Devil's Well is a natural swimming hole on Wallenpaupack Creek near Hawley, Pennsylvania, in the Pocono Mountains — a spot with a rich history and, today, one crucial catch: it sits on private property and is closed to the public.

In its heyday, Devil's Well was a beloved community swimming hole. During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration built a platform and a diving board here, and a lifeguard was even posted — generations of local families cooled off in its clear, deep water. In later years it also drew cliff-jumpers and thrill-seekers who came to leap into the pool and film stunts.

That access is no longer permitted. The property is now owned by Brookfield Energy, and the swimming hole is fenced off and closed to the public. Trespassing is actively enforced — visitors' vehicle information is recorded and passed to local police — so this is not a place you can legally visit or swim. Please respect the closure and stay out.

We note Devil's Well here for its history, and because it still turns up on old swimming-hole lists, but the honest, current picture is simple: it's off-limits. If you're hoping to swim or cliff-jump around Hawley and Lake Wallenpaupack, seek out one of the region's many legal, public spots instead — and leave this one to its past.