In the state of Pennsylvania 1800 feet above sea level on the Pocono Plateau is the Promised Land State Park. Surrounded by the Delaware state forest its about 3000 acres in size. This park has some history to it. Promised Land State Park was once the hunting grounds of the Lenape Indian tribe. Many of the park facilities in use today were constructed during the Great Depression of the 1930s by the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The rustic cabins and camping sites entice the visitors who enjoy the nature at its best. Whittaker Lodge and the Bear Wallow Cabins were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and 1987 for their architectural qualities and for their historical role in the park. The picturesque lake around the park adds to its beauty, where fishing and boating is allowed. Visitors can spend time amidst the serene nature, the two lakes and several small streams which are outstandingly beautiful. There are approximately 50 miles of trails throughout Promised Land State Park and the surrounding natural areas.

There is plenty of things to see and do including the gorgeous hiking trails, a public beach, boat rentals and more. The Maskers Museum is one of the state’s largest museum and the admission to the museum is free. The park also has designated hunting areas. Hunting of woodchucks, also known as the groundhogs, is prohibited.

With the whole world reeling under the pandemic and all the indoor recreation closed, we thought a drive to see the fall colors in its grandeur would be worthwhile. All we heard the past few years was how beautiful the fall colors were in the upstate NY, Vermont, and New Hampshire. But with the travel restrictions we got to explore Promised Land State Park in the state of Pennsylvania. As the name suggests it was lived up to the promise of a beautiful park.

On the borders of Pennsylvania, 2 hours’ drive from our place is the Promised Land State Park. The winding roads and hidden entrance to the state park added an aura to the whole experience. We reached there by noon, and even if there were people all around it did not seem crowded. After a walk to the lake, we settled ourselves in a picnic area to have our lunch. The beautiful fall colors all around and the cool breeze made it more picturesque. We got a mother bear with her cub for our company. We were not sure seeing the bear so up close as to what our reaction should be!! Within a couple of minutes, the mother wandered away into the woods with its cubs in toe. It so happened that the cubs walked into a visitor’s tent to help itself with some food😊. There was a lot of crowd just watching the mother bear trying to shake the tent to get her cub out. Later the range officer had to come and clear the commotion. This experience made the trip more memorable. After spending a long time in and around the lake we went hiking to see the small waterfalls along Little falls trail. It was relaxing to be out in the open with a splendid scene all around. This is nature at its finest !!