Big Mountain (Pennsylvania)

Big Mountain
Big Mountain
Highest point
Elevation 2,458 ft (749 m)  NGVD 29[1]
Coordinates 39°57′01″N 77°56′12″W / 39.9503669°N 77.9366662°W / 39.9503669; -77.9366662Coordinates: 39°57′01″N 77°56′12″W / 39.9503669°N 77.9366662°W / 39.9503669; -77.9366662 [2]
Geography
Location Franklin / Fulton counties, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Parent range Appalachian Mountains
Topo map USGS McConnellsburg (PA)
Climbing
Easiest route Road

Big Mountain is the high point on the Tuscarora Mountain ridge in south central Pennsylvania in the United States. The 2,458-foot (749 m). summit is located in the Buchanan State Forest and offers an viewshed that is one of the more stunning in the Commonwealth.

Tuscarora Formation quartzite of the Silurian Age underlies the summit; it is this weather resistant rock which gives Big Mountain its high prominence.

Big Mountain and the rest of the Tuscarora Ridge has abundant wildlife. Black bear, white-tailed deer, a variety of bird species and its most notorious resident the timber rattlesnake can be found while hiking on the ridge.

The Tuscarora Trail passes along the ridge and over the summit, the nearby Cowans Gap State Park offers a variety of campsites, swimming, boating and hiking trails centered on a 42-acre (17 ha) lake.

Further reading

  • Alan R. Geyer (1979) "Outstanding Geologic Features of Pennsylvania", Geological Survey of Pennsylvania
  • Charles H. Shultz (1999) "The Geology of Pennsylvania", Geological Survey of Pennsylvania ISBN 0-8182-0227-0

References

  1. ↑ "Tuscarora Mountain, Pennsylvania". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  2. ↑ "Big Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  • "Buchanan State Forest". Pennsylvania DCNR. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  • "McConnellsburg Weather". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  • "Big Mountain". Peakware.com. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  • "Tuscarora Mountain". SummitPost.org. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
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