Camping cabins near Plymouth, Pennsylvania are situated primarily in the Pocono Mountains region, known for its mixed hardwood forests and elevation averaging 1,800 feet above sea level. State parks in this area generally open their camping facilities from the second Friday in April until the third Sunday in October, though some private campgrounds operate year-round. Campers can expect moderate temperatures during summer months, with July averages around 70°F.
What to do
Hiking waterfall trails: Ricketts Glen State Park offers a spectacular Falls Trail with 22 named waterfalls. As visitor Gary O. notes, "Excellent views and the ability to explore and experience the waterfalls areas. Beach and lake activities are available as well."
Boulder Field exploration: At Hickory Run State Park Campground, the Boulder Field is a National Natural Landmark. Camper Mike M. describes it as "Boulders everywhere! Big ones, small ones, run (carefully) across them all! Beyond the Boulder field is a vast, scary, unknown."
Fishing in stocked waters: Many campgrounds feature fishing access. At Cozy Creek Family Campground, one visitor shares: "My son and I camp here every year. Great fishing, clean facilities and friendly, super helpful staff."
Winter ice skating: When temperatures drop, Lackawanna State Park offers winter recreation options. Visitor Michael mentions, "We would love to come back in the winter when they have an ice rink with a warming house."
What campers like
Proximity to natural attractions: Red Rock Mountain Campground provides convenient access to popular hiking destinations. One visitor notes it's a "Peaceful little campground five minutes from Ricketts Glen State Park. Accommodating and friendly hosts, clean bath house and firewood for sale on site."
Private tent sites: Tent campers appreciate secluded options. A camper at Red Rock Mountain mentioned, "We camped at Red Rock as couples. We stayed in primitive tent sites which you had to hike into. They were very private."
Spacious camping areas: Whispering Pines Camping Estates offers unusually large sites. Camper Charlie & Danielle B. described, "Our campsite was probably a good 200-300 feet or more from the other sites on either side of us so we basically had a large front yard."
Clean facilities: Cleanliness stands out at several campgrounds. A visitor at Highland Campgrounds wrote, "Office is clean and a combined country store with fresh produce in the outdoor fridge and bug spray and essentials in the office area."
What you should know
Seasonal operation: Most private campgrounds operate from April through October, closing during winter months. Highland Campgrounds notes their season specifically as "April-October."
Cell service limitations: Remote locations mean limited connectivity. At Whispering Pines, campers report: "The only major con was the phone service. We have Verizon and my work phone is T-Mobile and at most would get 2 bars of LTE but it mostly stayed at 1."
Bear awareness: Wildlife encounters require precautions. At Tobyhanna State Park Campground, a visitor warned, "Do not leave any food out be sure to lock up everything in car. Camp sites were nice most had plenty of trees for privacy but were still kind of close."
Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds may be challenging. A Cozy Creek camper cautioned, "The road in (Vacation lane) is dirt, rough and narrow. There is presently no gate as well so the public can just drive in."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Lackawanna State Park Campground offers recreation areas for children. Visitor Michael noted, "Nice play area for kids, water craft rentals, nice lake. Plenty of picnic areas for day trips."
Swimming options: Water recreation provides family entertainment. At Whispering Pines, campers enjoyed "a small but very nice pool with a couple tables and some poolside chairs and they provide life jackets for kids and even a poolside cornhole game."
Kid-focused programming: Some campgrounds design activities specifically for children. A visitor at Cozy Creek observed, "Campground is based around kids, there's a lot for them to do!"
Campsite selection: Families should consider location within campgrounds. At Hickory Run, one camper advised: "This area is so beautiful. A ton to explore and a huge frisbee golf course. The inner loops have nice bathrooms. We were in the outer loop far from the rest of the campground and they only had ports potties and hand sanitizer."
Tips from RVers
Hookup reliability: Check electrical capacity at state parks. At Lackawanna, one camper noted issues: "Two electric hookups would trip the 50 amp circuit breaker on any load about 30 amps, which means the hookups are old and unmaintained."
Site levelness: Prepare for uneven terrain at some campgrounds. A visitor at Ricketts Glen mentioned, "Our full hookup site was large with table and fire ring, and required some leveling. Not much shade in the full hookup loop, so was happy to have electricity for A/C."
Seasonal maintenance: Be aware of potential utility issues. James S. at Ricketts Glen shared, "The water had been tested earlier in the season and unsafe levels of manganese were detected. All water spigots were shut off and covered but we were told it was safe to wash our dishes and brush our teeth."
Pull-through availability: Some campgrounds offer easier access sites. At Cozy Creek, a camper reported, "The pull through sites worked well for us, however next time we'd ask for one with a concrete patio."
