Pocono Lake Preserve

Pocono Lake Preserve is located on the north shore of Pocono Lake, south of Rt 940 between Blakeslee and Pocono Pines. It’s a tiny private community that’s been going since the beginning of the 1900s.

The Pocono Lake Preserve was founded for the purpose of forming a vacation and religious retreat. Members of the Preserve have two to four-acre plots with a cottage. A road circles the lake making it possible for all members of Pocono Lake Preserve to have access to the lake. The Preserve also maintains almost 28 miles of hiking trails that meander through their lands. Motorized vehicles are not permitted on the hiking trails, allowing hikers to enjoy the tranquility of their surroundings.

Pocono Lake Preserve was started in 1904 by a group of Quaker families from the Philadelphia area looking to spend their summers by Pocono Lake and escape from the city for a few months. These original families began a strong Quaker heritage at the lake, exemplified by the Preserve’s motto of Simplicity, Sincerity and Service. Today, there are many more people at Pocono Lake than a few families, but much of the original character of the Preserve remains intact. There is Quaker Meeting in the Worship Grove on Sunday mornings, and Friday night is square dance night. There are no paved roads, motorboat engines can’t exceed 7 horsepower, cell phones aren’t allowed in the center area, and many houses lack internet and television.

While the original Preserve families camped out in tents, now there are 140 permanent houses around the lake — though they are still referred to as camps. Each of the camps at the Preserve is owned by a particular family, and many have been passed from one generation to another over the last century. The summer season runs from late June through Labor Day, but many families come and enjoy the Preserve during the rest of the year. Summer activities are run by the high school and college-aged children of Preserve families.