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Lake Jean

Fairmount · Colley, Pennsylvania — Luzerne County.

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248Surface acres
2Public access sites
1.7 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 65646865).

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Jean is in Pennsylvania

The red circle marks Lake Jean.

Fast facts

About Lake Jean

  • Counties: Luzerne, Sullivan
  • Shore towns: Fairmount, Colley
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 80 mi from Harrisburg and 204 mi from Pittsburgh, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Pennsylvania

Official PFBC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 2 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Largemouth bass, Yellow perch, Pumpkinseed and Chain pickerel
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 1.7 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 10 campgrounds within 15 mi, 3 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • No lifeguard listed. None of our sources lists a staffed lifeguard. Swim at your own risk and watch children closely.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official fishing data (PA Fish and Boat Commission)

245Acres (state figure)

Fish species listed by PFBC biologists as warmwater/coolwater fishing opportunities: Chain pickerel, Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed, Yellow perch.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) warmwater/coolwater fisheries lakes and stocked trout waterbodies (via PASDA), record for Lake Jean, Luzerne County. See PFBC fishing for regulations and stocking schedules. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Lake Jean shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Big Loop (campground)Delux Cottages (campground)Small Loop (campground)Modern Cabins (campground)Ricketts Glen State Park - Trailhead Parking (Boat launch)1Ricketts Glen State Park - Visitor Center (Boat launch)2Lake Jean Beach (Beach)3½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Ricketts Glen State Park - Trailhead Parking
    Boat launch · Fairmount
  2. 2Ricketts Glen State Park - Visitor Center
    Boat launch · Fairmount
  3. 3Lake Jean Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 65646865), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: PFBC fishing and boating access points. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

1.7 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 30%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.7 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lake Jean shoreline, mostly along the east shore.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Ricketts Glen State Park - Trailhead Parking, 100 ft from a shoreline trail (PA Fish & Boat Commission access data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Lake Jean

We found 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Jean, 5 of them within 5 miles. 3 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

4 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Pennsylvania

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (41.3417, -76.2848). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Jean. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Lake Jean

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    2 public access sites listed, 2 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Ricketts Glen State Park - Trailhead ParkingFairmountBureau of State ParksBoat ramp · Yes ramp—No feeBoating41.3419, -76.2802
    Ricketts Glen State Park - Visitor CenterFairmountBureau of State ParksBoat ramp · Yes ramp—No feeBoating41.3369, -76.3020

    PFBC fishing and boating access points

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Lake Jean not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Lake Jean BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Lake Jean

    How big is Lake Jean?

    Lake Jean covers about 248 acres in Fairmount and Colley, Pennsylvania (Luzerne County).

    What fish are in Lake Jean?

    Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission lists Largemouth bass, Yellow perch, Pumpkinseed and Chain pickerel.

    Is there a public boat launch on Lake Jean?

    Yes. 2 public trailer launches are listed: Ricketts Glen State Park - Visitor Center and Ricketts Glen State Park - Trailhead Parking. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Can you swim in Lake Jean?

    OpenStreetMap shows 1 public beach or swimming spot on the shore. None of our sources lists a lifeguard, so swim at your own risk and follow posted rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lake Jean?

    Yes. We list 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 5 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lake Jean?

    Lake Jean touches Fairmount and Colley in Luzerne County and Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lake Jean? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Pennsylvania lakes & ponds · All waters in Fairmount