Polar Bear

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.72 miles

Restrooms: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Stroller Friendly: No

Playground: No

Location: Gifford Pinchot State Park – Boat Mooring Area #3

Anchor Clues:

Start at Boat Mooring area #3, located off of Alpine Road.
Proceed to Lakeside Trail at the far end of the clearing, just beyond the long wooden racks that hold boats used for the sport of rowing.
Take the right fork in the trail, stepping slightly downhill; the lake should be on your right.
Go over the culvert pipe, keeping the lake on your immediate right. Watch out for mud!
At the fork, stay to the right (at trail marker #42), following the path past a stone wall in the woods to the left. You will see trees knocked down near the water, due to high winds from a summer thunderstorm.
Follow the trail slightly uphill.
Take the right fork ahead, staying close to the lake’s edge – see what you can find!
Go through or over the large stone wall running perpendicular to the trail.
Stay on the main pathway, heading toward the large boulders ahead.
Walk to the left of the large, balanced boulder and look for the long, low rock right at the edge of the lake shore.
Head to the end of the rock on the right… there you will find what you are searching for!
To return to your vehicle, turn around and go back the way you came.

Polar bears can swim for days at a time, usually swimming around 30 miles in a stretch. In one case, a polar bear swam 220 miles at one time.
They are actually jet black and their fur has no color. It looks white because it reflects visible light.
A polar bear cannot outswim a seal but can sniff it out on the ice up to 20 miles away!

Polar Bear