Hikers in Pennsylvania have a new undeveloped mountain they can explore.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently announced that the agency has added the 2,500-acre Miller Mountain property in Wyoming County to Pinchot State Forest, which is roughly a 40-minute drive south of Scranton.
Miller Mountain’s inclusion into Pinchot State Forest marks the first state forestland in Wyoming County. The 2022 addition of 669-acre Vosburg Neck State Park was the first state parkland in the county.
Miller Mountain is located in the Endless Mountains Heritage Region and within a half-mile of an Important Bird Area. The land provides critical habitat for migratory birds, black bears, white-tailed deer and bobcats.
The mountain is open to the public, however DCNR is establishing the state forest boundary lines and assessing the property for public access and recreational opportunities.
”We are proud to open up this land to the public,” said Kyle Shenk, Northeast Regional Director for The Conservation Fund. “Thanks to the dedication and hard work of all those involved, Miller Mountain will remain a stunning backdrop for the town of Tunkhannock and become a destination for outdoor recreation.”
The mountain supports headwater streams of the Susquehanna River watershed and protects the and rural character of the Susquehanna River Greenway and nearby town of Tunkhannock.
The 2,216-foot peak is believed to be the last remaining undeveloped peak of its size in Pennsylvania that had been privately owned. Its topographical imprint on the landscape is regionally unique and visible for a remarkable distance.