Pocono Mountains

The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos (), are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania. They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, the Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west and the Lehigh Valley to the south. The name Pocono is derived from the Munsee word Pokawachne, which means "Creek Between Two Hills". Much of the Poconos region lies within the Greater New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area. The wooded hills and valleys have long been a popular recreation area, accessible within a two-hour drive to millions of metropolitan area residents, with many Pocono communities having resort hotels with fishing, hunting, skiing, and other sports facilities. Although referred to usually as a mountain range, the area is actually an approximately 2,400-square-mile (6,200 km2) plateau. It is considered a sub-section of the larger Allegheny Plateau, and like most plateaus, is bordered by a notable escarpment. Despite these technicalities, it is considered a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains.