Delaware Water Gap: The Pocono Environmental Education Center

After a rainy night the sky lightened so we headed off to hike trails at the Pocono Environmental Ed Ctr. PA (PEEC).  This is a true education center with cabins, dining hall, classrooms, and lounges for camps, retreats, and special events.

A peaceful scene at the PEEC

The mission of PEEC is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park.  And hiking the trails gave us a true "hands-on" experience, as evidenced below.


A Red Eft


Arriving before the center opened, we selected a trail from our map and started walking.  The trail led past a pond, along a stream, and then up the mountain into the forest. 


Trail along the river
then up the mountain!




Why do trees seem so tall in these woods?
Maybe they are.


To our surprise the ground seemed to sprout newts, mostly orange but there were green newts with reddish spots..  When we returned to the educational center, the staff at the center informed us this is the Red Spotted Newt.  Later I learned the Red Eft is the terrestrial stage of the red-spotted newt.
 


Immature phase of the newt




Newt eating larvae


I found the orange, actually red spotted, newts appropriate as we were following the orange trail, better known as the Tumbling Waters Trail.  And the trail masters made certain there was plenty of orange on the trail...


Ample falls that were even more dramatic
compliments of several rainy days

... from signs to ...

It must have been a wicked storm

... downed trees ... 

Wonder what happened here

  ... to fungi to newts!

Yes, even orange fungi

But not everything was orange on this trail... there were beautiful waterfalls when we descended to the river.


Above the falls
even the photo shows the power


And after climbing the stairs back to the trail we ascended to the mountain top for lovely views of the Delaware Valley and the Kittatiny Mountains across the valley in New Jersey.


Beautiful views across the valley


The trail was mostly a combination of clay and small rocks; however, near the summit we encountered pure rock and wondered how the shrubs and trees every gained a foot hold in this difficult terrain.


Trails in the mountains can be rocky


On the return section of the trail we stumbled over blue trail markers and took the Fossil Trail which was interesting, steep, but less scenic than the previous trail.



This trail had rather steep sides

So, on your next trip to the Delaware Water Gap be certain to stop at the  Pocono Environmental Ed Ctr. PA (PEEC).