail

Cathy’s Trail begins at the kiosk in the parking lot and takes visitors through a vibrant pollinator garden. From there, it continues along a scenic .8-mile universal access loop. Designed with mobility in mind, this portion features four spacious turnarounds and accommodates mobility devices. As you make your way further into the trail, you’ll encounter diverse vegetation, including blueberry bushes, goldenrod, and Tamarack trees. The Tamarack tree (Larix laricina), also known as the American larch, thrives at the southernmost edge of its range here. Shrubland birds make their nests along this trail, and during springtime, visitors can observe the woodcock’s captivating courtship flight at both dusk and dawn.

For those who wish to continue along Cathy's trail off of the Universal Access Trail, you will leave the meadow for the woods as it follows along the edge of a boreal coniferous swamp, a habitat more commonly found in Canada and New England. Have fun on the boulder fields, with rocky remnants left after the last glacier retreated from this area, then make your way through a beautiful red spruce forest. The trail proceeds through Northern hardwood forest, made up primarily of beech, cherry and red maple trees, to reconnect with the Universal Access Trail l (0.5-mile loop).

Two people using wheel chairs talk to each other as they explore a nature trail.
× Two people using wheel chairs talk to each other as they explore a nature trail.
A person walks along a path surrounded by fall foliage.
× A person walks along a path surrounded by fall foliage.
A cleared path cuts through a field dense with orange, yellow, and red fall colored growth.

The Long Pond Barrens

In contrast to typical barrens usually associated with dry, shallow, nutrient-poor sandy soils, the mesic till barrens found at the Long Pond Preserve thrive in rich loam full of moisture and capable of supporting a unique type of woodland landscape more characteristic of Canada’s northern climate. That is because, historically, regular and somewhat frequent wildfires sustained this unique habitat and prevented it from succeeding to mature forest.

However, for more than a half-century, suppression of wildfires in this rapidly developing landscape has jeopardized the health of Long Pond’s mesic till barrens. Without this natural disturbance, more than 70% of the original habitat has transformed into fire-intolerant forest that does not support the rare species known to reside here.

Over the years, TNC has worked with partners to acquire property, complete an ecological management plan and establish a prescribed fire program for this unique landscape. TNC also entered into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to employ prescribed burning to restore more than 2,000 acres in the barrens over the past decade. Today, TNC continues to work with local government and other partners to acquire and manage additional lands and provide public access to quality outdoor recreation.

Visitor Information

  • Stop in the Nature Center

    Stop into Hauser Nature Center to meet our staff, explore our children’s library and reading nook, and learn about our conservation projects at the preserve. The Hauser Nature Center is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

    Explore the Trails

    Take a walk through the pollinator garden and witness the magic of monarch butterflies, bees, and colorful native plants.

    Explore the .8mile Universal Access Trail which accommodates mobility devices and starts in the parking lot looping through a meadow of diverse vegetation including blueberry bushes, goldenrod, and Tamarack trees.

    Take Cathy’s Trail into the forested swamp where you will be greeted by a boulder field and can explore the rocky remnants left after the last glacier retreat.

    Head to Long Pond Barrens to explore several miles of fire break trails and witness firsthand the importance of prescribed fire. Through your exploration, you will notice plots of the preserve in different stages of growth post-prescribed fire, which allows the native species of the area to grow back stronger and healthier. Learn more about how and why we work with fire here.

    Birding

    Along Cathy’s trail, you will find several bluebird boxes and bat boxes that provide habitat for these native creatures. Be sure to keep your eye out for them as you explore the trail. Springtime visitors may even observe the woodcock’s captivating courtship flight at dusk and dawn.

  • Long Pond is one of Audubon Society’s Important Bird Areas of Pennsylvania. The landscape hosts rare butterflies and moths, as well as birds that are threatened throughout most of Pennsylvania such as osprey, northern harrier, eastern towhee, prairie warbler, whip-poor-will, common yellowthroat and chestnut-sided warbler.

    The area also hosts American bittern and northern harrier, both species not commonly observed in other parts of the region. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy prime bird watching from the early spring through fall.

    This preserve's exceptionally diverse mesic till barrens—comprised of swamps, bogs, marshes and shallow ponds surrounded by woodlands with a heath understory of Rhodora, sheep-laurel, highbush blueberry and huckleberry bushes—attracts many species of boreal plants, insects, birds and mammals, and features rocks with glacial signatures more typical of Canada and New England.

  • We are creating a community science database of all kinds of life—from lichens to ants, mushrooms to plants, birds to mammals and everything in between for our preserves in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

    TNC's roots began with local citizens and scientists concerned about special places and species. That legacy continues today. Across our lands, we are utilizing iNaturalist—a digital platform that gives users an opportunity to share and discuss their findings.

    Of our 14 preserve projects in iNaturalist, nine have observations recorded; help us increase that number and our understanding of the species—good and bad, native as well as invasive—that can be found on TNC lands across the state. This information can also help guide and inform our conservation staff's management and monitoring decisions.

  • We invite you to experience and enjoy The Nature Conservancy’s public preserves. Please be mindful that every visitor has an impact. We ask that you follow our visitation guidelines to protect yourself and nature.

    • Walking, trail running, birdwatching and photography are welcomed. 
    • We encourage you to come prepared for your visit with sturdy footwear, sun protection, drinking water, rain gear, and/or long sleeves and pants to reduce your exposure to ticks and/or poison ivy.
    • Stay on marked trails and be respectful of your surroundings. Do not trespass on private property that may adjoin the preserve. Do not climb trees, disturb plants, feed wildlife or remove any signage.
    • Dogs are allowed on The Nature Conservancy’s preserves in Pennsylvania and do not need to be leashed but must be kept under owner control at all times. Please do not allow dogs to chase wildlife, run off-trail or disturb other visitors. Clean up all dog waste, and take it with you.
    • Alcohol, smoking, drug use, firearms (with the exception of hunting season; hunters on TNC nature preserves should observe all PGC regulations and follow the same rules applicable to state gamelands), horseplay, sports, camping, barbeque cookouts, open flames, loud music, swimming and other disruptive activities are prohibited.        
    • ATVs, bicycles and any motor vehicles not used for accessibility purposes are prohibited.
    • Park only in designated spaces near the trailhead. Do not park on adjacent roads and/or private property.
    • There are no restroom facilities at any of The Nature Conservancy’s preserves. You must pack out all trash and waste, including biodegradable materials. 
    • TNC reserves the right to refuse access to those found to be abusing these guidelines and/or prosecute violators in accordance with local regulations. If you witness a violation, report it to our team at pa_chapter@tnc.org.

Nature for All

The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to building a world where both people and nature can thrive together. Our mission is to protect lands and waters on which all life depends. We strive to offer opportunities for individuals of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, and perspectives to develop a lifelong bond with the natural world. We believe that nature should be accessible to all, and we invite you to enjoy the outdoors safely and fairly at our public preserves. We all share one planet, and everyone is welcome here.

Views from the Long Pond Preserve Complex

The Long Pond Preserve Complex is comprised of the Hauser Nature Center, Cathy's Trail and Long Pond Barrens and features swamp, forest and marsh habitats.

Two trees with black char stand in a forest with small green growth at their bases.
A bush with green leaves and several small blueberries.
Several people walk along a grassy trail towards an open meadow.
A car white card is plugged into an electric charger.
A view of the inside of a nature center with a table featuring pamphlets and brochures. There are animal posters on the walls and wooden stairs to the left.
A close up of a tree with spiky green pines and small brown circular growths.
a black bear looks into the camera from a distance while crossing a path through the forest.
A wooden kiosk featuring large maps site in the forest.
A monarch butterfly hangs off of the edge of a purple flower.
Several small green leafy species grow from the ground.
Two trees with black char stand in a forest with small green growth at their bases.
A bush with green leaves and several small blueberries.

Blueberry Bush: Wild Blueberry bushes can be found along the Woodcock Trail Loop at Long Pond. © John Hinkson/TNC

Several people walk along a grassy trail towards an open meadow.

Walking Trails : TNC CEO Jennifer Morris and TNC PA/DE staff explore the walking trails near the site of a previous prescribed fire at the Long Pond Preserve. © Melisa Soysal/TNC

A car white card is plugged into an electric charger.
A view of the inside of a nature center with a table featuring pamphlets and brochures. There are animal posters on the walls and wooden stairs to the left.

Inside Hauser Nature Center : Hauser Nature Center features information about the Long Pond Preserve and the native species in and around the area. © Matt Kane/TNC

A close up of a tree with spiky green pines and small brown circular growths.

Larch Tree: Larch trees are among the several species found in the Tamarack Meadow along the Woodcock Trail Loop. © John Hinkson/TNC

a black bear looks into the camera from a distance while crossing a path through the forest.

Bear: A black bear crosses a path at The Nature Conservancy's Long Pond Preserve. © John Galarza

A wooden kiosk featuring large maps site in the forest.

Long Pond Kiosk : A kiosk with trail information welcomes visitors to the preserve. © Melisa Soysal/TNC

A monarch butterfly hangs off of the edge of a purple flower.

Hauser Nature Center: A monarch butterfly sips nectar from flowering plants in the pollinator garden at Pennsylvania's Hauser Nature Center at Long Pond Preserve. © Matt Kane / TNC

Several small green leafy species grow from the ground.

New Growth : New growth emerges at the previous site of a prescribed fire. © Melisa Soysal/TNC

Explore More Nature

Need more nature? Visit some other TNC preserves.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

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