| Big Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Big Mountain | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,458 ft (749 m) NGVD 29[1] |
| Coordinates | 39°57′01″N77°56′12″W / 39.9503669°N 77.9366662°W /39.9503669; -77.9366662[2] |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Franklin /Fulton counties,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Parent range | Appalachian Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS McConnellsburg (Pennsylvania) |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Road |
Big Mountain is the high point on theTuscarora Mountain ridge in south centralPennsylvania in the United States. The 2,458-foot (749 m) summit is located in theBuchanan State Forest and offers fine view.
Tuscarora Formationquartzite of theSilurian Age underlies the summit; it is this weather resistant rock which gives Big Mountain its highprominence. Big Mountain has the largest vertical rise in state, with over an 1800' difference between summit and the creek valley below on the east side of the mountain.
Big Mountain and the rest of the Tuscarora Ridge has abundant wildlife.Black bear,white-tailed deer, a variety of bird species and its most notorious resident thetimber rattlesnake can be found while hiking on the ridge.
TheTuscarora Trail passes along the ridge and over the summit, the nearbyCowans Gap State Park offers a variety of campsites, swimming, boating and hiking trails centered on a 42-acre (17 ha) lake.
