Lakefront cabin, private dock — three hours from the city.
A 3-bedroom cabin right on Shehawken Lake — a 54-acre spring-fed lake in the northeast corner of Wayne County, PA. Paddle boards, kayaks, and a row boat included. No jet skis, no crowds, no traffic noise. Electric motors only.
Shehawken Lake doesn’t allow gas motors. That single rule is the whole story of why this place feels different. No roar of wake boats at 8am. No oil sheen on the water. Just paddling, swimming, fishing from the dock, and loons at dusk. The lake is 54 acres, spring-fed, surrounded by two 400-acre farms, and the shoreline is dotted with cottages that stay in families for generations.
The cabin itself is a 3-bedroom with a walk-out basement, fireplace, and full kitchen. Out front, a private dock with a gazebo is where most of your weekend actually happens. Included in every stay: paddle boards, kayak, row boat, grill, flotation devices, corn hole, and the smartlock code you need to self-check-in after a long drive. Propane tanks stay stocked. Firewood stays stocked. Toothbrushes, paper towels, coffee filters — if you forgot it, it’s probably already here.
The fishing is a real part of the draw. Guests pull bass, yellow perch, and pickerel off the dock regularly — including 7-year-olds on their first try. Bring rods or don’t; the lake has a way of getting people to fish who didn’t think they would.
It’s the kind of place that ranks 4.86 on Airbnb not because of influencer-grade styling, but because guests come back and tell their friends. The cabin does what lakefront cabins are actually supposed to do. It gets you outside, off your phone, and into the water.
What’s included
Everything on the dock. Everything in the cabin.
Private dock & gazebo
Walk out the back door, down through the yard, and you’re on the water. Gazebo for shade and evening drinks.
Water toys & life jackets
Paddle boards, kayak, row boat, paddles, and life jackets for every size — stocked in a dedicated shed at the shoreline. Help yourself.
Sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms
Two queens, one double, plus a sofa bed and couch in the living room. Comfortable for two couples or a small family.
Fireplace inside, fire pit outside
Interior fireplace for cold mornings. Outdoor fire pit for late nights. Both get used heavily October through April.
Self check-in, no key hassles
Smartlock code sent before arrival. Roll in Friday night at 10pm after a long drive, no handoff needed.
Wifi, TV, full kitchen, grill
Everything you need to cook, stream, or work remote. Grill included on the patio for lakeside dinners.
Why guests come back. Every season does something different.
Most lake cabins are summer-only stories. This one legitimately shifts — the lake, the town, and what you do changes entirely across the year. Here’s what each season is actually like.
Summer · Jun–Aug
Lake days, long ones.
Avg 80°F days · 60°F nights
Peak cabin season. You’ll swim off the dock, paddle board until your arms are tired, fire up the grill, and watch the sunset paint the lake orange. Shehawken is warm enough to swim comfortably June through early September.
Paddle board, kayak, row boat right off the dock
Swim off the private dock (gentle slope to deep water)
Fly fishing on the West Branch Delaware, 15 min away
Hancock NY for coffee, antiques, and river outfitters
Fall · Sep–Nov
Foliage and fireside mornings.
Avg 70°F days · 45°F nights
The underrated season. Leaves peak mid-October in this corner of the Poconos. Mornings are brisk enough to want a fireplace, afternoons are still warm enough for a boat ride. This is when the fly fishing gets serious.
Peak Pocono foliage through mid-October
Fly fishing season on the Delaware tributaries
Hiking state game lands right from the cabin
Shorter light, longer fires, almost no other guests
Winter · Dec–Feb
Ski basecamp on a frozen lake.
Avg 35°F days · 20°F nights
Elk Mountain Ski Resort is a 30-min scenic drive — one of PA’s best mountains with 27 trails and night skiing. When the lake freezes solid (most winters), you can ice skate right off the dock. Cross-country skiing in the surrounding farmland.
Elk Mountain Ski Resort — 30 min drive
Ice skating on the lake (weather-dependent)
Cross-country skiing in surrounding game lands
Fireplace + walk-out basement for après-ski
Spring · Mar–May
The quiet reset. Just birds and water.
Avg 55°F days · 35°F nights
The slowest season — which is the point. Lake freezes thaw, the first loons come back, and the hiking trails reopen. Fewer guests means the lake feels entirely yours. Best pricing of the year.
Spring fly fishing opener — first trout of the year
Hiking and birding before the summer crowds
Best rates and widest date availability
Ideal for solo or couples retreats
Where you’ll be
Remote, but not inconvenient.
Starrucca sits in the northeast corner of Wayne County, PA — a quiet pocket of the Poconos that most of New York and New Jersey hasn’t figured out yet. Hancock, NY is minutes away for groceries, coffee, and the Delaware River. Scranton is under an hour if you need a city for a day.
The drive from Manhattan is about 3 hours through Pennsylvania 17. From Philadelphia, about the same through the Poconos. You’ll get to the cabin with the whole afternoon still ahead of you.
Planning the visit? Read the full Starrucca area guide — drive routes, food, seasons, and things to do.
~3 hr
From Manhattan
~3 hr
From Philadelphia
30 min
To Elk Mountain ski
15 min
To Hancock, NY
Nearby
Hancock, NY (groceries, river access)15 min
Elk Mountain Ski Resort30 min
West Branch Delaware (fly fishing)20 min
Starrucca Viaduct10 min
Scranton, PA55 min
Binghamton, NY45 min
What guests say
Booked solid, summer after summer.
A sample of recent reviews from Airbnb. See all 22 when you book.
4.86· 22 Airbnb reviews
★★★★★
“The house is beautiful, and offers more than you’d expect — bedding and cleanliness at a true 5-star hotel level. Fishing was amazing! Even our 7-year-old caught a few decent basses, yellow perches, and pickerels. This place was thoughtfully designed to make you happy. I’ll be back.”
C
Cody · Tower City, PA
September 2025 · Stayed with kids
★★★★★
“Private, beautiful cabin with lots of character, very cozy and clean. Right on the crystal clear lake, as promised, with paddle boards and kayaks! The views of the lake (both inside and out) are spectacular and very romantic. 10 out of 10, honestly one of the nicest Airbnbs I’ve ever stayed in.”
S
Shanell · New York, NY
July 2025 · Stayed a few nights
★★★★★
“A really beautiful cabin right on a lake. Even nicer than the pictures and absolutely spotless. Ryan reached out before approving the rental to make sure we had 4-wheel drive — extremely responsive throughout. We used it for a ski weekend, about a 30-minute scenic drive to Elk Mountain.”
T
Theodore
February 2025 · Group ski trip
Fastest · instant book
Book direct on Airbnb.
Real-time availability, instant confirmation, and Airbnb’s booking protection. Same cabin, same dock, same price you’ll see at checkout.
For questions about pets, longer stays (7+ nights), group bookings, or anything else not covered above. Same-day response most days.
Got it — I’ll be in touch.
Usually within a few hours. If urgent, book directly on Airbnb.
Before you book, a few answers.
About 3 hours door-to-door from either city. The cabin sits in the northeast corner of Wayne County, PA, minutes from Hancock, NY. Most guests drive in Friday evening and leave Sunday — it’s close enough for a weekend but remote enough to actually feel like you got away.
Private dock with a gazebo, paddle boards, a kayak, a row boat, and flotation devices — all included. Shehawken Lake is a 54-acre spring-fed lake that only permits electric motors, so it stays genuinely quiet. Perfect for paddling, swimming, and fishing.
Up to 6 guests. Three bedrooms (two with queen beds, one with a double), plus a sofa bed and couch in the living room. Ideal for two couples, a small family, or a group of friends.
Yes. Elk Mountain Ski Resort is about a 30-minute scenic drive — one of Pennsylvania’s best ski mountains with 27 trails and night skiing. In really cold winters, Shehawken Lake also freezes solid enough for ice skating right off the dock.
Honest answer: this cabin has a lot of stone steps. From the driveway down to the cabin, and again from the cabin down to the dock. Guests with mobility issues or bad knees should know this going in. That said, the payoff is the setting — the stone stairs and terraced ferns are part of why the property looks the way it does.
Pets are considered case-by-case. Message through Airbnb (or the contact form above) with the details of your dog and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
Easiest way is Airbnb — the link at the top of this page takes you straight to the listing with real-time availability and instant booking. If you prefer to ask questions first or are booking for a longer stay, use the contact form above and we’ll get back to you same day.
The lake is quiet right now.
Most weekends in summer book up 4–6 weeks out. Shoulder seasons fill faster than people expect. Best move: check dates now, commit later.
