We ranked every trail in our guide by its real AllTrails rating and pulled the ten highest — from a 4.8-rated waterfall loop in the Delaware Water Gap to a rail-trail carved along the Lehigh Gorge.
The Poconos reward hikers who know where to look — a waterfall-laced National Recreation Area, a rail-trail carved along a whitewater gorge, and rocky Hickory Run backcountry. Rather than pick favorites ourselves, we ranked every trail in our guide by its real AllTrails rating and kept the ten highest, with trailhead directions built from real GPS coordinates for each.
Key Takeaways
- I.The Pocono Mountains hold 117 hiking trails — 65 easy, 40 moderate, and 11 difficult, spanning a 0.3-mile boardwalk to a 26-mile rail-trail.
- II.Only one trail in the entire region is officially closed: Glen Onoko Falls Trail, shut by the Pennsylvania Game Commission since May 1, 2019 (it is on State Game Lands) after repeated fatalities. A legal, maintained alternative exists nearby — see below before you search further.
- III.Five of the region's state parks have their own complete trail-network guides if one hike isn't enough for the day.
How Many Hiking Trails Are in the Pocono Mountains?
This guide covers 117 distinct hiking trails across the region's destinations, and the spread is wider than the postcard image of "a quiet mountain walk" suggests: 65 are rated Easy, 40 Moderate, and 11 Difficult — everything from a 0.3-mile boardwalk to Pennsylvania's tallest waterfall up to a 26-mile rail-trail that could occupy a full day on its own.
The trails aren't clustered around one lake, either. Big Boulder Lake (40 trails in our guides) and Tobyhanna Lake (38) actually have more hiking than Lake Wallenpaupack (24) or Lake Harmony (22), despite Wallenpaupack being the most recognized name in the region. If a generic "Pocono hiking" search result pushes you toward the same two or three famous names every time, you're seeing the internet's bias toward whatever has the most existing coverage — not the actual distribution of trails on the ground.
Easy Hikes for Families and First-Timers
Most of what's actually out there is easy. Hawk Falls Trail, inside Hickory Run State Park, is a 1.2-mile round trip to a 25-foot waterfall along a rhododendron-lined path — about as forgiving as a waterfall hike gets. Tanners Falls near Honesdale is a 1-mile out-and-back with 131 feet of gain, an easy add-on to a day already built around the lake or town.
For something flatter still, Conservation Island Trail and Conservation Island Loop, both inside the Promised Land Lake destination, run under a mile with minimal elevation change — stroller-and-toddler territory. Pine Trail (0.8 miles) and the nearby Highland Trail at Lake Harmony both deliver real lake views without real effort.
If wildlife-watching is the point rather than the workout, Heron Pond via Big Lake Trail, Arthur Watres Trail, and Osprey Trail and the Maurice Broun, Moss, and Big Lake Trail Loop, both at Lake Wallenpaupack and both right around 1.1 miles, are built for exactly that — birding and lake views over distance or elevation.
For the waterfall-specific trails this section doesn't duplicate, see our complete guide to the best waterfall hikes in the Pocono Mountains.
Moderate Day Hikes Worth Planning a Morning Around
Step up in distance or elevation and the region opens up into real half-day hikes. Camelback Mountain Loop Trail at Lake Naomi runs 2.8 miles with 246 feet of gain to scenic views without committing to a full summit push. Big Pocono South and North Trail Loop, also at Lake Naomi, covers 3.4 miles and 725 feet — a real workout that still returns you to the car by lunch.
Irving Cliff (1.1 miles, 324 feet of gain) delivers an overlook for very little distance, which makes it one of the better returns-per-mile hikes in the whole region. Shuman Point Natural Area, also at Wallenpaupack, trades elevation for a 2.9-mile lakefront walk that's explicitly dog-friendly and strong for birdwatching.
Tobyhanna Lake's Devil's Hole Trail (3.1 miles, 364 feet) and Mount Wismer Loop (2 miles, 423 feet) both lean into wildlife-spotting terrain, while Locust Lake Trail at Mauch Chunk Lake (3.6 miles, 515 feet) adds a real lake view to the climb.
Difficult Hikes for Experienced Hikers
The serious end of the list is smaller but real. Prospect Rock Trail at Gouldsboro Lake runs 5.8 miles over rocky terrain to an overlook worth the effort. Camelback Mountain via Old Railroad Grade, North & South Trails at Lake Naomi climbs 954 feet over 7.2 miles of rocky switchbacks to a real summit with panoramic views.
For something longer, the Blue, Fireline, and Hickory Run Trail Loop at Big Boulder Lake covers 11.5 miles and 1,528 feet of gain — a full-day backcountry commitment inside Hickory Run State Park. And at the far end of the scale, the Pinchot Trail at Tobyhanna Lake runs 22.2 miles with 1,624 feet of elevation gain — named for Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, whose boyhood home at Grey Towers is itself a stop on several of the region's historic-site itineraries. This is a trail to plan around, not fit into an afternoon — most hikers break it into sections or treat it as an overnight.
For the park that anchors several of the hikes above, see our complete guide to Hickory Run State Park and the Boulder Field.
One Trail to Avoid — and a Safe Alternative Nearby
Glen Onoko Falls Trail, once one of Pennsylvania's most photographed hikes, has been closed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission since May 1, 2019 (it is on State Game Lands), following repeated fatalities and rescues on its unstable, steep terrain. It still draws curious hikers through old photos and social media — don't be one of them. The lower falls (Cave Falls) can still be viewed safely from the Lehigh Gorge Trail rail-trail below, and PA DCNR has developed a legal, maintained alternate route near the same area. Confirm the current official route directly with DCNR or Lehigh Gorge State Park before planning around it — trail reroutes in closed-trail areas change as DCNR's work continues.
Want More Than One Hike? Five State Parks Have Full Trail Networks
If a single trail isn't enough for the day, five state parks in the region have complete guides of their own:
- Hickory Run State Park — nearly 16,000 acres, anchored by the glacial Boulder Field, with 40+ miles of trail.
- Promised Land State Park — roughly 50 miles of trail across two glacial lakes and a 12,000-acre forest buffer.
- Tobyhanna State Park — home to the Pinchot Trail above, plus shorter lakeside options.
- Big Pocono State Park — summit trails on Camelback Mountain, plus a paved drive for anyone who wants the view without the climb.
- Beltzville State Park — 15 miles of trail paired with a guarded swimming beach, for a day that mixes hiking with the water.
When Should You Plan a Pocono Hiking Trip?
Fall is the most popular season for Pocono trails, and the region's color peaks in early-to-mid October. Spring has high water at the waterfalls, summer suits lake-and-trail days, and winter trails need traction and shorter plans.
Fall foliage in Northeastern Pennsylvania is forecast to peak in three staggered windows this year: the northern zone (Wayne and Pike Counties) around October 8-14, the central zone around October 10-17, and the southern zone (southern Monroe and Carbon Counties) around October 20-28 (Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau Fall Foliage Forecast, retrieved 2026-10-02). Trails with ridge or summit views — Prospect Rock, the Camelback Mountain routes, Oak Loop Trail's "Fall Color" tag at Mauch Chunk Lake — are worth timing specifically around whichever window covers your base destination, since color peaks at different elevations and latitudes across those three weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest hike in the Pocono Mountains?
Several trails run under half a mile with minimal elevation change — Conservation Island Trail and Conservation Island Loop at Promised Land Lake are both under a mile and nearly flat, manageable with young children or limited mobility.
What is the hardest hike in the Pocono Mountains?
By distance and elevation combined, the Pinchot Trail at Tobyhanna Lake (22.2 miles, 1,624 feet of gain) is the most demanding trail in our guides — most hikers section it or treat it as an overnight rather than a single-day push.
Is Glen Onoko Falls Trail open?
No. It has been officially closed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission since May 1, 2019 (it is on State Game Lands) due to repeated fatalities and rescues. Do not attempt to hike it; the lower falls can be viewed safely from the Lehigh Gorge Trail below, and a legal alternate route exists nearby.
When is the best time to hike in the Pocono Mountains?
Early-to-mid October, for fall foliage, per the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau's annually updated forecast.
Plan Your Visit
However much hiking you're planning — a half-mile boardwalk before dinner or a full-day push up Prospect Rock — the right place to stay puts you minutes from whichever trailhead you've picked rather than built around one you haven't. Plan your trip with Pocono Reserve's guide and look for a place near the hikes that matter to your group.