5 Reasons to Visit Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary

The first reason why so many like to visit the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary is for the actual wildlife sanctuary itself. When you think of the words wildlife sanctuary, a lot of images come to mind. At the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary, their wildlife sanctuary was made for conservation of our beautiful area. The Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary houses the interesting glass museum as well as a restored home that once belonged to a worker in 1867 can accurately depict what life was like in that distant time. Over time, White Mills, which made the glass. Their overall mission is to preserve and conserve their history through many different means.

The second reason why the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary is popular is for their Dorflinger Glass Museum. In the 1860’s the town on White Mills was transformed by Christian Dorflinger into a thriving area. The Dorflinger Glass Works factory lead the way as a master of gorgeous lead cut crystal that has been featured in many fine homes across the country as well as the White House in many different eras. Today the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary’s glass museum is host to many guests year after year and the funds from it help offset the costs of maintaining the artifacts and the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary itself. Admission to this fantastic museum is $5 for adults, members and those 55+ are $4, children 6-18 are $2 and 5 and under are free.

The third reason why Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary has become a wonderful place to visit is their summer concert series, the Wildflower Music Festival. Every summer locals and visitors love flocking to the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary to enjoy a picnic and a glass of wine while listening to different musicians, of different genres, and just relaxing enjoying the beauty of nature in many different forms. The concert series starts in July and runs through August. There are many different ways to purchase tickets to the shows. You can purchase tickets for an individual show or you can purchase flex tickets meaning you purchase a group of tickets and you can use them at any of the concerts in the series. Be sure to check their website for prices and concert dates.

Coming to the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary means not only enjoying the beauty of today but also the past as well. This can be seen when visiting our fourth reason to visit the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary, the continuing restoration of historic White Mills. This is where you will discover the houses that have been restored and staged to show visitors what life was like in the peak of the Dorflinger Glass Works factory. The town of White Mills has 2 unique homes to show, the Lock Tender’s House and the Glassworkers House. Be sure to take your time through each home to really understand how interesting their past was.

The last reason why so many love spending time at the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary is to enjoy nature. There are six fantastic trails that criss cross through the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary, including trails that will take you to Trout Lake and Suydam Pond. There are clear blazes for each trail and none are longer than 1.5 miles but linked together hitting the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary trails can be a real treat.

Places like the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary make our area of the Pocono Mountains a desirable location for trips. When visitors come to the area, they love staying with us at Ledges Hotel in nearby Hawley, PA. We have some of the same history as the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary as we are housed in a historic glass factory as well and also have some amazing views of our gorge that showcase the beauty of the Pocono Mountains. Ready to take a trip to visit us? Contact our amazing staff today and let us help you plan a fantastic trip to the Pocono Mountains.

Photo by: Jim Lukach