When you decide to come to the Pocono Mountains, especially during our amazing warmer months, you will be amazed at all of the fun things to do. We are surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature and we at Ledges Hotel enjoy going out to our state parks and lakes as often as we can. One area that is known for beauty and fun is the Lacawac Sanctuary. Located on Lake Ariel, about a 20-minute drive around Lake Wallenpaupack from us in Hawley, is a great place to spend an afternoon.
Lacawac Sanctuary is a National Natural Landmark as well as on the National Register of Historic Places. They are committed to preserving their area, the Lake Lacawac and the forest surrounding it as well as encouraging the public to visit and educating them on the many aspects of conservation. Lake Lacawac is a 52-acre glacial lake that has been fantastically preserved. The hours for the Lacawac Sanctuary are from sunrise to sunset every day.
When you arrive at the Lacawac Sanctuary, the best place to start would be at the Visitor’s Center. From there you can get a ton of information about what is going on at the Lacawac Sanctuary that day as well as any maps that might be needed. Their hours are Monday-Friday from 9 am to 5 pm and on the weekends their hours vary.
If you are looking to explore the Lacawac Sanctuary on your own then we suggest getting one of their trail maps and start exploring. They have 8 different trails that cross all over the Lacawac Sanctuary and also have varying degrees of difficulty. There are 3 easy trails, Historic Great Camp Trail (1 mile), Arthur Watres Trail (.2 miles), and the Forest Study Trail (.8 miles). The moderate hiking trails at the Lacawac Sanctuary are the Lake Lacawac Trail (1.1 miles) and the Maurice Brown Trail (1.2 miles). If you are looking for a challenge then try the difficult trails at Lacawac Sanctuary which are the Partner Ridge Trail (.4 miles), the Ledges Trail (.7 miles), and the Big Lake Trail (2.9 miles).
However, if you are really looking for the full experience at Lacawac Sanctuary, then you really need to look at their activities. They have something going on almost every week and their events are truly spectacular. They have events for kids as well as adults or families that include special hikes, geocaching, and more. If you happen to be in town for one of their special events, you must put it at the top of your list. They are always very interesting and a lot of fun. One that looks particularly fun is their Tapas, Tunes & Toast event. This event will be held on June 25th and will feature amazing food, music, and wine and will be held at The Cooperage Project and is a great fundraiser for the Lacawac Sanctuary.
As you can see, we have so many reasons to celebrate the Pocono Mountains here in Pennsylvania. When you do come to the Pocono Mountains, we hope you will consider staying with us at Ledges Hotel. Our hotel is surrounded by beautiful grounds and a stunning gorge that many locals and visitors enjoy looking at on our decks. We also are very big into conservation and green initiatives. Contact our wonderful staff and book a trip to see us soon!
Photo by Lacawac Sanctuary