Conservation land surrounds homes in Thornhurst
State-owned forests and hunting land cover two-thirds of Thornhurst, ensuring the township’s rural character will be preserved. “It can only be developed so much and so far,” says Kim Grab, the township secretary and treasurer. Thornhurst stretches from the Lehigh River to Bear Lake and from swamps to mountain vistas. The outdoors is the highlight of Thornhurst, a community of about 950 people that’s 20 miles from both Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, cities where residents can work and shop.
Fishing the Lehigh River, hiking in the Poconos and more recreation
Part of Pinchot State Forest spans through Thornhurst, providing forested trails for hikers and snowmobilers. Visitors can spend the night at creekside campsites or go on a day hike to the Pine Hill Vista to take in 360-degree views of the Pocono Plateau. On Thornhurst’s east end, anglers head to the Lehigh River in search of trout. Meanwhile, State Game Lands No. 135 encompasses roughly 3,500 acres of protected land where people hunt deer and trap raccoons and beavers. It’s about 20 miles to the Pocono Mountains, a destination for ziplining, mountain biking and other outdoor adventures.
Subdivisions and country club communities in the countryside
Bear Lake Road in the heart of Thornhurst passes subdivisions of ranch homes, A-frame houses and contemporary styles. More than 350 houses fill Thornhurst Country Club Estates, a private community built around a nine-hole course that’s open to the public. While Thornhurst’s landscape is rural, homes rarely come with more than an acre of land. Still, there are a few houses tucked away on multiple acres. Prices vary from $125,000 to $400,000.
The CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, much lower than the national average of 4.
Kids zoned to North Pocono School District
Children can go to Moscow Elementary from kindergarten to third grade before advancing to North Pocono Intermediate School for fourth and fifth grades. Older students may attend North Pocono Middle and North Pocono High. The high school’s team sports include riflery and bocce ball. Moscow Elementary gets an A-minus from Niche, while the other three schools receive B-plus grades.
Celebrating the Fourth of July, Thornhurst style
Thornhurst marks the Fourth of July with an annual Redneck Parade, a procession of tractors, trucks and four-wheelers. Hitched-up trailers and fishing boats serve as floats, from which riders wave at spectators lining the road. “People make up floats with hillbilly themes,” Grab says.
Retail and restaurants in nearby Daleville and Wilkes-Barre
To shop or eat out, residents run about 5 miles north of Thornhurst to Daleville. The village is home to several restaurants, such as Kay’s Italian Restaurant, where people can dine in a 100-year-old train car. A shopping center down the street has ShopRite and Ace Hardware. There’s more shopping, ranging from shopping centers full of big-box stores to the Wyoming Valley Mall, 15 miles to the west in Wilkes-Barre.
Getting around on I-476, other roads
Bear Lake Road is the primary street through the car-dependent community. To the west, Interstate 81 leads north to Scranton.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
