The Lacawac Sanctuary is located in the Pennsylvania Poconos, and has over nine miles of trails to hike. Their address is at 94 Sanctuary Road, Lake Ariel, PA 18436. You can find the parking lot right by the entrance, and it is free admission. Currently, it is open from sunrise to sunset daily. From the work being done here for the scientific community, gorgeous hiking trails, and beautiful glacial lake, this place is definitely worth visiting!
This sanctuary is such a major contributor to the scientific community through initiatives of research, education, and preservation with the conservation of the land located in this upstate Pennsylvania region. The Sanctuary has some of the absolute best hiking trails in the Pocono area, you will be amazed at the vast forest landscape and of course Lake Lacawac which is a “Registered Natural Landmark.”
This lake in particular has a connection to American history and nature that began back in the 19th century. The land was once a summer estate for William Connell, a business man who served in the House of Representatives. Years later, Colonel Louis A.Watres posessed this land during the development of Lake Wallenpaupack, a man made dam created to generate power in the Pocono region. In the 1900s, his grandson, L. Arthur Watres, identified Lake Lacawac as the southern most unpolluted glacial lake in the United States. Luckily, he had connections to many scientists of the time and together they formed the Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation.
If you are a teacher, The Lacawac Sanctuary also provides resources for pre-K to 12th grade students. They have really great field trip opportunities that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) so if you are interested, I will leave the Sanctuary’s website on the bottom of this post so you can check it out. I think it is amazing that they let students really get involved in a real nature setting. This will honestly help them appreciate the Earth for all of their lives, and who knows perhaps they may even become interested in environmental science!
When we arrived at the Sanctuary, it was really amazing to find out all of the resources that it provides for the community and scientists around the world! It was a very relaxed type day when we went, and there were not too many other hikers out and about. In addition to the trails, we could hear so many birds talking and singing to each other. You can tell that the wildlife is very comfortable in this expansive space.
As our trail led us down to the beautiful Lake Lacawac and we did see a snake, so this is something to be aware of on your journey here. He did not bother us at all and slithered right into the water, but you will want to make sure that you really watch your steps. It is important that we are respectful of all of the wildlife and animals that call this beautiful place their home.
There are research studies being conducted on the site from lake ecosystems to even turtle ecophysiology so it is crucial to really stay on the hiking paths. If you are traveling to the Poconos I highly recommend this area if you enjoy hiking! Let me know in the comments if you have traveled here as well and what you thought of it. Remember to click that subscribe button and have a wonderful day!
I highly recommend the book “Hiking Waterfalls In Pennsylvania.” It specifically maps out where you can find waterfalls in each area and region of the state. If you are an outdoor adventurer, you will want to check this out!
For more information regarding this book, just click on the Amazon affiliate link below!
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