Twin Lakes Recreation Area
Wilcox, Pennsylvania · on Hoffman Run · Allegheny National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Recreation season runs April 1 through October 31, per the Forest Service.
About Twin Lakes Recreation Area
Twin Lakes Recreation Area is a developed U.S. Forest Service recreation site in the Allegheny National Forest, about 8 miles south of Kane, PA, built around a small 10-acre impoundment on Hoffman Run. This forest swimming hole has an official sand swim beach with a roped, buoyed swimming area, alongside a campground, fishing pier, and picnic facilities, making the little lake an easy one to swim in for campers and day visitors.
The recreation area sits in the hardwood forests of the Allegheny National Forest in Elk/McKean County, PA, centered on a small impounded lake fed by Hoffman Run, a stocked trout stream. A hardened walking path (Black Cherry Trail) circles the impoundment, and the site was originally developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936 on land formerly owned by the McKean Chemical Company.
Swimming at Twin Lakes Recreation Area
The designated swim area is a 100-foot by 60-foot sand beach on the lake, marked off with buoys, with no boating permitted on the water body. It is set up as a family-oriented, shallow lake swimming spot rather than a river or creek plunge, with an accessible fishing pier nearby for non-swimmers.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Kane, PA, travel 6 miles south on State Route 321, then west on T361 for 0.2 miles, right onto Dahoga Road for 2.5 miles, then north on Twin Lakes Road (Forest Road 191) for 2.0 miles to the entrance. Vehicles taller than 10 feet must use an alternate route via Wilcox due to a low underpass on the entrance road.
The hike in
Black Cherry Interpretive Trail (optional loop, not needed to reach the beach)
Trailhead: Beach/day-use parking area is directly beside the swim beach; no hike-in required to swim.
The swim beach is a drive-up developed site. The Black Cherry Interpretive Trail is a separate 1.6-mile hardened loop that circles the 10-acre impoundment (starting/ending near the lower campground loop) for those who want a walk, and the longer 15.8-mile Twin Lakes Trail extends west from the area, but neither is required to access the swimming beach.
This is an official USFS day-use beach reached by car, not a hike-in swimming hole.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Designed as a family swim beach: 100'x60' sand beach on a small impounded lake, buoyed off from the rest of the water, no boating allowed so no boat-wake/prop hazards, and an accessible fishing pier nearby for non-swimmers. No lifeguard is documented at the beach, so adult supervision is still advised.
Parking
Free
Hardened-surface parking area at the day-use/beach site; no fee required for day use. Vehicles/RVs over 10 ft must detour via Wilcox to avoid a low railroad underpass on the main entrance road, and rigs over 5 tons detour around the Wilson Run Bridge.
Restrooms
Yes
Bathhouse and portable toilets at the day-use/beach area; vault toilets serve the campground loops and group sites.
Hours
Recreation season runs April 1 through October 31; quiet hours are 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.
On the water
Restrictions: No boating of any kind is permitted on the impounded lake, per the USFS site page, this explicitly rules out kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and motorboats.
The lake is managed strictly as a swim/fish impoundment rather than a paddling destination, so no on-water rental businesses operate at Twin Lakes itself; none were found serving this specific site.
Backstory
The recreation area and impoundment were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936 on land formerly owned by the McKean Chemical Company.
Twin Lakes Recreation Area: FAQ
Does Twin Lakes Recreation Area charge a fee?
No fees required for day use, per the Forest Service site.
Is Twin Lakes Recreation Area kid friendly?
Designed as a family swim beach: 100'x60' sand beach on a small impounded lake, buoyed off from the rest of the water, no boating allowed so no boat-wake/prop hazards, and an accessible fishing pier nearby for non-swimmers. No lifeguard is documented at the beach, so adult supervision is still advised.
Do I need to hike to reach Twin Lakes Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Twin Lakes Recreation Area?
Hardened-surface parking area at the day-use/beach site; no fee required for day use. Vehicles/RVs over 10 ft must detour via Wilcox to avoid a low railroad underpass on the main entrance road, and rigs over 5 tons detour around the Wilson Run Bridge.
When is the best time to visit Twin Lakes Recreation Area?
Recreation season runs April 1 through October 31, per the Forest Service.
What are the rules at Twin Lakes Recreation Area?
Quiet hours 10:00 pm to 6:00 am; no boating on the impoundment; dogs are not allowed on the designated swimming beaches.
What water body is Twin Lakes Recreation Area on?
Twin Lakes Recreation Area is on Hoffman Run, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Wilcox
Kiasutha Recreational Area
Kane, Pennsylvaniareservoir
⛺🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedLoleta Recreation Area
Sigel, Pennsylvaniacreek
⛺
New Providence Beach
DuBois, Pennsylvanialake
🛶🚤
Quaker Lake Beach House
Salamanca, New Yorklake
⛺🛶🏄
Parker Dam State Park
Penfield, Pennsylvanialake
⛺🛶🏄🚤
Bimini beach
DuBois, Pennsylvanialake
🛶🚤