Towamensing is a family-friendly township rooted in agriculture
Towamensing is a close-knit Carbon County township home to a majority of Beltzville State Park and the self-proclaimed largest general store in the world. “There’s mountain biking and whitewater rafting. If you love the outdoors, you want to be in the area,” says Aggie Schoenberger, a longtime Lehigh Valley area resident and the owner of Castle Gate Realty. She says Towamensing is one of several communities in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains offering a slower pace of living and a more rural landscape. The enclave was agricultural throughout much of its history, with many generational family farms. Today, some of these pastures are now subdivisions of single-family homes. The township offers a small-town feel, where children often attend the same schools during the week and play in recreational leagues on the weekends.
A rural community offering privacy, space and a mix of home styles
Towamensing’s single-family homes rest between farms and forest along hilly country roads or are hidden in tree-wrapped subdivisions that branch off main thoroughfares. Lots are spacious, often exceeding an acre. Properties range from ranch-style homes and bi-levels to resort-inspired log cabins and new construction. The HOA-controlled Beltzville Lake Estates is sought-after for its private lake and beach, while Green Briar Acres attracts those looking for a neighborhood feel without a homeowner’s association. The median price for a single-family home is around $355,000, slightly below the national median. However, prices start around $250,000 and can top $600,000. The market is moving quicker than the national average, with homes selling after about 35 days.
Carbon County’s public and private education options
The Palmerton Area School District earns a C-plus overall rating from Niche. The district has around 1,600 students across five schools, one of which is virtual, and an education center. Students in Towamensing Township can attend the centrally located Towamensing Elementary, which receives a B-minus rating. The C-plus-rated Palmerton Area Junior High is the next stop, followed by the C-plus-rated Palmerton Area High. Both schools share a campus about 10 miles from the township in Palmerton.
Alternatively, Palmerton has a private Catholic school, Saint John Neumann Regional, which Niche does not yet rate. Students can also apply to the public C-plus-rated Carbon Career and Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe, which offers industry-focused pathways for high schoolers in fields like carpentry, cosmetology and graphic design.
Towamensing has a passion for youth sports
Towamensing offers several sports organizations for children, including the Palmerton Towamensing Athletic Association. The group is behind the championship-winning Towamensing Little League, which holds baseball and softball practices and games at the PTAA facility along Summer Mountain Road. The green space features three fields: Main Field, Babe Ruth Field and Lower Field. The softball team for 10 to 12-year-olds participated in the Pennsylvania State Tournament in 2024 after winning the District 18 and Section 6 championships postseason.
Outdoor fun at Beltzville State Park and beyond
Thousands of people travel to Towamensing to visit Beltzville State Park once its sandy beach area opens for the summer in late May. However, the over 3,000-acre park is accessible all year round. Swimming and boating are popular in the warmer months, while cross-country skiing and ice fishing are the big to-dos in the winter. There are several hiking trails, including Wild Creek Falls Trail, which passes through dense woods before rewarding trekkers with views of its namesake waterfall.
The foothills of the Pocono Mountains offer more recreation, from whitewater rafting and tubing on the Lehigh River to climbing to the scenic overlooks of the Appalachian Trail and visiting resorts like Blue Mountain Resort, which has ski slopes and a park for mountain biking. Cyclists can bike for dozens of miles along the D&L trail, which runs from Mountain Top to the Philadelphia area. Golfers have several clubs to choose from, including the Hideaway Hills Golf Club, which has a public 18-hole course with four lakes and dozens of sand traps.
Roadside attractions, local restaurants and shopping destinations
Residents and tourists mix at Country Junction, known for being the world’s largest general store. This 50,000-square-foot retail center and family-friendly entertainment hub features Ace Hardware, a mini bowling alley, a petting zoo and a restaurant among many other things. It also draws people in with a packed calendar of events, like the Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival. The Waldorf Estate of Fear is next door. The long-running haunted house attraction with costumed actors offers three scary experiences, from a haunted hotel to a terrifying walk through a corn maze.
Towamensing has a few local restaurants, ranging from Country View Diner, a casual spot for breakfast, and Sunny’s Pizza, a no-frills pizzeria. The township has a Dollar General and some businesses along U.S. Route 209, but residents typically drive to nearby communities to shop. Palmerton offers boutique shopping, pubs and taverns about 11 miles south of the township. The closest national retailers and supermarkets are around 9 miles away in Mahoning Township, which features the Carbon Plaza Mall and the Mahoning Drive-In Theater. Atop Bear Mountain, overlooking Beltzville Lake, Penn’s Peak hosts live concerts and private events.
Commutes often include the Mahoning Valley interchange
The township’s country roads lead to U.S. Route 209. This main highway through Towamensing connects commuters to Interstate 476 at the so-called Mahoning Valley interchange to reach destinations across Northeastern Pennsylvania. St. Luke’s Hospital – Carbon Campus, the closest full-service hospital, sits directly north of the interchange. Philadelphia is roughly an 80-mile drive, and the closest commercial flights take off from Lehigh Valley International Airport outside Allentown, about 30 miles away.
Important to know
According to FEMA’s National Risk Index, the risk of wildfire in Carbon County is very low. However, a wildfire burned about 600 acres in October 2024. FEMA flood maps show properties along the Towamensing’s many creeks have a flood risk.
