A Pocono cabin trip is about the woods and the seasons: fall color, snowy weekends by the fire, and state parks with thousands of acres of trails a short drive from the door.
Every home on this page is a cabin, chalet, A-frame or tree house in the western Poconos, mostly around Albrightsville, Lake Harmony, Pocono Lake and Blakeslee. You rent directly from the host, with no booking fees.
State parks near the cabins
- Hickory Run State Park: 15,990 acres in the western foothills of the Poconos, right off I-80 Exit 274, with a visitor center that opened in 2020. It's the closest big park to Lake Harmony, Blakeslee and Albrightsville.
- Lehigh Gorge State Park: 6,107 acres along the Lehigh River from the Francis E. Walter Dam to Jim Thorpe, with a 20-plus-mile trail. Start at White Haven (north), Rockport (middle) or Glen Onoko (south).
- Tobyhanna State Park: 5,440 acres, about 2 miles north of Tobyhanna on PA 423, handy from Pocono Summit and Pocono Pines.
- Gouldsboro State Park: 2,800 acres with a 250-acre lake on PA 507. The park warns that cell service is unpredictable, so download your map first.
- Big Pocono State Park: 1,306 acres of rugged terrain on Camelback Mountain, with trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking.
Fireplace and wood stove safety
- Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from the fireplace or stove (U.S. Fire Administration).
- Use the screen, and never leave a fire burning when you go out or go to bed.
- Put cooled ashes in a covered metal can outside, at least 10 feet from the house. Coals can stay hot for days, so never put ashes in a paper bag, box or the trash.
- Follow your host's house rules. Some cabins have gas fireplaces only, and the glass front gets hot enough to burn.
Living with bears
Black bears live throughout Pennsylvania, including the woods around these cabins. The Pennsylvania Game Commission advises putting trash out only on the morning of pickup, and feeding bears is illegal. Keep food and trash inside or in the bear-proof bins many homes provide, and never leave a cooler on the deck overnight.
When to go
Fall foliage and winter are peak cabin seasons. See our fall colors guide for this year's peak timing and our ski guide for winter weekends.
