Best Cabin Camping near Delaware Water Gap, PA

Set on a hillside, the campground has three levels. The tent sites all have water & electric, and have a picnic table and fire ring. The sites are fully shaded. Facilities were neat & clean, and there was a covered verandah with string lights, chairs & picnic tables outside the bathroom area.

Campground staff were friendly, and there was a store with firewood, ice and many other conveniences. Wifi was available, and connection was good the entire time I was there.

The campground is convenient to many hikes in the Delaware Water Gap area.

Be aware that the campground doesn't have credit card facilities, but does have an ATM in the store if absolutely necessary.

My girlfriends and I just stayed in the yurts for annual glamping trip. We reserved 3 of 4 yurts for first weekend in June...non peak season. Peak season requires minimum 5 day reservation, I believe. Yurts have 2 sets of bunk beds with one set having full size mattress on bottom. Yurts have heat and fans. Full size refrigerator, stove and microwave. No water but directly across from facilities with basin sinks outside for cleaning dishes, etc. Each yurt has a huge deck, 2 picnic tables and fire pit. Restrooms and showers are a hop, skip and jump from yurts and well maintained. Also each yurt comes with a moor skip to keep kayaks, paddleboards or canoes at lake. Beautiful lake surrounded by trails and includes beach area and playground. Dogs are allowed in the park but not in campgrounds (yurts and cabins). There is no tent camping here but is available at Locust Lake State Park, just a few miles away. Alcohol is prohibited. Must park in overnight lot after unloading.

Rented a cabin in November (#009) and again in December (#008) of 2021. I favored Cabin 8, the kitchen and bathroom were separated from the main room.

The cabins are reasonably priced and well-appointed, if a bit rustic. The interior features are just what you'd expect for getting away for the weekend. THe main room has a bunk bed and two twins, a table with benches, two Adirondack chairs, a wood stove set into a fireplace (some cabins still feature a fireplace only, but these two did not), hot/cold water, electric stove with oven, refrigerator, toilet, bathroom sink, mirror, plenty of hooks to hang jackets and coats, storage cabinets in the kitchen area, overhead lighting, wall outlets, and screened windows.

The doors feature deadbolt locks - so be sure to always take the key or set the lock to be unlocked all the time.

The mattresses are vinyl covered, so you can wipe them down with your own sanitizing wipes. There was hand sanitizer in each cabin as well.

Outside is a picnic table, fire ring, and grill. There are hooks near the door to hang a lantern.

The park office is not nearby, about 2(?) miles away. They sell wood, and there are a few road stands near the campground, but that wood is wet. You'll need to find some birch to get your fire going if, like me, you didn't buy wood on the way (plenty of signs for wood as you approach the park office) and the office was closed upon arrival. I bought wood from a house across the street from the entrance to the cabins and it was damp, but in November, I wasn't complaining, it took awhile but I got a nice blaze going. You need that wood stove to heat up the cabin. Turning on the oven is a help, but not a good solution. The wood stove definitely heats the room up nicely. I went through two bundles of wood in one night, and could have used more in the morning. (There's plenty of fallen wood around but it was damp/raining both times I visited). The second time I took six bundles of wood and used them all from Friday to Sunday morning, and 7 would've have been better.

The trails nearby are varied, read the maps (especially NY NJ Trail Conference Maps) to get an idea of difficulty/elevation. We went in November when there was a light rain that turned into a thunderstorm with hail and sleet! It was certainly an adventure. The area was  incredibly peaceful in December with many cabin reservations abandoned due to rain in the forecast. It did rain, but was still a great trip. The photos of the tent sites were taken in December.

This is the first time we decided to forgo tent camping and reserve a shelter at a state park. We had a much better experience than we were expecting! The "shelter" is what we would describe as a "cabin"; four walls, a roof, locking door, locking windows, large picture frame front window, four beds(two bunks), a wood burning stove, and a porch. Even compared to our glamping this was luxury!!

There are eight shelters at Jenny Jump State Park. Shelter 2 is a minute walk from the restroom with sink/shower and water. Shelters 7 & 8 are even closer while 4 & 5 are the furthest, may an extra 5 minutes walk? The dead end means there isn't too much traffic, though the road is right there so you can wave to the other campers heading to the restroom or for hikes. There is a trail head at one of the parking lots. During the day the parking lots filled up and there was some overflow parking for day-hikers across the road. We got to see their dogs, so that was a bonus for us! Otherwise, this shelter is not situated too close to the other shelters and feels very private.

We brought battery-powered lights since there is no electricity. There were coat hooks and a built-in shelf for our snacks, games, and other supplies. There was a picnic table and benches inside. We brought camping chairs for relaxing on the porch. We spent most of our time on the porch; cooking, chatting, and crafting while enjoying the sunshine and breeze.

Oh, this shelter is wheelchair accessible. Some of the others are not.

Campground Review

Stokes State Forest has four campgrounds. The Steam Mill Camping Area is tucked out the of the way and is the most primitive. It is the smallest of the campgrounds with 27 sites only suitable for tents or small trailers/campervans. No pets or alcohol allowed.

The campground has a pit toilet and a well. Each large campsite has a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern hook. Some sites also have a tent platform. Many sites are a bit rocky.

We selected site T219. It was a solid choice: private but close to the toilet and water. Some sites located around the opposite side of the ring back up to a babbling brook. The rushing water will soothe you to sleep.

Remember, this is bear country so proper food storage is a must. Bear lockers are not provided. The area also has ticks and rattlesnakes.

Outdoor activities in the area abound. Go fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, and more. There are 21 marked trails that cover over 63 miles within the boundaries of Stokes State Forest. Twelve miles are part of the Appalachian Trail. Pick up a hiking map at the park office or download the Avenza Maps app.

This visit we hiked the Tillman Ravine trail (tip: make the trail a loop and visit both the ravine and the nearby old cemetery).

You can also drive or hike to Sunset Mountain Scenic Overlook for a view of High Point Monument. High Point Monument is the highest elevation in New Jersey and is located in High Point State Park which borders Stokes State Forest on the north. High Point State Park also offers camping, hiking, sightseeing opportunities. And, on the western border of Stokes State Forest is the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. So, there is lots of outdoors to get out and explore!

Product Review

We camped at the Steam Mill Camping Area in Stokes State Forest in our campervan over a chilly autumn weekend. We had the opportunity to cook some soup on our stovetop and chill out by the campfire. And, as Rangers for The Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time so we were psyched to try out some new dinnerware and cutlery. This included the FlexiBowl and GoBites from humangear.

What made these humangear products pretty awesome? Well, the fun colors to start. I mean, seriously, my orange bowl rules. The FlexiBowl also has some neat features: it’s flexible - just like the name suggests - and foldable. The bowl can be squished and stuffed anywhere. And, the top section can be folded down to create a smaller bowl. The FlexiBowl is versatile yet durable. It held my hearty, warm soup just perfectly.

I paired the FlexiBowl with one of the GoBites utensils (the Uno model). The Uno model is my favorite - it has a fork on one side and a spoon on the other side. Very simple and convenient. The other GoBites models include the Duo (separate fork and spoon that can snap together) and the Trio (a fork, spoon, and knife - with bottle opener - in a case).

PRO TIP: I keep the Trio GoBites model in my travel pack at all times. It recently came in handy on a (non-camping) trip to Sardinia. The knife on the Trio allowed me to slice some delicious local cheese to pair with bread, jam, and wine that was purchased from the grocery store. YUM.

This park has no tent camping. They offer cabins and yurts, but have no sites for people to set up tents. The main attraction for this park is their lake, which you can swim in, fish, kayak or drop in a boat. There is a playground for kids to play in that is well maintained. There are hiking trails in the back side of the park, from the main entrance. The visitor center is only open during the week. The cabins and yurts have electricity and running water. They are great if you want the outdoor experience while getting the option of a bed. If you want tent camping, check out locust lake state park which isn't far away.

My dog and I stayed for 2 nights in the rustic tenting area. We were the only campers Wednesday & Thursday. The family camp area features spaces (small areas for either RV campers or tents and cars) with a picnic table and fire ring and water (some have electricity). They also have shared facilities such as bathrooms and showers. However, they seemed a little too cramped fir me and I wasn’t looking for opportunities to socialize, so the remote tent site was my choice. The tent sites do not have water or electric, but do have picnic tables, a fire ring and share one large outhouse with clean pit toilets. There are 5 sites and they can accommodate (shared) multiple tent set ups. Also you need to park your vehicle in a designated lot which is very close to the sites. There are multiple easy hiking and biking trails that are well marked. A lake for fishing and a small sandy beach with a picnic area for families (unfortunately no dogs are allowed on the beach). There are 2 boat launch areas (one for the campers, and another for gen. public) which also has a boat rental business (dogs are allowed). There are black bears in the park so do not leave food out and dispose of all trash in the appropriate dumpsters.

If you find yourself careening around the picturesque country roads here in Bucks County you will discover Quakerwoods Campground (named of course after the previous tri-cornered hat-donning Quaker residents who settled this vast rich farmland a few hundred years ago) nestled in the verdant, rolling hills of a plush countryside punctuated by massive rolled bays of hay in the surrounding fields, covered wooden bridges and the occasional quaint New England well-preserved charming towns that you will encounter. So, if you have camping on your mind, finding a place like Quakerwoods Campground is quite the find, as it will place you squarely in the heart of one of the most picturesque natural landscapes here in the Keystone State.

As for the campground, which is just off Exit 44 of PA Turnpike or Exit 60 & 60A off of I78, you’ll encounter a destination offering up 170 mostly back-in slots with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) for RVs ranging between $55-$49 in the midst of a fairly decent wooded surrounding, although less so on the interior of the campground and moreso on its perimeter. There’s about 18 tent sites ranging between $40-$45 that  feature 15 amp electric and running water. All RV and tent sites are relatively flat and include a standard-issued picnic table and in-ground fold-up fire ring. Don’t have an RV, 5th Wheeler or Tent? Not a problem, as the good folks here at Quakerwoods will rent you one of their 4-6 person campers for $120/ night.

The amenities here at Quakerwoods Campground are plenty, inclusive of: 4 Pristine restroom& shower facilities, Wi-Fi service, Free wagon rides(every Saturday), Camp store, Fishing pond, Adult& kid swimming pools, Walking paths, Fishing pond, Game room, Family bingo, Mini golf, Baseball field, Horseshoe pits, Kids Playgrounds, RC track, Front& Back pavilions, Sand Volleyball court, Cornhole, Basketball court, Designated dump stations, water stations, Bonfires, 2 Shuffleboard courts, Ice for sale, Propane refueling station, Laundry-O-Mat, Themed weekends and Pet friendly.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) As a tent camper, I was impressed by how Quakerwoods segregates mi tent pitchin’ bredren from the rest of the folks who bring their homes with them on wheels, placing tent sites across the other side of a small creek on the southwestern periphery near the fishing pond; (2) Should you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or from the confines of your onboard mini-fridge, while there’s not a ton of restaurants around these parts, there are a few and they are pretty amazing, including favorites Brick Tavern Inn and The West End, McCoole’s @ The Historic Red Lion Inn and Sage Alley Brewery; (3) In the event that you need to replenish any of your supplies, rest assured as in nearby Quakertown, there’s a Giant & Aldi’s grocery store as well as a local Target, Walmart, TJMaxx, Kohl’s and Link Beverages to stock up on the 21+ liquid refreshment; and (4) Should you be towing your canoe or kayak with you and are eager to get the beak of your waterbird wet, then head on over due east of Quakertown Campground to Nockamixon SP where there’s a sizeable, yet skinny lake just begging for you to navigate it and get some good, hard oaring in.

Happy Camping!