The northeastern part of Pennsylvania, as well as the surrounding area in New York, is home to the Pocono Mountains. There are lots of scenic areas here, and it is a lovely place to explore. On a recent trip, we went to Shohola Falls, a wide waterfall with water cascading down many levels of rocks. To visit, there is a small parking lot which affords views of a dam, and a short trail leads you down next to the falls. The trail is a bit steep, but the reward is a great view of the waterfall–you’re able to stand right next to the water as it flows down the rocks and continues into the creek below. We visited in early January, so the weather was very chilly, but we also got to see a wonderful sight–snow and ice were built up at different points along the waterfall, adding a quiet beauty to the rushing water.

We continued down the trail for different perspectives of the falls, but we eventually had to stop. The trail follows a small ledge next to the creek and would be a lovely walk in the summer, but on this occasion the ledge was filled with ice. Water had been falling from the wall next to the ledge and was now frozen, forming a beautiful sheet of ice along the wall in various shapes of icicles and formations. This alone was worth seeing.

We also happened to be there when three visitors were making the run down the waterfall in kayaks, so we stayed for a bit to see them attempt the run. It was rather interesting to see, and a bit scary, but they made it look easy as each of them completed the run successfully. It wasn’t something we had planned, but it was certainly a fun experience.

Shohola Falls was a fun place to explore and wasn’t hard to get to. A summer visit would be rewarding, but seeing the falls in winter was a spectacular sight. If you’re in the area, especially if you love nature, we encourage you to visit.