The Pocono Mountains region is a mountainous region of about 2,400 square miles (6,200 km²) located in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

The Pocono Mountains is a popular recreational destination for local and regional visitors. The region has a population of about 300,000, which is growing at a rapid pace, largely attributable to vacationers from the New York City region who are turning vacation homes into permanent residences. The region lacks a major population center, although there are small municipalities which are scattered throughout the area. The Poconos now serves as a commuter community for the Northern New Jersey metropolitan areas, even though the commute often takes as much as 2 hours each way due to distance and traffic. North Jersey is a name for the northern part of the US State of New Jersey, which is sandwiched between two important cities New York City (which North Because the region lacks a population center, it has been difficult to establish transit infrastructure to feed (future) commuter rail and bus lines.

Contents 1 Culture 2 Geography 3 Recreation 3.1 Gaming 3.2 Skiing in the Poconos 4 Rail Service 5 Newspapers 6 References

Culture

As commuter families build homes and send their children to public schools, they interact with preexisting youth. Children of commuters serve as sample groups from their respective hometowns. These hometowns differ greatly; from the quiet post WWII suburbs of northern New Jersey, to the gritty, economically depressed South Bronx. The South Bronx is a region of the New York City Borough of The Bronx. The latter group began to appear in numbers as dilapidated, shoddy, housing units from the Pocono's first wave of housing development in the 1980s, which came onto the market again in the mid-1990s. This is especially true along SR 611, SR 196 and US 209 in Monroe County . Monroe County is in the US state of Pennsylvania. Named in honor of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, the County Since the mid-1980s the weekly real estate section of New York City's "blue collar" newspaper, the Daily News has been awash with ads encouraging "outer boros" residents to move to the region to get much bigger housing bang for the buck. Real estate is a legal term (in some jurisdictions notably in the USA, United Kingdom The City of New York The Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily Newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 703137

Geography

The Pocono Mountains is a vaguely defined area encompassing Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne Counties of Pennsylvania ^[1], as well as portions of neighboring counties such as Susquehanna, Luzerne, and Lackawanna. Carbon County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. Monroe County is in the US state of Pennsylvania. Named in honor of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, the County Pike County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. Wayne County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. Susquehanna County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. Luzerne County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. Lackawanna County is a County in the US state of Pennsylvania. The region of Northampton County from the Slate Belt northwards is also sometimes included^[2]. In total, the Poconos encompasses over 2,500 square miles. The Poconos are mountainous, geologically a southwestern extension of the Catskills, although not as high: their highest summit, Elk Hill’s North Knob, reaches 2,693 feet (821 m), while its lowest elevation is 350 feet (107 m) in Pike County. The Catskill Mountains (also known as simply the Catskills) a natural area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany

Although the Pocono Mountains appears to be an extension of the Appalachian Mountains into Upstate New York, they are not geologically related. The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. The Pocono Mountains is not technically a mountain chain by definition; it is rather a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting In fact, it is an eastward continuation of the Allegheny Plateau, which continues into the Catskills in New York State. The Allegheny Plateau is a large Dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia The Catskill Mountains (also known as simply the Catskills) a natural area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Since these erosions have carved highly elevated and steep landforms out of the plateau, however, the Poconos are nonetheless best described as "mountains. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak "

The Delaware River flows through the Pocono Mountains and gives the region its name, from a Native American term roughly translating to "stream between two mountains. The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. " The Lehigh and Lackawaxen Rivers also flow through the region, totaling about 170 miles (270 km) of waterways. The Lehigh River, a Tributary of the Delaware River, is a 103 mile (166 km long river located in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States The Lackawaxen River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 25 mi (40 km long in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States The Pocono Mountains is also home to some 150 lakes and many waterfalls, such as those in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area of Monroe County and Ricketts Glen State Park in northwestern Luzerne County. A waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water often in the form of a Stream, flowing over an Erosion -resistant rock Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, preserves almost 70000 acres (283 km² of land along the Delaware River Monroe County is in the US state of Pennsylvania. Named in honor of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, the County Ricketts Glen State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Sugarloaf Township in Columbia County, Fairmount and Ross townships in Luzerne County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania.

Recreation

The popularity of the Pocono Mountains as a summer retreat began at the dawn of the 20th century when Philadelphia Quakers started the resorts of Buck Hill Falls and Pocono Manor, and later in the 1920s, Skytop. Skytop Pennsylvania is a small village located in Barrett Township Pennsylvania, a township of Monroe County Pennsylvania, 36 miles southeast of Scranton

The Poconos is a well-known outdoor recreation destination for visitors around the northeast, especially from New York City and Philadelphia. Camelback Mountain Resort is a ski and snowboard resort located in the Pocono Mountains region in Tannersville Pennsylvania at Big Pocono State The City of New York Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Primary attractions are centered around the region's diverse natural offerings. The Poconos encompasses the Delaware State Forest ^[3], including six designated natural areas ^[4], seven state parks ^[5], seventeen state game lands ^[6], and one national park: The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, preserves almost 70000 acres (283 km² of land along the Delaware River There are extensive opportunities for water sports, with many of the lakes and rivers stocked for fishing. Hunters pursue white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, and other wildlife. The White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized Deer found throughout The Wild Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo) is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. The Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus, is a medium-sized Grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada More American black bear are killed here than anywhere else in the state, and likely the contiguous 48 states. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. This is largely due to acidic pine barren creek valleys teeming with trout and berries. Trout is the common name given to a number of Species of Freshwater Fish belonging to the Salmonidae family Toward the southern margin of the Poconos, the Blue Mountain ridge is the site of the Appalachian Trail and a major flyway for the autumn raptor migration, including the nationally renowned Hawk Mountain sanctuary. Blue Mountain is a ridge that forms the eastern (southeastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range in the U The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A Flyway is the term for the flight paths used in Bird migration. Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of Birds Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability Hawk Mountain is a mountain ridge part of the Appalachian Mountains, located in central-eastern Pennsylvania near Reading and Allentown

The Poconos is also home to Summer Camps, such as Camp Pocono Ridge^[7] and Goose Pond Scout Reservation near Lake Ariel.

The Poconos is and has been Pennsylvania's most popular tourist destination. The region contains over 80% of the state's resorts. These resorts earn 1. 5 billion in gross revenues and employ 18,000 workers. The region is also a popular winter destination. ^[8] State parks offer snowmobile trails, snowshoeing, and eagle watching ^[9].

Popular summer activities include whitewater rafting and canoeing down the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers, camping and hiking, waterparks, and smaller attractions suuch as Claws N Paws Wild Animal Park ^[10], Kittatinny Rafting & Paintball ^[11], Houdini Museum ^[12] and others. Other outdoor activities, particularly golf, are also popular options.

Another attraction is Pocono Raceway, a major automobile racetrack, which is home to two NASCAR races the Pocono 500 in June and the Pennsylvania 500 August as well as a racing school and motorcycle track. Pocono Raceway (formerly Pocono International Raceway) is a Superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States.

The Poconos is a major resort destination with new additions such as Great Wolf Lodge for families, a resurrection of Mount Airy as a gaming (slots) and golf resort, the famous Ceasars Pocono Resorts with heart-shaped and champagne whirlpool baths for two (couples only) and a retreat known as Woodloch Pines that has added a spa facility. Woodloch Pines Resort (commonly shortened to Woodloch Pines or just Woodloch) is a family-oriented resort located in Hawley Pennsylvania, on Lake

Gaming

A highly controversial proposal to license a gambling casino with slot machines in Monroe County was approved in 2007 and the casino at Mount Airy Lodge is now open to the public. Adding to the controversy is the reported connection between the casino's owner and organized crime which has placed Mount Airy under the supervision of a gaming commission appointee.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is another site for slots and OTB, and a proposed facility in the Allentown area is scheduled to open in the near future.

Skiing in the Poconos

Numerous ski resorts in and around the Poconos offer some of the closest and most accessible skiing to the major populated areas of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC areas.

• Camelback Ski Area - the most ski runs in the Poconos
• Blue Mountain Ski Area ^[13] - the largest vertical drop in the Poconos (1,082 feet) and closest to Philadelphia
• Elk Mountain Ski Area - one of the larger areas with 30 trails, the highest ski peak at 2,600+ feet and a 1,000 foot vertical drop
• Sno Mountain Ski Area - just outside of Scranton, features the steepest terrain in the Poconos and a 1,000 foot vertical drop
• Shawnee Mountain Ski Area ^[14] - closest to New York City, just across the Delaware from New Jersey, draws big city crowds
• Jack Frost Mountain and Big Boulder ^[15] - two sister ski areas, family oriented skiing
• Ski Big Bear ^[16]
• Tanglwood - closed for the 2007/2008 season due to economic reasons. Camelback Mountain Resort is a ski and snowboard resort located in the Pocono Mountains region in Tannersville Pennsylvania at Big Pocono State Blue Mountain is a Ski resort located near Palmerton Pennsylvania, on Blue Mountain in the northern part of the Lehigh Valley, in Pennsylvania Elk Mountain Ski Resort is one of the largest ski areas in the Endless Mountain region of Pennsylvania. Snö Mountain (sometimes rendered Sno Mountain), is a Ski resort in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Shawnee Mountain is a Ski resort in Eastern Pennsylvania located right outside Stroudsburg Pennsylvania next to the Delaware River in the
• Alpine Mountain ^[17]
• Eagle Rock Resort - the westernmost of the Pocono ski areas

Ski areas in the Poconos are not particularly large and do not have large vertical drops (Sno Mountain and Elk Mountain, with 1000' vertical drops are the largest), so runs tend to be on the shorter side. However, the Poconos do offer conveniently located skiing, and many areas also offer night skiing. Many Pocono ski resorts cater to both winter and transform themselves into waterparks for summer visitors.

Downhill skiing is also offered at resort-hotel properties (such as Skytop Lodge and Fernwood) where guests can use the facilities as part of their stay.

Rail Service

Rail service is provided by the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority. Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority is a bi-county creation of both Lackawanna County Pennsylvania and Monroe County Pennsylvania to oversee the use of One of its primary objectives is to establish rail passenger service with New Jersey Transit between Scranton, Pennsylvania and Hoboken, New Jersey with connecting service into Manhattan, New York. The New Jersey Transit Corporation (usually shortened to New Jersey Transit, NJ Transit or NJT) is a statewide Public transportation system serving Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Designated operator of the line is NJ Transit. The New Jersey Transit Corporation (usually shortened to New Jersey Transit, NJ Transit or NJT) is a statewide Public transportation system serving There is currently no passenger rail service from the Poconos to Hoboken, New Jersey

On January 23, 2007, NJ Transit was given an initial environmental 'OK' to re-establish a Hoboken-to-Scranton connection, estimated to be a 3-hour trip. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Rebuilding rails on the Lackawanna Cutoff, and subsequent resumption of passenger service is slated to be completed in 2011/2012. ^[18]

Newspapers

A few newspapers covering local events and happenings include the daily paper, The Pocono Record, a weekly paper, a shopper and Blue Mountain Moments, which is published monthly. The Pocono Record is a daily Newspaper published in print and online in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania USA To the north, additional regional publications covering Pike and Wayne Counties include the News Eagle, Pike County Dispatch, Milford Magazine, Pike County Courier, and Wayne Independent.

References

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