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Brochure of Big Pocono State Park (SP) in Pennsylvania. Published by Pennsylvania State Parks.
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A Pennsylvania Recreational Guide for
Big Pocono State Park
Big Pocono State Park
Big Pocono State Park is in Monroe County in northeastern
Pennsylvania. The park consists of 1,306 acres of rugged
terrain on the summit and slopes of Camelback Mountain.
Seasonally, the park closes in mid-December and reopens
as conditions permit in the spring. The park is open from
sunrise to sunset.
Big Pocono State Park facilities are maintained in
cooperation with Camelback Mountain Resort. The trails of
Big Pocono State Park are maintained in cooperation with the
Pocono Outdoor Club.
For an easier hike, try the upper loop of South Trail
along the south face of the mountain and Indian Trail, which
forms a 2-mile loop from Rim Road. North Trail Lower Loop
connects the lower end of South Trail back to the North Trail
via a portion of the old railroad grade, which is fairly flat.
Visitors may also connect to South Trail midway across the
south side of the mountain from Parking Lot 3 using Vista
Trail for a shorter loop.
Indian Trail offers a great vista from the eastern cliffs,
visible from I-80 and points in Tannersville and Scotrun.
Tell us about your hike at:
Directions
Entrance to the park is from PA 715 and Exit 299 of I-80 at
Tannersville.
CAUTION: Steep grades. Visitors should not attempt
this drive in vehicles with trailers in tow. Municipal road
maintenance is not provided and seasonal closures of the
access roadway will occur.
Scenic View
From the summit, visitors can enjoy magnificent views. Parts
of eastern Pennsylvania and portions of New Jersey and New
York can be seen along the paved, 1.4-mile scenic drive.
Recreational Opportunities
This park is open from sunrise to sunset.
PICNICKING: Picnic areas have picnic tables and
charcoal grills. Most areas provide “a picnic with a view”
high atop Camelback Mountain at an elevation of 2100 feet
above sea level.
For More Information Contact:
Big Pocono State Park
c/o Tobyhanna State Park
114 Campground Road
Tobyhanna, PA 18466-0387
570-894-8336
email: tobyhannasp@pa.gov
GPS DD: Lat. 41.04419 Long. - 75.36925
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Information and Reservations
Make online reservations at:
www.visitPAparks.com or call toll-free
888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM to
5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.
www.visitPAparks.com
Printed on recycled paper
visitPAparks
2018
HIKING: 8.5 miles of trails
Since Big Pocono State Park is a mountaintop and some
trails are extremely steep with rough grades. Inexperienced
hikers should contact the Tobyhanna State Park office for
information before hiking.
South Trail and the North Trail Lower Loop are open to
mountain bikes and horses.
North and South trails extend down the east side of the
mountain. They are steep and rugged, offering experienced
hikers a challenging 600-foot elevation change in under a
mile.
HORSEBACK RIDING: Horses are permitted on all hard
surface roads shared by vehicles, South Trail, and North Trail
Lower Loop. Horses are prohibited on Vista, Indian, and
North trails.
Natural History
The top of Camelback Mountain is a unique forest called
a scrub oak shrubland. Wind-dwarfed gray birch, quaking
aspen, pitch pine, and scrub oak cover the mountaintop, with
no trees over twenty feet tall. Lowbush blueberry, sweet fern,
and mountain laurel grow under the short trees. Down slope,
the forest offers more shade with mixed hardwoods including
oak, maple, and hickory trees.
Portions of South Trail are lined with blueberry and
mountain laurel, which blooms in mid-June. On the north
side of the mountain, North Trail Lower Loop follows the old
railroad grade and passes through a rock cut, offering hikers
a glimpse of a hemlock and rhododendron glen, which is
surprisingly cool on hot summer days. Rhododendron blooms
in late July.
Kartrite’s Summit House Restaurant
Located at the top of Camelback Mountain, the new Kartrite’s
Summit House Restaurant is home to beautiful views and is
available as a wedding venue. The restaurant can be reached
via Camelback Road or the ski area chair lift during both
summer and winter operations. 855-515-1283
Please make your visit safe and enjoyable. Obey all posted
rules and regulations and respect fellow visitors and the
resources of the park.
• Be prepared and bring the proper equipment. Natural areas
may possess hazards. Your personal safety and that of your
family are your responsibility.
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Because uncontrolled pets may chase wildlife or frighten
visitors, pets must be physically controlled, attended at all
times, and on a leash, caged, or crated. Electronic fences and
leashes are prohibited.
• Do your part to keep wildlife wild! Enjoy wildlife from a
safe distance and do not feed or approach wild animals.
Nearby Attractions
BICYCLING: Bicycles are permitted on all hard surface
roads shared by vehicles. Mountain biking is permitted on
South Trail and North Trail Lower Loop. Bikes are prohibited
on the connecting trails from the parking lots, including Vista
Trail, and on Indian and North trails.
HUNTING AND FIREARMS: About 800 acres are
open to hunting, trapping, and the training of dogs during
established seasons. Common game species are deer,
bear, cottontail rabbit, squirrel, turkey, and ruffed grouse.
Furbearers include fox, raccoon, and coyote. Adjacent to the
park are 3,943 acres of State Game Lands 38, which are open
to public hunting, trapping, dog training, and hiking.
Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is
prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day
following Labor Day through March 31 in designated
hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and
regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible
hunting information.
Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other
visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and
archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and
ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting
seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting
seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in
the owner’s vehicle or enclosed trailer. Exceptions include:
law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid
Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms are authorized to
carry a firearm concealed on their person while they are
within a state park.
Protect and Preserve Our Parks
History
The land that is now Big Pocono State Park was owned by
Henry S. Cattell near the turn of the 20th century. Mr. Cattell
was very fond of the view from the summit of Camelback
Mountain. Knowing that many others shared his love for the
area, he constructed a stone cabin on the summit in 1908. The
Cattell Cabin was left unlocked for many years to be used as
a shelter by anyone who wished.
Since 1921, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry has
maintained a fire tower on the mountain for use in detecting
forest fires in the surrounding private and state forest lands.
The tower is staffed only during the spring and fall seasons.
Public access is prohibited.
In 1928, 12 years after Mr. Cattell’s death, the
Pennsylvania Game Commission purchased the land. In
1950, a portion of the state land on the steep north slope
of the mountain was leased to Big Pocono Skiing, Inc., for
commercial ski development. Later named Camelback Ski
Corporation, the facility has been developed into a major
ski resort.
In 1953, a 1,306-acre portion of the state game lands,
including the ski area lease, was acquired by the Pennsylvania
Department of Forests and Waters (now the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources) for developing a state
park at the mountain’s summit.
In 1954, after the construction of restrooms, parking areas,
picnic sites, fireplaces, and a scenic drive around the summit,
the area was opened to the public as Big Pocono State Park.
The Cattell Cabin served for many years as a park office and
nature museum. Public tours of the cabin can be scheduled
through the Friends of Big Pocono. www.facebook.com/
Friends-of-Big-Pocono-216068915075100/
Information on nearby attractions is available from the
Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, 800-POCONOS.
www.poconomountians.com
Camelback Resort is recognized as one of the top places
to learn to ski and snowboard in the USA. The 162 acres
contains 37 trails and 15 lifts that are 100% lit for night
skiing and completely covered by snowmaking. Camelback
is also home to 42 lightning fast tubing lanes and an
incredible Galactic light show after dark. When the snow
melts, the mountain adventures continue with zip lines,
mountain coaster, alpine slide, and more. Camelbeach
Waterpark and the Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor
Waterpark are all located at the base of Camelback
Mountain. For more information, call 570-629-1661.
camelbackresort.com
Big Pocono State Park is located in the famous Pocono
Mountains resort area. Nearby attractions include State
Game Lands 38 and 127, Gouldsboro State Park,
Tobyhanna State Park, Hickory Run State Park, and the
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Access for People with Disabilities
This symbol indicates facilities and activities that are
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for
people with disabilities. This publication text is available in
alternative formats.
If you need an accommodation to participate in park
activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan
to visit.
In an Emergency
Call 911 and contact a park employee. Directions to the
nearest hospital are posted on bulletin boards and at the
park office.
NEAREST HOSPITAL
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Pocono Medical Center
206 East Brown Street
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
570-421-4000
Take I-80 east to Exit 308 (East Stroudsburg). At the first
traffic light, turn right to the hospital.
BIG POCONO STATE PARK
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Multi-use Trail: Hiking,
Mountain Biking,
Horseback Riding
Picnic Area
Scenic View
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Parking ADA Accessbile
Rustic Restrooms
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To Mount
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4.0 Mi. &
Tobyhanna S.P.,
17.7 Mi.
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CONTOURS ARE ON
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To Brodheadsville & US 209, 10.8 Mi.
Rev. 12/10/18