The Seven Tubs
Photo: Len Benzi
(CC via Wikimedia)
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Black Diamond Spot 400-Rrechargeable, comfortableCheck price on Amazon →The Seven Tubs at a glance: A 3-mile loop past a series of pothole pools carved into slate by Wheelbarrow Run, in the Seven Tubs Nature Area near Wilkes-Barre. Officially easy, with slate-rock sections slick enough that nonslip boots and hiking poles earn their keep. Best done in summer when the tubs become swimming holes; the main access road closes November through April.
The Seven Tubs is one of the more unusual short hikes in northeastern Pennsylvania: a sequence of bowl-shaped potholes carved into the bedrock by Wheelbarrow Run, with the loop trail tracing the gorge through the Seven Tubs Nature Area. The pools range from bathtub-sized to small plunge pools deep enough to swim in, and the trail itself spends most of its 3 miles within earshot of the creek.
The standard loop starts from the upper parking lot in the nature area and drops into the Wheelbarrow Run gorge, where the seven named pools are spaced along the creek over about a quarter mile. The pools formed over thousands of years as the creek and rock-loaded glacial meltwater drilled circular bowls into the slate bedrock; the rock is rounded, smooth, and noticeably water-polished. Each pool feeds the next via a small chute or short waterfall.
Beyond the pothole sequence, the trail loops back through mixed hardwood forest, with a short connector to the longer Audubon Loop Trail for hikers wanting more distance. The Audubon Loop adds about 2 miles of wooded singletrack with stream crossings and rooted footing, and runs quieter than the main pothole section. The full combined route runs 4 to 5 miles depending on which connectors you take.
The slate surface is the surprise. Hikers consistently describe the rocks around the tubs as deceptively slippery, even in dry conditions, and genuinely treacherous when wet. The trail itself crosses the rock benches in a couple of places, and the section closest to the creek requires careful footwork on smooth slate that does not behave like the rock most Pennsylvania hikers expect.
Officially easy, and hikers regularly bump it up to “easy to moderate.” The 3-mile distance and 100 feet of elevation gain stay modest, but the trail surface and the optional gorge scrambling change the experience. There is one short steep section between the upper lot and the first pool that catches some hikers off guard, and the slate around the tubs themselves rewards slow movement.
Most fit hikers complete the loop in about 90 minutes; an unhurried walk with photo stops and a swim runs closer to two hours. The terrain works for kids and dogs in dry weather and with attentive parents and handlers, but the slick slate and short drops at the pools require real supervision. Wet weather amplifies the difficulty noticeably, and hikers consistently warn against the tubs section after rain.
Summer is the standout season here. The pools become legitimate swimming holes from late June through August, the shaded gorge stays cool through hot afternoons, and the slate rock dries out enough between rains to be safer underfoot. Early mornings on weekends are the strategy for any hope of solitude; midday in July fills both lots.
Spring brings the highest creek flow and the most dramatic chute action between the pools, with the trade-off being the slipperiest rock of the year. Fall delivers the standard northeastern color through the surrounding hardwoods and a quieter trail experience. Winter requires planning: the main access road off Route 115 closes from November through the spring thaw, typically April. Winter visitors park at the road closure and walk in, adding about a half mile each way.
The Seven Tubs Nature Area is owned by Luzerne County and managed as a public recreation area. Day-use parking is free, with two lots (upper and lower) connected by the loop trail. The new bathroom facility at the upper lot is the recent improvement that regulars notice; previously visitors had to plan ahead. Cell service is patchy in the gorge but workable at both parking areas.
Nonslip hiking boots are the difference-maker. Trail runners and casual sneakers struggle on the slate, and hiking poles add real stability around the pool benches and the steeper short section. The water in the pools is cold year-round, fed by Wheelbarrow Run from the surrounding hills, so swimmers should plan for a short dip rather than a sustained float.
Wilkes-Barre is about 15 minutes south for restaurants, gas, and supplies; Scranton is about 25 minutes north. The nature area is approximately 2.5 hours from Philadelphia and 3 hours from New York City. The most common mistake out-of-area visitors make is confusing Seven Tubs with Lackawanna State Park; the two are different locations and the GPS pin is the one to confirm before leaving home. The official address is Seven Tubs Recreation Area in Plains Township, Luzerne County, off Route 115.
The Seven Tubs is the rare hike where the destination genuinely overshadows the trail. Hikers consistently describe the pothole sequence as worth the drive on its own, with the smooth slate bowls reading more like a small western desert canyon than a typical northeastern Pennsylvania creek. The shading from the gorge walls and the cold water make the swimming-hole experience the summer payoff that draws repeat visits from the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton areas.
The combination with the Audubon Loop is the underrated angle. Hikers wanting more distance pair the Seven Tubs visit with a quieter walk through the wooded section, which feels closer to a real forest hike than the busy pothole stretch. For visitors driving from outside the immediate Wyoming Valley, the Seven Tubs pairs well with a stop at Frances Slocum State Park to the west or with the trails around Nescopeck State Park to the south for a longer hiking-focused weekend in northeastern Pennsylvania. The pothole geology is the rare regional feature that travels well on social media, which is part of why the lots fill faster on sunny summer weekends than the simple trail length suggests.
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