Mount Davis is the highest mountain
in Pennsylvania, located in the 5,685 acre (23.01 km²)
Forbes State Forest in Somerset County. The peak is the summit of
a 30 mile (50 km) long ridge line known as Negro Mountain which
extends from central Somerset County southward into Garrett County,
Maryland. The peak was named for John Davis, an early settler, Civil
War veteran, surveyor and naturalist, who was known for his studies
of the mountain, its flora and fauna.
The top can be reached by driving or by following
one of several hiking trails. There are nine hiking trails in
the park, but not all go to the summit. There is a metal observation
tower at the summit with a relief map of the region. The summit
is noted for its patterns of unusual circular stone formed by
frost action.
Weather on the peak is characterized by frequent
heavy winds and frequent rainfall. Annual temperatures range from
-30 to 95 °F (-34 to 35 °C) though frosts have been recorded
in every month of the year. Summers temperatures are generally
mild and winters are characterized by heavy snowfall. Average
annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 42 inches (970 to 1070
mm).