Spring in Pocono Pines: Trails, Markets and Where to Eat

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Spring is the Poconos' quietest good season. The snow is gone, the trails have dried out, and the summer crowds are still six weeks away. If you want Tobyhanna to yourself on a Saturday morning, this is when.

Here's what we point guests at from late March through May — written by people who live here, and kept current rather than tied to one year.

When things actually open

Spring in the mountains runs a few weeks behind the valleys, which catches people out. A rough calendar:

• Late March — lower trails are clear and dry; higher elevations still hold mud well into April
• Mid-April — Camelback's mountain coaster, zip lines and treetop courses reopen for the season
• Mid-to-late April — the farmers markets come back
• May — mountain laurel starts blooming along the trails; lake activities pick up

The reliable rule: if you're coming before mid-April, plan around a wet trail day. After that, spring behaves.

Hiking

Tobyhanna State Park is 15 minutes away and the one we recommend most. The lakeside trail is a flat, easy loop with good lake views — it works for mixed groups where not everyone wants a climb. The park covers 5,440 acres, so there's more if you want it.

Delaware Water Gap is 30 minutes south and worth the drive once. Mount Tammany is the one people come for — a genuine climb with a payoff view over the Delaware River valley. Spring wildflowers along the Appalachian Trail sections here are the best in the region.

Bradys Lake is 12 minutes out and better than its reputation. Good for a morning walk, and stocked with trout in spring, so bring a rod if you fish. Early mornings are the thing — mist on the water, nobody else there.

When it rains

It will, at least once. Kalahari Waterpark is 14 minutes away and holds 84°F year-round regardless of what's happening outside. Weekdays are markedly less crowded than weekends, and cabanas book out early.

Failing that, the game loft has shuffleboard and the sauna is arguably better in cool weather than warm.

Eating

Spring is when the patios reopen, which changes the whole experience.

• The Frogtown Inn, Canadensis — the one we send people to for a proper dinner. Rotating seasonal menu, and in spring it leans on foraged ramps and morels.
• Barley Creek Brewing Company, Tannersville — craft beer and pub food, with a patio that reopens with the weather.
• Glass Wine Bar Bistro, Mount Pocono — good wine list, small plates, outdoor seating when it's warm enough.
• Desaki, Tannersville — sushi and Japanese, a surprise for the area and consistently good.
• Sarah Street Grill, Stroudsburg — casual, kid-friendly, solid burgers and local beer. About 25 minutes.
• The Deer Head Inn, Delaware Water Gap — historic jazz club with live music most weekends. Worth building an evening around.
• Shawnee Craft Brewing — seasonal spring ales and a beer garden that reopens in spring.

For provisions, Callie's Candy Kitchen in Mountainhome does fudge and old-fashioned candy — the reliable source for s'mores supplies.

Markets

The Pocono Mountains Farmers Market reopens mid-April, Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. Early season is maple syrup, greens and baked goods; by late May you're into proper spring vegetables. The Stroudsburg Farmers Market returns to its outdoor Saturday schedule around the same time.

A few local farms run spring-on-the-farm weekends — maple tours at the tail of the season, and early berry picking as May closes out.

Racing

Pocono Raceway is 11 minutes from the door. The big NASCAR weekends land in summer, but the track runs smaller events, go-kart racing and track tours through spring. Worth checking their calendar if you're here anyway.

Fair warning for race weekends whenever they fall: book dinner well ahead. Restaurants across the region fill up.

Spring at the chalet

Honestly, this is our favourite stretch. The barrel sauna is better in cool air than in August — you step out onto the deck afterwards and the temperature difference is the whole point. The firepit earns its keep on spring evenings: cool enough that the fire matters, mild enough to sit out for hours.

The forest around the property changes week to week through April and May, from bare to that specific fresh green that only lasts a few weeks. The ski lift chair swing is a good place to watch it happen with a coffee.

Inside, the great room and the game loft cover the rainy afternoons, and the kitchen is set up for cooking whatever you've picked up at the market.

Slanted Stone Chalet sleeps eight across three bedrooms plus a bunk room for the kids, with a hot tub, the Finnish barrel sauna, a game loft and a stone firepit, fifteen minutes from Tobyhanna.

Spring dates go quickly once the weather turns. Book your stay direct and use code INSIDER10 for 10% off.