Bear Creek country living minutes from Wilkes-Barre
People move to Bear Creek to live among acres of forested expanses while being less than 10 miles from Wilkes-Barre for work or leisure. Bear Creek is also the largest municipality by total area in Luzerne County, stretching over 67 square miles. "It's out in the country for people who want to live away from the city," says Charles Adonizio, a sales representative with Realty Network Group with over 40 years of real estate experience. "But it's close enough that it's a bedroom community for the Wilkes-Barre, Scranton area." Bear Creek is surrounded by preserved parks and state game lands for residents to hike, birdwatch or hunt.
Several conservation parks for wilderness exploration
Buttermilk Falls, also nicknamed "Bear Creek Falls," is the town's main attraction, just off White Haven Road. It's a popular sightseeing stop in Luzerne County year-round, even when the water freezes to the rocks in the winter. Bear Creek Camp Conservation Area offers hiking trails through stream valleys and dense forests, where guests can spot black bears, bobcats and flying squirrels. New Pocono Trust's Conservation stretches 5 square miles and features nature trails through wetlands and the Pocono Plateau. The conservation is beside State Game Lands 91, where people can hunt for white-tailed deer, turkeys and squirrels in appropriate seasons.
Newer custom homes and older midcentury moderns around town
Home prices range from $250,000 to $600,000, varying by lot size and square footage. Midcentury modern builds from the 1970s onward are available, as well as new construction homes from the last decade. Styles include older raised ranches and ramblers beside log cabins, chalets and other custom homes. "There's no one style; it's a mixed bag," says Adonizio. "There's a lot of new construction, more than usual in Wyoming Valley." Homes are bunched in small, wooded subdivisions like Bear Creek Village to Forest Park, accessible along winding country roads.
Folks shop in Wilkes-Barre and dine at Bear Creek Inne
Though Bear Creek has little commercial development, neighboring Wilkes-Barre offers several supermarkets and big-box retailers. Bear Creek Inne has been operating since 1939 and serves beer and wine with a surf and turf menu. The inn also has two 50-person party rooms for private events. The Indian Lake Spirits is a neighborhood hangout where locals can order draft beers and cocktails with tacos, pizza and burgers on the outdoor patio.
Bear Creek Charter and Wilkes-Barre area schools
The town is home to Bear Creek Community Charter School, which receives a B-rating from Niche and is the only free public charter school in Luzerne County. The school teaches kindergarten through eighth grade. Bear Creek is zoned for the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, so students can finish their studies at Wilkes-Barre Area High School, which has a C-plus rating.
Half an hour from Scranton
Because Bear Creek is so spacious, residents are car-dependent. Commuters can reach Wilkes-Barre after a 9-mile drive north, while Scranton is 24 miles northeast along Interstate 81, a drive that takes roughly half an hour. The Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport is 15 miles away and offers domestic flights.
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
