It covers more than 7,700 acres (3,100 ha) of mountain ridges, gorges, and old-growth forests at elevations ranging from around 600 to 2,080 feet.

[2] The forest is named for the old Mohawk Trail (now Massachusetts Route 2), a Native American footpath that connected the Hudson and Connecticut River valleys.

The forest was created in 1921 when the state purchased acreage for the express purpose of preserving the area's scenic beauty and historic associations.

Their contributions included the construction of an administration building and four rental cabins and the expansion of a campground built in the 1920s by the state.

The present count for Cook Forest as determined by the Eastern Native Tree Society and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is 112.

The Eastern Native Tree Society maintains records of all white pines in the Northeast confirmed to a height of 150 feet or more.

The latter are based on weighted measurements of girth, height, and crown spread to arrive at composite scores suggestive of overall size.

The Mahican-Mohawk Recreational Trail passes through some of the old growth as it climbs the Todd-Clark Ridge on the north side.