North Union has outdoor recreation 16 miles from Hazelton
North Union walks the line between a bucolic community and a suburban resort. This rural township offers a haven in the Appalachian Mountains for escaping city life, while still having access to the amenities of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, 16 miles away. The area is primarily farmland, with the community of Nuremberg and the Eagle Rock Resort taking up portions of the landscape. “Eagle Rock is a privately owned resort,” says Linnea DelFine, a Realtor and owner at Century 21 Select Group. DelFine has been working in the industry since 2010. “It’s all inclusive and can be used during all four seasons. It was mostly vacation homes in 2010, but now it’s mostly full-time residential.” While the community is popular with retirees, DelFine says, executives who work at Humboldt Industrial Park are minutes away from the office.
Playgrounds and hiking trails in Eagle Rock and Nuremberg
Eagle Rock Resort has private amenities, including an equestrian center. “Eagle Rock has its own horses," says DelFine, who also notes that the facility offers boarding. "They have horse-drawn carriage rides at Christmas and on Valentine’s Day.” The community also has a community center, hard-top courts for basketball and tennis There’s also a baseball field near a playground and a beach volleyball court. A small pool is in a fenced-off area and a fitness and nature trail winds along Sugarloaf Creek, offering views of the water. In winter, residents have unlimited access to skiing, snow tubing and relaxing in the lodge.
The community playground in Nuremberg has a colorful play structure with a twisty slide for children and hard-top basketball courts. Red Ridge Lake Campgrounds in Zion Grove surrounds a private lake and offers trailer parking, a private swimming pool and a playground. State Game Lands Number 58 borders North Union, and residents may hunt and fish in the dense forest, or hike a trail that spans more than 11 miles.
Single-family homes in suburban, rural and resort settings
Homes in North Union may sit on acres of rolling farmland in the Zion Grove community or along winding roadways in the Eagle Rock Resort. Some are along the gridded streets of Nuremberg. Most houses have spacious lots surrounded by mature trees. Homes in Zion Grove are on well and septic systems, while those in Nuremberg and the Eagle Rock Resort have public water and sewer. Residences near Catawissa Creek and other bodies of water may experience flooding during inclement weather.
Postmodern, Colonial Revival and A-frame cottages are common housing styles here that range from $120,000 to $555,000. Homes in Eagle Rock Resort are part of community association, which charges varied fees depending on the type of home, but most have a base semi-annual fee of $490 per lot.
Hazleton Area School District gets a C
Students may attend Hazleton Area School District, which gets a C from Niche. Valley Elementary/ Middle, unrated by Niche, teaches kindergarten through eighth grade. Hazelton Area High gets a B-minus and includes career prep courses in communications, health care and cosmetology.
Shopping and dining in Nuremberg, Eagle Rock and Hazelton
The Clubhouse Restaurant, 9 miles from North Union, is a spot for Eagle Rock residents to gather after a round of golf on the attached 18-hole course or for those craving American fare with a scenic view. For something more casual, Jacie’s Midway Bar, 2 miles away in Nuremberg, is known for its wings and cozy atmosphere, complete with a brick fireplace and pool table. Hazelton, 16 miles away, has more restaurants, such as Cusat’s Café, popular for cheesesteaks, and retailers including Boscov's, Walmart, Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx. Laurel Mall has a collection of shops, a movie theater and an arcade. Grocery stores include Giant, Weis Markets and Aldi. Residents might travel the 19 miles to Hometown for its farmers market every Wednesday.
Commuters head to Humboldt Industrial Park and Hazelton
“Humboldt has been improving and expanding,” says DelFine. “Some people who built their homes did not realize that their backyards backed up to the park.” Many residents in Eagle Rock Resort work in the Humboldt Industrial Park and are about 4 miles away from their jobs using the Can Do Expressway. Other parts of North Union are 11 miles from the collection of companies that employ about 10,000 people. Tomhicken Road leads 16 miles to Hazleton, which has most of the area’s shopping and dining.
The Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital is 18 miles away, and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport is 42 miles away. Mount Zion Lutheran Church is in Zion Grove, and the Emmanuel Lutheran Church and the Emmanuel United Church of God are in Nuremberg.
Private and public community events in North Union
Eagle Rock has year-round private events for its residents, including a winter festival and a parade for Independence Day. “Fourth of July is always a huge blowout and, usually around presidents' weekend, they have a winter festival, complete with a sledding contest,” says DelFine. “People make these sleds out of cardboard boxes and race them down the ski resort’s tubing slope.”
The Annual Nuremberg Celebration is hosted at the Nuremberg Community Park in August and includes food vendors, backyard games like horseshoes, tug-of-war and live music. At the festival's conclusion, fireworks light up the night sky.
Written By
Isabella Pontecorvo
