Are you ready to tackle Glen Onoko Falls (Jim Thorpe)

Not for the faint of heart, this rugged hike is worth the challenge…and challenge it was. Stepping out with a girl friend for a day of exploring, we had no idea what we were in for.

The falls begin at a mountain spring at the top of Broad Mountain, just outside of Lehigh Gorge State Park, on the state game lands in Jim Thorpe. The trail starts at the bottom near Pulpit Rock, our first pit stop and photo shoot segue. We admired it, crossed over to get inside it, and you know we climbed it. Well, one of us did!

After that it was only about 900 vertical feet of cascading waterfall gorgeousness to conquer. Before we get to that though, wow what a climb! It wasn’t easy. You definitely need good sturdy shoes and a good sturdy heart. The largest fall is 75 feet high, but it’s only one of many. The high rise of rushing cascades truly took my breath away. Better yet, it presented enough side tracks along the way to make our hike an adventure!

The trail is not patrolled or maintained, so you hike at your own risk. It’s very rough and there is some climbing involved. Not serious rock climbing, but serious exercise. A lot of grabbing and pulling up rocky inclines. Enough high narrow trails to get your heart racing. Boulders, ankle-twisting roots and downed trees deliver quite an obstacle course. And I have to admit, plenty of side tracks for dips, dares and other audacious behavior along the way.

Reaching the top of course was the blue ribbon for this challenge, and of course we both made it. I have to admit it was long…tiring…glorious. The flat rocks on top spread out like a table top. It oh-so-gently dips forward, spilling a shallow breadth of water into a roaring wave dashing down the mountain side. We inched out as far as we dared for another photo op, marveling at the endless mountain view spread out before us. With our feet in the heart of the waterfall!

With some regret, we hiked our way back down. At the bottom there were plenty of rafters, kayakers and swimmers playing in the Lehigh. Above us though, was another adventure calling! People hanging out of a giant cave over the river? Let’s go! It turned out to be an old railroad tunnel and was a much easier walk. Still rocky and dark, it made for a last-minute lark through the mountain with a fun pop out the other side.

Conquering this trail definitely made for a great Pocono weekend, with plenty of other activities to enjoy in the area. The only thing that could have made the day better would have been…food! Next time I’ll bring a picnic to take advantage of the secluded hot spots and perilous perches along the way. You, on the other hand, have no excuse. Grab some good shoes, good friends and a very large picnic, then challenge yourself to Glen Onoko!