In winter visitors to Big Boulder Lake can look across the frozen water to the ski slopes beyond. In spring and summer mountain laurel dots the shore, and the clean mountain water is teeming with fish. No matter what the season, Big Boulder Lake has an abundance of recreation opportunities. Combined with the natural resources and amenities of the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, Big Boulder Lake is sure to please the entire family.

Big Boulder Lake is a man-made reservoir in Carbon County created in 1957 by the Big Boulder Dam. The dam was built on Grass Lake Creek by the Big Boulder Corporation. The resulting lake was created for recreation and to supply water for snow-making on the nearby ski slope. The ski slopes around the lake were the first commercial slopes in Pennsylvania and some of the first to make artificial snow. Today there are several ski slopes in the area. Although the Pocono Mountains will never be as high as the Rockies or the mountains of the extreme northeast, the slopes are challenging and very accessible.

Big Boulder Lake is a private lake in a quiet community. Access to the lake is through the Big Boulder Lake Club or the Lake Mountain Club. Amenities include swimming pools, some heated, tennis courts, and sand beaches. Visitors can take tennis, swimming and sailing lessons.

 

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There are no gas powered boats allowed on the lake. Only electric powered motors are allowed, but it is a great lake for sailing, canoeing and kayaking. The fishing on Big Boulder Lake is excellent. The lake boasts healthy populations of bass, sunfish, bluegill, rock bass, perch, and trout.

Vacation rentals are available on Big Boulder Lake, and all the amenities are accessible with a rental. The lake is in the village of Lake Harmony. Lake Harmony, the sister lake of Big Boulder Lake, is also private, but does allow power boating, jet skiing, and water skiing. The area around the two lakes has restaurants, outlet shopping, golf, and the NASCAR Pocono Raceway is just a few miles away. Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are nearby during the winter months. Big Boulder Lake is about 105 miles from Manhattan and just 95 miles from Philadelphia.

Hickory Run State Park is an easy day trip from Big Boulder Lake. The park encompasses 15,990 acres in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains. With over 40 miles of trails, there are plenty of places to hike and explore. Wildlife includes but is certainly not limited to deer, hawks, turkey, and foxes. The boulder field is a National Nature Landmark. Literally a field of boulders, it is a visual reminder of the area's glacial past. The park is predominantly glacial moraine, and its rocky soil is known as glacial till.

With the beauty of its mountain waters and the charm of the Poconos, Big Boulder Lake is a fantastic recreation destination. Add in the quiet seclusion of a private community, and it's easy to see why so many people come for a visit and decide to stay.