page_title: Big Pocono State Park
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Big Pocono State Park / History
caption_attribution_description: A view south from the top of Camelback Mountain in Big Pocono State Park in Monroe County, Pennsylvania
context_page_description: Big Pocono State Park is a 1,305.6-acre Pennsylvania state park in Jackson and Pocono townships in Monroe County, Pennsylvania in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is 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 miles 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 the Camelback Ski Area, closes for the winter seven days following the end of deer season in December and reopens as conditions permit in the spring.
context_section_description: The land on which Big Pocono State Park is situated was owned by Henry S. Cattell at the turn of the 20th century. Knowing of the fondness that others in the area shared with him for the view that the summit provided, Cattell constructed a stone cabin there in 1908. For many years the cabin was left unlocked so that anyone who wished to use it as a shelter, could.
  The Pennsylvania Game Commission purchased the land in 1928, 12 years following the death of Cattell. In 1950, the state leased a portion of the land on the north slope for commercial development. The company was later renamed the Camelback Ski Corporation, and the facility is now a major ski resort.
  In 1953, the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters (now the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) acquired 1,306 acres (529 ha) of state game lands, which comprised the land that was purchased by the Game Commission, including the ski area lease, and the area immediately around the summit.
  Big Pocono State Park opened to the public in 1954, following the construction of facilities and the scenic drive around the summit. The Cattell Cabin served as a park office and a nature museum for many years.
  Although the museum no longer exists, the stone cabin still stands and is paramount only to the great views one can obtain by going to the different observation points provided by both DCNR and the Camelback Ski Corporation.
caption: View south from Big Pocono State Park at Camelback Mountain
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