Winter Forests Come Alive at Skytop Lodge

One of the many wonderful aspects of Skytop Lodge is the opportunity to be surrounded by vast forests. Winter is a very special time of year at Skytop Lodge and the animals come alive, especially at night, as many of the animals are nocturnal in nature while very few of Skytop’s resident species actually hibernate.

The footprints of elusive animals such as bobcats, coyote, red fox, otters and mink can be seen in the snow along Skytop’s trails. John Serrao, a renowned naturalist and photographer, and Skytop’s onsite naturalist, is quick to point out footprints and raise discussions while guests enjoy a winter nature walk. Guests bombard Serrao with a series of questions: what are their natural habitats, what is the future of the species, what do they eat, how do they hunt, etc. Black bears, one of Skytop’s residents who do hibernate, are also busy in winter. Serrao points out dens of sleeping bears, but by January, the birthing month, guests may spot 2 to 5 tiny cubs, weighing less than 1 pound each, curled up in rock cavities along Skytop’s West Mountain.

Skytop is a natural habitat for many species as its continuous 5,500 acres are owned by The Skytop Estate and another 2,500 is owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Nature Conservancy named the Pocono Mountains “One of the World’s Last Great Places” because of its diverse ecological resources. Enormous east coast population centers can easily access this vast wilderness, as the Skytop Estate is approximately 2 hours from New York City and just 2.5 hours from downtown Philadelphia.

Visit www.skytop.com and download Skytop’s in-house newsletter to learn when Serrao will lead another nature walk.