The Pocono Mountains, usually shortened to the Poconos, form one of northeastern Pennsylvania’s best-known mountain and outdoor regions. Rather than a landscape of sharp, towering summits, the Poconos are characterized by broad forested uplands, rolling ridges, deeply cut river valleys, glacial lakes, wetlands, waterfalls, boulder fields, and wooded plateaus.
The modern tourism region covers roughly 2,400 square miles across Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties, while geographical definitions of the Pocono Plateau can extend somewhat beyond those four counties. That difference becomes important when identifying the region’s highest point: Peakbagger’s broader Pocono Plateau classification reaches north into the Moosic Mountains and identifies a high point of approximately 2,311 feet (704 meters).
The Poconos are part of the much larger Appalachian landscape, but geologically much of the region belongs to the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province rather than the long folded ridges commonly associated with the Ridge and Valley Appalachians farther south and east. Pennsylvania’s Geological Survey describes the Glaciated Pocono Plateau as a broad, undulating upland underlain mainly by sandstone, siltstone, shale, and some conglomerate.
Ice also played a major role in creating the modern landscape. During the Ice Age, continental glaciers repeatedly crossed northeastern Pennsylvania, leaving lakes, wetlands, boulders, deposits, and altered drainage patterns. The most recent major glacial advance in northeastern Pennsylvania occurred roughly 22,000 years ago.
Today the Pocono Mountains are an exceptionally accessible outdoor region within reach of both New York City and Philadelphia. Visitors come for hiking, waterfalls, fall foliage, lakes, paddling, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife watching, and scenic driving. Major protected landscapes include Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Hickory Run State Park, Big Pocono State Park, Promised Land State Park, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Tobyhanna State Park, Gouldsboro State Park, Beltzville State Park, and Delaware State Forest.
⚡ Fast Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Pocono Mountains / the Poconos |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Country | United States |
| Continent | North America |
| Broader Mountain System | Appalachian Mountains |
| Main Physiographic Setting | Appalachian Plateaus |
| Principal Section | Glaciated Pocono Plateau |
| Tourism Region Counties | Carbon, Monroe, Pike, Wayne |
| Tourism Region Area | Approximately 2,400 sq mi |
| Peakbagger Pocono Plateau Area | Approximately 1,966 sq mi |
| Highest Point in Peakbagger Pocono Plateau | Moosic Mountains High Point |
| Highest Point Elevation | 2,310.8 ft / 704.3 m |
| Major Accessible Summit | Camelback Mountain |
| Camelback Elevation | About 2,133 ft / 650 m |
| Main Rivers | Delaware River, Lehigh River |
| Signature Landforms | Plateau, ridges, gorges, waterfalls, glacial lakes and wetlands |
| Glaciated? | Yes |
| Most Recent Major Glaciation | Approximately 22,000 years ago |
| Famous Geological Feature | Hickory Run Boulder Field |
| Famous Gorge | Delaware Water Gap |
| Major Long-Distance Trail | Appalachian Trail |
| Major State Forest | Delaware State Forest |
| Signature Wildlife | Black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bald eagle |
| Popular Seasons | Spring through fall; winter for snow recreation |
📍 Where Are the Pocono Mountains?
The Pocono Mountains occupy a broad portion of northeastern Pennsylvania.
The region commonly marketed as the Poconos includes:
- Carbon County
- Monroe County
- Pike County
- Wayne County
Together they cover approximately 2,400 square miles and contain around 170 miles of winding rivers.
Major communities around the region include:
- Stroudsburg
- East Stroudsburg
- Mount Pocono
- Jim Thorpe
- Milford
- Honesdale
- Hawley
- Tannersville
- Lehighton
The region lies west of the Delaware River and north of the Lehigh Valley.
To the east, the Delaware River separates Pennsylvania from New Jersey.
To the south and southeast, the topography transitions toward the folded ridges and valleys of eastern Pennsylvania.
🏔️ Are the Poconos Really Mountains?
Yes, although they do not resemble the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Alps, or other high ranges.
Much of the Poconos is fundamentally a dissected plateau.
This means the landscape began as a broad elevated surface that streams and rivers progressively cut into valleys, ravines, and ridges.
The result can look mountainous even though summit elevations change relatively little over large portions of the region.
Pennsylvania’s Geological Survey describes the Glaciated Pocono Plateau as a broad, undulatory upland surface with dissected margins and elevations broadly ranging from approximately 1,200 to 2,320 feet.
That geography explains why driving across the high Poconos can sometimes feel surprisingly level.
The dramatic relief appears most strongly where rivers cut through the plateau’s edges.
🗺️ The Pocono Plateau
Peakbagger classifies the Pocono Plateau as a highland or plateau within the larger Allegheny Plateau system.
Its approximate dimensions are:
- 52 miles north to south
- 69 miles east to west
- 1,966 square miles of mapped area
Those boundaries are explicitly approximate rather than authoritative.
That matters because “Poconos” can mean slightly different things depending on whether the speaker is discussing:
- Tourism
- Geology
- Physiography
- Mountain classification
- Local culture
The familiar four-county tourism definition does not precisely match every geological or topographic definition.
🏆 What Is the Highest Point in the Pocono Mountains?
There is no completely universal answer because the boundaries of the Poconos vary.
Within Peakbagger’s broader Pocono Plateau classification, the highest point is:
Moosic Mountains High Point — 2,310.8 feet / 704.3 meters
The lidar-measured summit lies in Lackawanna County and has approximately 472 feet of prominence.
There is an important qualification.
Lackawanna County is not one of the four counties in the official Pocono Mountains tourism region.
So the statement “Moosic Mountains High Point is the highest point of the Poconos” depends on using Peakbagger’s broader plateau boundary.
For a regional guide, the safest phrasing is:
Peakbagger identifies Moosic Mountains High Point at 2,310.8 feet as the highest point within its Pocono Plateau definition.
🏔️ Highest Peaks of the Pocono Plateau
Peakbagger currently lists these among the highest named or recognized high points in its Pocono Plateau classification:
| Rank | Peak | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moosic Mountains High Point | 2,310.8 ft / 704.3 m |
| 2 | Moosic Mountains Peak 2309 | 2,309 ft / 703.8 m |
| 3 | Big Pine Hill | 2,263.8 ft / 690 m |
| 4 | Hardwood Ridge | 2,227 ft / 678.8 m |
| 5 | Kistler Ledge | 2,215.7 ft / 675.3 m |
| 6 | Pimple Hill | 2,211.9 ft / 674.2 m |
| 7 | Dresser Hill | 2,211.4 ft / 674 m |
| 8 | Lake Mountain | 2,195 ft / 669 m |
| 9 | Penobscot Mountain | 2,149.8 ft / 655.3 m |
| 10 | Camelback Mountain | About 2,131–2,133 ft / 649–650 m |
Peakbagger notes that its range borders and summit list are approximate and database-dependent.
These are also not necessarily the mountains visitors hear about most often.
The Poconos are much better known for accessible overlooks, waterfalls, parks, and gorge hikes than for peak-bagging.
🐪 Camelback Mountain
Camelback Mountain is one of the most recognizable and accessible named mountains in the central Poconos.
Do not confuse it with the much more famous Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona.
Pennsylvania’s Camelback Mountain reaches approximately 2,133 feet according to Pennsylvania DCNR.
The summit and slopes contain Big Pocono State Park, a 1,306-acre protected area in Monroe County.
The park occupies rugged terrain near the summit and provides views extending across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Big Pocono offers approximately 8.5 miles of hiking trails.
Some routes are surprisingly steep.
DCNR specifically warns that several trails contain steep and rugged grades despite the mountain’s comparatively modest elevation.
Is Mount Pocono the Highest Mountain in the Poconos?
No.
This is an error that appears in some older travel articles.
Mount Pocono is primarily the name of a borough, not the name of the region’s highest summit.
Big Pocono State Park is located on Camelback Mountain, not Mount Pocono.
Camelback is itself not the highest point within broader definitions of the Pocono Plateau.
🪨 Geology of the Pocono Mountains
The Pocono Mountains form part of the ancient Appalachian landscape.
Their rocks are far older than their modern hills and valleys.
Pennsylvania’s Geological Survey identifies the Glaciated Pocono Plateau as being underlain mainly by:
- Sandstone
- Siltstone
- Shale
- Conglomerate
The beds generally dip gently northward and contain only relatively minor folding compared with the dramatically folded Ridge and Valley province immediately to the southeast.
This is one of the most important distinctions in understanding the Poconos.
They are not simply another set of long Appalachian fold ridges.
Their character is largely that of an uplifted and eroded plateau.
🌎 The Appalachian Connection
The Pocono Mountains belong to the much larger Appalachian system, whose geological history extends back hundreds of millions of years.
Ancient mountain-building events occurred as continental fragments and eventually Africa collided with ancestral North America.
Those collisions created enormous mountain ranges.
Millions of years of erosion followed.
The modern Appalachians are the deeply worn remnants of those ancient tectonic events.
The Poconos represent one particular expression of that history: a resistant elevated plateau cut by streams and later reshaped by continental ice.
🧊 Ice Age Glaciers
Glaciers profoundly altered northeastern Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania DCNR estimates that about 30% of the state was covered by glaciers at some point during the Ice Age.
Several major advances reached northeastern Pennsylvania.
The latest occurred approximately 22,000 years ago.
As glaciers moved across the Poconos, they:
- Scraped bedrock
- Deepened valleys
- Shifted drainage patterns
- Deposited sand and gravel
- Transported huge boulders
- Created depressions
- Helped form wetlands
- Altered stream courses
When the ice melted, an entirely new landscape emerged.
Many lakes and wetlands seen today owe part of their existence to glaciation.
🪨 Hickory Run Boulder Field
One of the finest places to see evidence of cold-climate processes is Hickory Run Boulder Field.
The feature lies within Hickory Run State Park in Carbon County.
Pennsylvania DCNR describes the boulder field as approximately:
400 feet wide by 1,800 feet long
and at least:
12 feet deep
It has remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years and is designated a National Natural Landmark.
The huge angular boulders formed as repeated freezing and thawing broke exposed bedrock apart during cold glacial and periglacial conditions.
Visitors can walk across the field, although the unstable gaps and uneven rocks require careful footing.
🌊 Waterfalls of the Poconos
Waterfalls are one of the signature features of the Poconos.
They occur where streams descend from resistant uplands toward lower valleys.
Glaciation helped deepen and widen many ravines, while differences in bedrock resistance created ledges over which streams now fall.
The Delaware Water Gap region contains several especially famous waterfalls.
These include:
- Raymondskill Falls
- Dingmans Falls
- Silver Thread Falls
- Hackers Falls
- Falls within George W. Childs Park
Raymondskill and Dingmans are among Pennsylvania’s tallest waterfalls.
Water levels vary substantially by season and rainfall.
💧 Raymondskill Falls
Raymondskill Falls is widely identified by the National Park Service as Pennsylvania’s tallest waterfall.
It consists of multiple major drops along Raymondskill Creek before the water eventually reaches the Delaware River.
The area is popular and can become crowded during peak travel periods.
NPS prohibits climbing on waterfalls, waterfall pools, and adjacent cliffs because of both visitor safety and resource protection.
💦 Dingmans Falls
Dingmans Falls is another major waterfall within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The approach includes a relatively accessible boardwalk through a cool forested ravine.
Nearby Silver Thread Falls provides another distinctive narrow cascade.
Together, they illustrate the relationship among streams, resistant bedrock, glacially modified valleys, and the steep eastern edge of the Pocono Plateau.
🌊 Delaware Water Gap
The Delaware Water Gap is one of the most impressive landforms in the region.
Here, the Delaware River passes through Kittatinny Mountain, producing a dramatic notch between:
- Mount Minsi in Pennsylvania
- Mount Tammany in New Jersey
The gap is approximately a quarter-mile wide at river level and almost a mile wide between the mountaintops.
Technically, the Water Gap itself lies within the folded Ridge and Valley province, immediately beside the Pocono Plateau.
This makes the area especially valuable geologically because visitors can see two contrasting Appalachian landscapes within a short distance.
🏞️ Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area protects more than 70,000 acres along approximately 40 miles of the Middle Delaware River.
The park contains:
- Forest
- Waterfalls
- Historic landscapes
- Rivers
- Ridges
- Appalachian Trail
- Beaches
- Paddling areas
- More than 150 miles of hiking trails
The National Park Service describes the Delaware as the longest free-flowing river in the eastern United States within this protected reach.
For first-time visitors to the Poconos, the recreation area is one of the strongest places to begin.
🥾 Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail passes through the Delaware Water Gap region.
Approximately 28 miles of the AT lie within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
One of the classic Pennsylvania hikes climbs toward Mount Minsi.
Across the river, the Red Dot Trail ascends Mount Tammany in New Jersey.
These paired summits provide some of the best-known views of the Delaware Water Gap.
The trails also demonstrate how the eastern edge of the Poconos transitions into the sharper ridge topography of Kittatinny Mountain.
🌳 Hickory Run State Park
Hickory Run State Park protects approximately 15,990 acres in Carbon County.
The park lies in the western foothills of the Poconos and contains:
- More than 40 miles of hiking trails
- Trout streams
- Three natural areas
- Boulder Field
- Forest
- Views toward Lehigh Gorge
The park is particularly rewarding for visitors interested in geology and hiking rather than summit climbing.
🌲 Promised Land State Park
Promised Land State Park occupies approximately 3,000 acres on the Pocono Plateau at roughly 1,800 feet above sea level.
It is surrounded by approximately 12,464 acres of Delaware State Forest.
The landscape includes:
- Two lakes
- Streams
- Beech forest
- Oak
- Maple
- Hemlock
- Hiking trails
- Camping
- Fishing
- Boating
The park and surrounding forest provide approximately 50 miles of interconnected hiking opportunities.
Promised Land is particularly good for experiencing the quieter, flatter, glacial character of the central Pocono Plateau.
🌲 Delaware State Forest
Delaware State Forest protects more than 83,000 acres across Pike, Monroe, Northampton, and Carbon counties.
DCNR describes the forest as characteristic of the Pocono region, with:
- Remote glacial lakes
- Bogs
- Forests
- Wildlife
- Streams
One of its most significant hiking systems is Thunder Swamp Trail.
The route travels across ridges, wetlands, streams, and forest, providing an excellent cross-section of classic Pocono terrain.
For backpackers seeking something more remote than the major tourist waterfalls, Delaware State Forest is one of the region’s strongest choices.
🌊 Lehigh Gorge State Park
Lehigh Gorge State Park protects approximately 6,107 acres along the Lehigh River.
The park extends from the Francis E. Walter Dam area south toward Jim Thorpe.
The river has carved a steep, forested gorge through ancient rock.
The landscape contains:
- Waterfalls
- Rock outcrops
- Dense forest
- River views
- Whitewater
- Historic transportation corridors
The Lehigh Gorge Trail follows more than 20 miles of former railroad grade and forms part of the larger Delaware & Lehigh corridor.
Because the trail follows the river, it offers relatively gentle travel compared with many mountain paths.
🪨 Geology of Lehigh Gorge
Lehigh Gorge is particularly valuable for understanding Appalachian erosion.
Pennsylvania DCNR notes that the river drops more than 740 feet through the gorge.
Approximately 2,825 feet of exposed rock strata represent about 60 million years of geological history spanning portions of the Devonian through Mississippian periods.
The gorge therefore exposes a much deeper geological section than visitors see while crossing the relatively flat Pocono Plateau above.
🌊 Tobyhanna State Park
Tobyhanna State Park covers approximately 5,440 acres in Monroe and Wayne counties.
Its centerpiece is the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake.
The park contains approximately ten miles of hiking trails.
One especially interesting route, the Frank Gantz Trail, connects Tobyhanna with nearby Gouldsboro State Park through the Black Bear and Bender Swamps Natural Area.
The combination of wetlands, boulder fields, forests, and lake habitat gives Tobyhanna a strong glacial-plateau character.
🌊 Gouldsboro State Park
Nearby Gouldsboro State Park protects approximately 2,800 acres and includes the 250-acre Gouldsboro Lake.
Its trail network connects with Tobyhanna through the Frank Gantz Trail.
The area is suited particularly well to:
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Wildlife watching
- Cross-country skiing
The park’s rolling terrain provides a quieter alternative to some of the more heavily visited waterfall destinations.
🌊 Beltzville State Park
Beltzville State Park lies along the southern foothills of the Poconos near Lehighton.
The park covers approximately 3,002 acres.
Its centerpiece is the 949-acre Beltzville Lake, fed by Pohopoco Creek.
Approximately 15 miles of trails travel through:
- Forest
- Creek valleys
- Fields
- Lakeside terrain
The park is especially popular for water recreation and provides another example of how Pocono travel extends well beyond summit hiking.
🥾 Best Hiking Areas in the Poconos
There is no single “best” Pocono hike because the region supports several different hiking styles.
For Mountain Views
Try:
- Mount Minsi
- Big Pocono State Park
- Camelback Mountain trails
For Waterfalls
Explore:
- Raymondskill Falls
- Dingmans Falls
- George W. Childs Park
- Lehigh Gorge
For Geology
Choose:
- Hickory Run Boulder Field
- Delaware Water Gap
- Lehigh Gorge
For Longer Forest Hiking
Consider:
- Thunder Swamp Trail
- Delaware State Forest
- Promised Land State Park
For Lakes and Easier Terrain
Explore:
- Tobyhanna
- Gouldsboro
- Promised Land
- Beltzville
🍂 Fall Foliage
Autumn is one of the most popular seasons in the Pocono Mountains.
Forests contain a mixture of trees including:
- Red maple
- Sugar maple
- Oaks
- American beech
- Birch
- Eastern hemlock
- White pine
Elevation, slope exposure, moisture, and latitude affect the timing of color.
Higher and northern locations generally begin changing before lower southern valleys.
Exact peak foliage dates vary every year with:
- Temperature
- Rainfall
- Wind
- Drought
- Frost
Visitors planning specifically for foliage should check Pennsylvania’s current fall foliage reports rather than assuming the same week will peak every year.
🌿 Flora and Fauna
The Pocono Mountains support extensive northeastern forest, wetlands, streams, glacial lakes, bogs, and rocky uplands.
Promised Land State Park describes forests dominated primarily by:
- Beech
- Oak
- Maple
- Hemlock
Other parts of the region add:
- White pine
- Birch
- Shrubs
- Wetland vegetation
- Ferns
- Wildflowers
The Delaware Water Gap contains particularly diverse plant communities because differences in geology, moisture, slope, and exposure create hundreds of microhabitats ranging from hemlock ravines to dry barrens.
🐻 Black Bears
The American black bear is one of the signature animals of the Poconos.
Pennsylvania supports a healthy bear population, and the Poconos contain some of the state’s strongest habitat.
Promised Land State Park notes that large bears are particularly associated with the Pocono region, while the Pennsylvania Game Commission reports that adult black bears typically weigh roughly 140–400 pounds, with exceptional individuals exceeding 800 pounds.
Visitors should:
- Never feed bears.
- Store food securely.
- Keep campsites clean.
- Give bears space.
- Follow park-specific food-storage rules.
Most black bears avoid people when given the opportunity.
🦌 White-Tailed Deer
White-tailed deer are common throughout the region.
They occupy:
- Forest edges
- Meadows
- Roadsides
- Parklands
- Young forest
Drivers should be particularly alert around dawn and dusk.
Deer frequently cross rural roads, especially during autumn.
🦃 Wild Turkey
Wild turkeys thrive in the wooded hills and mixed habitats of northeastern Pennsylvania.
They forage in forests for:
- Acorns
- Seeds
- Insects
- Other plant material
Visitors may encounter them along roads, trails, or forest clearings.
🦅 Bald Eagles
The Pocono region also supports bald eagles, especially around lakes and major rivers.
Promised Land State Park has documented nesting eagles.
The Delaware River corridor provides additional important habitat for eagles and other large birds.
Ospreys, great blue herons, woodpeckers, warblers, and numerous migratory species add to the region’s bird diversity.
🦫 Wetland Wildlife
The Poconos contain extensive wetlands, lakes, streams, and bogs.
These habitats may support animals including:
- Beaver
- River otter
- Muskrat
- Frogs
- Salamanders
- Waterfowl
- Turtles
Wetlands are one of the defining natural features of the glaciated plateau.
They are also ecologically sensitive.
Visitors should remain on established trails or boardwalks where required.
🎿 Winter in the Pocono Mountains
The Poconos have been a major winter-recreation destination for generations.
Higher elevations and inland geography generally produce colder and snowier winters than nearby coastal cities.
Winter activities can include:
- Downhill skiing
- Snowboarding
- Cross-country skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Snowmobiling where permitted
- Ice fishing where conditions allow
- Winter hiking
Many well-known commercial ski areas operate in the region, but conditions, opening dates, terrain availability, and snowmaking change constantly.
For an evergreen guide, visitors are best directed to individual operators for current information rather than relying on static trail counts or lift statistics.
🌸 Spring in the Poconos
Spring brings:
- Waterfalls at strong flow
- Wildflowers
- Migratory birds
- Cool hiking weather
- Mud
- High streams
- Variable temperatures
Snow and ice can linger longer than visitors expect at higher elevations.
Trails may become extremely wet during thaw periods.
Waterfall viewing can be excellent, but slippery rock near cascades is especially dangerous.
☀️ Summer in the Poconos
Summer is well suited to:
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Fishing
- Camping
- Swimming in designated areas
- Mountain biking
- Wildlife watching
Forested trails provide considerable shade, but summer conditions can still become hot and humid.
Thunderstorms can develop quickly.
Popular waterfalls, beaches, and trailheads may become crowded on weekends.
At Delaware Water Gap, the National Park Service notes that parking for several of its best-known hikes and waterfalls can fill early on spring-through-fall weekends.
🍁 Autumn in the Poconos
Autumn combines:
- Cool temperatures
- Fall foliage
- Lower humidity
- Hiking
- Scenic driving
- Wildlife activity
It is also one of the busiest periods.
Parking at major viewpoints and trailheads can become difficult.
Weekdays and early starts usually provide a quieter experience than midday weekends.
❄️ Winter Hiking
Winter hiking can be beautiful but requires greater preparation.
Potential hazards include:
- Ice
- Snow
- Short daylight
- Cold temperatures
- Unplowed roads
- Hidden trail markings
- Frozen waterways
Traction devices may become appropriate depending on conditions.
Some roads or park facilities have seasonal access schedules.
Always verify current park conditions before traveling.
🗺️ Poconos Travel Planning
Because the Pocono Mountains cover a large area, trying to experience the entire region in one day is rarely worthwhile.
It is more useful to choose a geographical cluster.
Delaware Water Gap Area
Best for:
- Waterfalls
- Appalachian Trail
- Mount Minsi
- River scenery
- Paddling
Central Pocono Plateau
Best for:
- Promised Land
- Delaware State Forest
- Wetlands
- Lakes
- Backpacking
Camelback / Tannersville Area
Best for:
- Big Pocono State Park
- Summit views
- Mountain recreation
Western Poconos
Best for:
- Hickory Run
- Boulder Field
- Lehigh Gorge
- Jim Thorpe
Tobyhanna–Gouldsboro Area
Best for:
- Lakes
- Forest trails
- Wetlands
- Quieter state-park recreation
⚠️ Hiking Safety in the Pocono Mountains
The comparatively low elevations of the Poconos should not create false confidence.
Hazards include:
- Slippery waterfall rocks
- Steep trails
- Heat
- Cold
- Thunderstorms
- Ice
- Snow
- Black bears
- Ticks
- Stream crossings
- Limited cell service
Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro State Parks specifically warn that cell service can be unpredictable and recommend downloading park maps before visiting.
For significant hikes, carry the Ten Essentials and know how to navigate without depending entirely on cell service.
🕷️ Ticks
Ticks are an important outdoor concern throughout Pennsylvania.
Hikers should take precautions including:
- Wearing appropriate clothing
- Using suitable repellent
- Staying near the center of trails when practical
- Checking clothing after hiking
- Performing a full-body tick check
- Checking pets
Tick activity is not limited strictly to summer.
🌊 Waterfall Safety
The region’s waterfalls deserve particular caution.
Wet rock can be extraordinarily slippery.
National Park Service rules in Delaware Water Gap prohibit:
- Climbing waterfalls
- Climbing waterfall pools
- Climbing adjacent cliffs
- Swimming or wading immediately upstream of waterfalls in restricted zones
Those regulations followed repeated injuries and fatalities around waterfalls.
View waterfalls from established trails and overlooks.
🧭 Navigation and Cell Service
Forested plateau terrain can make orientation more difficult than expected.
Many ridges and wetlands look similar.
Trails may also intersect old roads or snowmobile routes.
Download maps before leaving home and consider carrying a paper map for longer trips.
For more advanced trips, see Mountain Navigation: Maps, Compass, GPS & Route-Finding Guide.
🌍 Why the Pocono Mountains Are Special
The Poconos do not owe their appeal to dramatic elevation.
Their highest terrain barely exceeds 2,300 feet.
Instead, the region is interesting because of the interaction between geology, ice, water, forest, and erosion.
Continental glaciers left boulder fields, wetlands, lakes, and altered drainage.
Streams carved ravines and waterfalls.
The Delaware and Lehigh rivers cut deep passages through surrounding uplands and ridges.
Hardwood and hemlock forest returned after extensive historical disturbance.
Today, state parks, forests, and National Park Service lands preserve large portions of that landscape within a few hours of some of the most densely populated parts of the United States.
The result is a mountain region where visitors can hike beside a 12-foot-deep boulder field, climb to Appalachian viewpoints, paddle a free-flowing river, walk through dark hemlock ravines, watch black bears and bald eagles, and explore dozens of waterfalls without traveling to a high-elevation mountain range.
💡 Pocono Mountains Fun Facts
- The Poconos lie in northeastern Pennsylvania.
- The main tourism region includes Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties.
- It covers approximately 2,400 square miles.
- Much of the region is a dissected plateau rather than a traditional sharp mountain range.
- The Glaciated Pocono Plateau is part of the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province.
- Peakbagger’s broader Pocono Plateau definition covers approximately 1,966 square miles.
- Peakbagger identifies Moosic Mountains High Point at 2,310.8 feet as its plateau high point.
- That summit lies in Lackawanna County, outside the four-county tourism definition.
- Camelback Mountain reaches approximately 2,133 feet.
- Big Pocono State Park occupies Camelback Mountain.
- Mount Pocono is not the highest mountain in the Poconos.
- The region was repeatedly glaciated.
- The most recent major glacier advance occurred roughly 22,000 years ago.
- Hickory Run Boulder Field measures approximately 400 by 1,800 feet.
- Boulder Field is a National Natural Landmark.
- Delaware Water Gap is cut through Kittatinny Mountain by the Delaware River.
- Mount Minsi rises on the Pennsylvania side of the Gap.
- Mount Tammany rises on the New Jersey side.
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area contains more than 150 miles of hiking trails.
- Approximately 28 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through the recreation area.
- Raymondskill Falls is identified by NPS as Pennsylvania’s tallest waterfall.
- Promised Land State Park lies around 1,800 feet above sea level.
- Delaware State Forest contains more than 83,000 acres.
- Lehigh Gorge State Park protects more than 6,000 acres.
- Hickory Run State Park contains more than 40 miles of trails.
- Black bears are common in the region.
- Bald eagles nest around some Pocono lakes and river corridors.
- Autumn foliage is one of the Poconos’ most famous seasonal attractions.
- Winter skiing has been an important part of regional tourism for generations.
❓ Pocono Mountains FAQ
Where are the Pocono Mountains?
The Pocono Mountains are located in northeastern Pennsylvania.
The main tourism region encompasses Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties.
What are the Poconos?
The Poconos are a broad forested upland region of northeastern Pennsylvania characterized by plateaus, ridges, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, wetlands, and glacial landforms.
Are the Poconos part of the Appalachian Mountains?
Yes.
They belong to the larger Appalachian landscape.
Much of the region lies within the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province.
Are the Poconos really mountains?
Yes, although much of the landscape is technically a dissected plateau rather than a chain of sharply separated peaks.
What is the highest point in the Poconos?
Peakbagger identifies Moosic Mountains High Point at 2,310.8 feet as the highest summit within its broader Pocono Plateau classification.
That definition extends beyond the official four-county tourism region.
How high is Camelback Mountain in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania DCNR lists a maximum elevation of approximately 2,133 feet.
Is Mount Pocono the highest mountain in the Poconos?
No.
Mount Pocono is primarily a borough name and should not be described as the region’s highest summit.
What caused the Pocono Mountains?
The landscape combines ancient Appalachian geology with hundreds of millions of years of erosion.
Continental glaciers later reshaped the region by depositing boulders and sediment, changing drainage, and helping form lakes and wetlands.
Were the Pocono Mountains glaciated?
Yes.
Northeastern Pennsylvania experienced several continental glacial advances.
The most recent major advance occurred about 22,000 years ago.
What is Hickory Run Boulder Field?
It is an enormous field of angular boulders within Hickory Run State Park.
The formation developed under cold Ice Age conditions and is now a National Natural Landmark.
Where is Delaware Water Gap?
The Delaware Water Gap lies along the Pennsylvania–New Jersey border where the Delaware River cuts through Kittatinny Mountain.
Does the Appalachian Trail go through the Poconos?
Yes.
The Appalachian Trail crosses the Delaware Water Gap region, including Mount Minsi on the Pennsylvania side.
What are the best places to hike in the Poconos?
Excellent hiking areas include:
- Delaware Water Gap
- Big Pocono State Park
- Hickory Run State Park
- Promised Land State Park
- Delaware State Forest
- Lehigh Gorge
- Tobyhanna State Park
- Gouldsboro State Park
What is the best Pocono hike for mountain views?
Mount Minsi and Big Pocono State Park are strong choices for expansive views.
Where are the best waterfalls in the Poconos?
The Delaware Water Gap area contains many famous waterfalls, including Raymondskill Falls, Dingmans Falls, Silver Thread Falls, and waterfalls at George W. Childs Park.
What is Pennsylvania’s tallest waterfall?
The National Park Service identifies Raymondskill Falls as Pennsylvania’s tallest waterfall.
Are there bears in the Poconos?
Yes.
American black bears are common throughout suitable Pocono forest.
What other wildlife lives in the Poconos?
Wildlife includes white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bald eagles, beavers, river otters, songbirds, waterfowl, amphibians, and numerous smaller mammals.
When is the best time to visit the Poconos?
There is no single best season.
Spring is excellent for waterfalls.
Summer is popular for hiking and water recreation.
Autumn offers famous foliage.
Winter provides skiing, snowshoeing, and other cold-weather recreation.
When does fall foliage peak?
Peak foliage varies yearly.
Higher and northern portions of the Poconos usually change earlier than lower southern valleys.
Check Pennsylvania’s current foliage forecast before traveling.
Is the Poconos a good winter destination?
Yes.
The region has a long tradition of downhill skiing and also offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, winter hiking, ice fishing, and snowmobiling where conditions and regulations permit.
Is hiking in the Poconos difficult?
Difficulty ranges from easy lakeside trails and waterfall boardwalks to steep mountain routes.
Big Pocono State Park and the Delaware Water Gap contain several strenuous trails despite relatively low summit elevations.
Is cell service reliable?
Not everywhere.
Several Pennsylvania state parks warn that service can be unpredictable.
Download maps before traveling into remote areas.
🔗 Related Articles
- Appalachian Mountains
- Map of the Appalachian Mountain Range
- Mountain Ranges in the U.S.
- Mountains in North America
- Mountain Navigation: Maps, Compass, GPS & Route-Finding Guide
- The Ten Essentials for Hiking: What Every Hiker Should Carry
📚 Sources
- Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau — Pocono Mountains Counties
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Physiographic Provinces of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Glacial Geology
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Geologic Features
- Peakbagger — Pocono Plateau
- Peakbagger — Moosic Mountains High Point
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Big Pocono State Park
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Big Pocono State Park Hiking
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Hickory Run State Park
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Promised Land State Park
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Delaware State Forest
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Delaware State Forest Hiking
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Lehigh Gorge State Park
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Tobyhanna State Park
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Gouldsboro State Park
- Pennsylvania DCNR — Beltzville State Park
- National Park Service — Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
- National Park Service — Delaware Water Gap Hiking
- National Park Service — The Delaware Water Gap
- National Park Service — Waterfalls
- National Park Service — Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- National Park Service — Delaware Water Gap Geodiversity Atlas
- Pennsylvania Game Commission — Black Bear
