Big Pocono State Park

State park in Pennsylvania, United States

Big Pocono State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jackson and Pocono townships in Monroe County, Pennsylvania in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The park is located on Camelback Mountain and is maintained jointly by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Camelback Ski Corporation. From the summit of the mountain, one has a view of vast portions of eastern Pennsylvania as well as parts of New Jersey and New York. A paved drive, 1.4 mile (2 km) in length, around the summit provides visitors with a view in all directions. Visitors can see the Delaware Water Gap from this location. The park, except for Camelback Mountain Resort, closes for the winter seven days following the end of deer season in December and reopens as conditions permit in the spring.

According to the Trewartha climate classification system, Big Pocono State Park has a Temperate Continental climate (Dc) with warm summers (b), cold winters (o) and year around precipitation (Dcbo). Dcbo climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ , all months with an average mean temperature < and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid in Big Pocono State Park, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on July 22, 2011, and the highest daily average mean dew point was on January 8, 2006. July is the peak month for thunderstorm activity which correlates with the average warmest month of the year. The average wettest month is September which correlates with tropical storm remnants during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on September 30, 2010. During the winter months, the plant hardiness zone is 6a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on January 21, 1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < The average snowiest month is January which correlates with the average coldest month of the year. Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow occur nearly every year, particularly during nor’easters from December through March.

According to the A. W. Kuchler U. S. potential natural vegetation types, Big Pocono State Park would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Hardwood (106) with a dominant vegetation form of Northern hardwood forest (26). The peak spring bloom typically occurs in early May and peak fall color usually occurs in early October. The plant hardiness zone is 6a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of .