Fairmount residents live alongside the pristine scenery of Ricketts
The tumbling waterfalls, rocky mountainsides and old-growth forests of Ricketts Glen State Park cover nearly half of Fairmount, and the park is a defining feature of the township. Stacks of firewood are for sale and a vending machine dispenses live bait outside a corner store, while a local restaurant bears the name “Trail’s End,” a reference to the trailheads less than 2 miles away. The state and federal governments preserve Ricketts Glen State Park from development, but the rest of Fairmount is nearly as rugged. Scattered farms are some of the only interruptions to the community’s wooded landscape. Meanwhile, shopping and health care are about 20 miles east in the city of Wilkes-Barre.
Rural living in Northeast Pennsylvania
A few clusters of homes were built around intersections of major roads, but houses are generally scattered about the community on lots of 3 acres or more. Some are Colonial Revivals standing along a highway, while others are cabins tucked back into the woods. Houses generally cost between $150,000 and $425,000.
Fairmount’s CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Waterfalls, lakes and 300-year-old trees in Ricketts Glen
Nearly 30 miles of trails stretch through Ricketts Glen, and one trail system takes hikers past 21 waterfalls. Some paths lead through a section of the park called Glens Natural Area, where 300-year-old timbers have grown 100 feet tall. Near the center of the park, people swim at Lake Jean’s beach or launch their boats onto the water. In the winter, anglers trek onto the frozen lake for ice fishing. The park’s staff puts on free events, taking visitors on birding walks and leading lakeside yoga classes. Fairmount is also home to State Game Lands No. 206, a 1,500-acre tract of hilly woodlands open to hunting for deer, squirrel and other game. The rifle range on site is open year-round.
Northwest Area School District located in nearby Shickshinny
Kids can attend public schools 10 miles south of Fairmount. Kindergarteners through second graders go to Northwest Primary School, advancing to Northwest Intermediate School for third through sixth grade. Northwest Middle/High School oversees seventh through 12th grade. Seniors can take dual enrollment classes at local colleges; for example, Penn State Wilkes-Barre is 6 miles east of Fairmount. Students pay discounted rates for the courses and can earn college credits by the time they graduate high school. Niche gives all three schools in the district C-plus grades.
Businesses that cater to hikers, hunters and anglers
Just outside of Ricketts Glen State Park, Trail’s End serves breakfast and lunch to hungry hikers and locals alike. People can stock up on snacks and fishing supplies at Red Rock Corner Store and stop for ice cream next door at Red Rock Scoop. Many of Fairmount’s other businesses, from cabin rentals to a taxidermist, cater to vacationers and hunters. There’s a Dollar General on the west end and Mountain Fresh Supermarket to the east. Locals can head to Wilkes-Barre to shop big-box stores like Target and Lowe’s Home Improvement or browse Wyoming Valley Mall.
Wilkes-Barre is 30 minutes away
Residents get around by driving back roads and highways, such as Pennsylvania Route 118, which extends east to west through Fairmount. It’s about 20 miles to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. It’s about 10 miles farther to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
