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15 Best Things to Do in Blakeslee, PA

  • Published 2022/09/05

Blakeslee is a tiny town in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania.

The town got its name from a post office built in 1884, named after its first postmaster, Jacob Blakeslee.

Jacob later served as the Justice of the Peace.

The town’s rural charm captures the hearts of anyone visiting this small place.

From its scenic mountain views to its weekend adventure spots, the town offers respite from the grime and noise of the city.

Here are the best things to do in Blakeslee, Pennsylvania, to help you plan your trip:

Explore the Woods at Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area

The 130-acre Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area sits along Tobyhanna Creek, just off Pennsylvania Route 115.

This place welcomes visitors who don’t mind sweating since it prohibits cars, ATVs, or other motorized vehicles.

It’s a great place to wander and enjoy the woods’ fresh air and natural beauty.

You can do various activities like hiking, picnicking, and waterfall sightseeing.

The place also offers seasonal fishing, but only for a limited number of people with a license.

It offers three hiking trail options according to their length and difficulty.

For instance, you can make the half-mile-long orange-blazed Pine Trail.

Then, try the one-mile loop blue-blazed Highland trail.

Meanwhile, the longest one is the red-blazed Creek Trail, spanning over two miles.

At the end of the trailheads, you will find a covered pavilion with picnic tables.

Go ahead and explore the beautiful views at Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area.

Wander the Thomas Darling Preserve

Named after the naturalist, Thomas Darling Reserve is a protected 2,500-acre spruce forest and glacial wetlands.

It is one of the state’s biggest spruce forests, also called taiga, offering an exciting landscape for all seasons.

You can access the preserve via a two-mile walkway and boardwalk system from the parking area along Burger Road.

Most visitors can finish the trail in approximately two hours at a steady pace.

Prepare to navigate rough, uneven, and rocky terrain.

Enjoy hiking, bird and wildlife watching, and even peacefully walking along its majestic landscape.

Likewise, you can go hunting, following PA State Game Commission regulations.

Visit the preserve in May or June to see the flowers in full bloom!

During spring, the large sweet viburnum plants cover the land with fragrant white, flat-topped blooms and glossy leaves called “Sheepberry.”

Cotton grass, colorful wildflowers, and blueberries cover the land in autumn.

Check out moss blankets in swamps, fens, bogland, wet meadows, tamaracks, and its majestic coniferous forest.

Aside from its gorgeous landscape, the place also comes alive with wildlife.

You might spot animals like black bears, river otters, and snowshoe hares.

Thomas Darling Preserve also hosts myriad bird species like prairie Warbler, swamp sparrow, and the red-eyed vireo.

You might also spot the eastern towhee, trail’s flycatcher, chestnut-sided warbler, and common yellowthroat.

Check Out the Pocono Raceway Slingshot Rentals

Do you want to try something new?

Go to Pocono Raceway and give an open-air Slingshot a ride!

The slingshot is not an automobile but a three-wheeled motorcycle, first introduced in 2014.

Unlike a stock car event that runs in speedways, the slingshot has many routes.

For instance, you can drive twisting mountain roads with a stunning view from the Pocono Mountains.

Guests must be 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license.

Complete your ride along the trails by visiting the restaurants, parks, and stopovers.

You can stop by, rest, eat, and pose for a picture.

Grab a ride from the Pocono Slingshot Rentals!

Enjoy a Relaxing Stay at the Village at Pocono

Where do you want to stay in Blakeslee?

Check out The Village at Pocono, a quick two-minute drive from the Pocono Raceway.

This place is a resort at the heart of the Pocono Mountains.

The Village at Pocono is a great spot to spend the night after some activities near the Big Boulder Ski Area or the Jack Frost Mountain Resort.

Likewise, the three-star hotel features a fitness center, sauna, and an indoor pool.

Learn about Regenerative Farming at Pocono Organics

Pocono Organics is one of North America’s largest Regenerative Organic Certified Farms.

Try this unique experience in Blakeslee.

The enormous farm spans roughly 38,000 square feet, with 35-foot-tall greenhouses and more than 380 acres of farmland.

Pocono Organics is much more than a farm.

It also practices sustainable farming, featuring a 25-acre solar farm and an irrigation system using collected rainwater.

Likewise, it offers weekend tours around its greenhouse facilities and cooking classes.

You might catch some events, workshops, and retreats if you’re lucky.

This place encourages refreshing, educational options for kids and adults.

The place has a dedicated Organic Farm Market and a Cafe where guests can enjoy its produce all year.

After an exhausting day at the park, you can enjoy farm-fresh food at Pocono Organics.

Join a Racing Program at Bertil Roos Racing School

Do you have some extra time?

Join the Bertil Roos Racing School programs and learn the best driving and motor-racing techniques.

In 1975, the Swedish Formula One racer Bertil Roos established the school in Blakeslee.

You can find the school a few miles from Pocono Raceway.

Meanwhile, its office is in Palm Beach International Raceway.

The school offers half-day, two, three, and five-day coaching sessions.

They can also cater to corporate activities.

Check out the schedules and offerings on their website.

Fulfill your race car driver dreams at Bertil Roos Racing School!

Other Things to Do Nearby

Cross Boulder Field at Hickory Run State Park

Boulder field at Hickory Run State Park

Rosemarie Mosteller / Shutterstock.com

The 15,990-acre Hickory Run State Park sits at the foot of the Pocono Mountains.

You can find this park in White Haven, Pennsylvania, 20 minutes from Blakeslee.

It has three state park natural areas, including the boulder field.

You can traverse the field by car or foot along a five-mile dirt loop.

The site comprises the remains of the landscape created by intense climate conditions during the last Ice Age.

There are other boulder fields, but they are not as accessible, expansive, and flat.

The waters of Hickory Run State Park

Mad Hare Imagery / Shutterstock.com

The rocks have existed for over 20,000 years; the park forbids stacking or moving any of them.

Before you visit the boulder site, wear the proper footwear to help you keep your footing on the rocks.

Cross the unique rocky landscape composed of red sandstone and quartz.

Besides walking, you can also hike to Hawk Falls, swim in Sand Spring Lake, go camping, and picnic.

Spend the weekend at Hickory Run State Park!

Have Fun at Alvin’s Offroad Playground

Alvin’s Offroad Playground is a family-oriented off-road park that offers exciting activities you can try.

This place is also in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, 14 minutes from Blakeslee.

You can rent an ATV, SxS, or dirtbike playground regardless of your skill level.

Explore its 70-acre trails with its hour-long guided ride.

Two people can fit into one ATV rental.

All drivers must be above 14 years old.

However, you can still bring kids five to 13 years old, but you shouldn’t let them drive.

Likewise, follow a few rules, including the dress code, to keep everyone safe.

They demand all drivers and passengers to wear long pants and close-toed shoes.

You might also want to bundle up and consider wearing thick gloves during wintertime.

The park features a variety of rolling hills, wood trails, grassy fields, oval dirt tracks, and a small motocross track.

When it rains, the tracks can also get muddy.

Prepare for some action at Alvin’s Offroad Playground!

Create New Memories at Lake Harmony Watersports

Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, check out Lake Harmony Watersports!

The Lake Harmony Watersports is a premier school for wakeboarding and waterskiing.

It provides lessons and demonstrations for wakeboarding, knee boarding, and wake surfing.

Likewise, you can learn kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, tubing, and stand-up paddle boarding.

The team operates out of a hotel called Lake Harmony Inn in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania, ten minutes from Blakeslee.

Check out Lake Harmony Watersports and try different water sports.

The staff will provide you with all the equipment you need.

Enjoy an Exquisite Meal at Split Rock’s Lake View Tavern

Split Rock Resort is an indoor waterpark near Lake Harmony in the beautiful Pocono Mountains.

The resort offers miniature golf, tennis, softball, basketball, bowling alleys, a movie theater, and many more.

Plus, it provides many dining and bar options!

The Lake View Tavern is a lakeside lodge perfect for relaxing and enjoying a cold drink, good food, and a great view.

You can dine on their deck outside while enjoying a relaxing view of Lake Harmony or relish a meal in its cozy interior.

Find this tavern in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania, nine minutes from Blakeslee.

Enjoy a fine meal at the Lakeside View Tavern in Split Rock Resort.

Join the Elements Music & Art Festival

The Elements Music & Art Festival is a three-day car and camping festival with music, art, and adventure.

You can find this place in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, seven minutes from Blakeslee.

Join many fun activities throughout the festival, including games, yoga sessions, wellness programming, and much more!

Each festival pass includes a camping pass, providing one spot in the GA or VIP camping grounds.

Accommodations vary from a standard tent, a glamping option, RV, and an onsite hotel.

Don’t skip the chance to join this fun event!

Check out the official Elements Music & Art Festival website for their schedules!

Enjoy an ATV Ride in Dixon Miller Recreation Area

Another nature trip you should try is driving an ATV and camping at Dixon Miller Recreation Area in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania.

Likewise, this area is inside the Delaware State Forest, eight minutes from Blakeslee.

Formerly called the Pohopoco Tract ATV Area, this place has about 14 miles of summer and winter ATV trails with panoramic views of the Pocono Mountains.

Most courses are hard-packed and smooth, but some sections are rough with sharp rocks and scattered tree roots.

During the rainy season, however, trails usually become saturated with water creating wide and deep puddles.

You better come prepared!

After driving, set up camp at the staging area located a few minutes away at Peaceful Woodlands Family Campground.

It has direct off-road access, an RV site, cabin rentals, and a swimming pool.

You can also stock up on supplies at the store; buy firewood, ice, and propane, for example.

The Dixon Miller Recreation Area takes care of your every camping need.

Bring a date, friends, or family!

Go Skiing at Jack Frost Big Boulder Resort

Daytime view of Jack Frost Big Boulder Resort

FotosForTheFuture / Shutterstock.com

Try this thrilling winter outdoor activity to make your Blakeslee experience more memorable.

Jack Frost Big Boulder Resort opened in 1972 in White Haven, Pennsylvania, approximately a seven-minute car ride from Blakeslee.

It is the first commercial ski resort in PA and the first that used an artificial snowmaking machine.

Nearby is its sister mountain, the Big Boulder Ski Resort, about five miles away.

The other mountain resort conveniently offers the same lift ticket and access to both ski sites.

The resort offers around 20 kilometers of terrain parks for skiing and snowboarding and 11 lifts to transport guests.

Besides these activities, the place provides live music, an outdoor grill and bar, and a stunning view of the ski slopes by the fireplace.

Don’t miss out on skiing at Jack Frost Big Boulder Resort!

Enjoy Family Day at 940 Golf N’Fun

940 Golf ‘n Fun is a family-friendly, old-style amusement center at Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania, four minutes from Blakeslee.

It boasts a miniature golf course, a paintball shooting range, bumper cars, and a driving range.

Bring your kids to an arcade, an ice cream stand, a batting cage, a trampoline, and many more.

Make your summer even more impressive at 940 Golf N’Fun!

Take note that the park opens seasonally from April until Mid-October if weather permits.

Try Stock Car Racing at Pocono Raceway

A race car at Pocono Raceway

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Also located in the Pocono Mountains is the Pocono Raceway, also known as “The Tricky Triangle.”

You can find this place in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, seven minutes from Blakeslee.

The raceway is the “world’s first private solar-powered Sports Facility.”

Their three-megawatt solar farm provides electricity for the raceway and contributes to the local power grid.

The raceway operated as early as 1957, hosting the first NASCAR Cup Series in 1974.

Crowd in Pocono Raceway

Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

Try this speedway experience for the adrenaline rush!

The place primarily caters to adults but offers StockCar Ride and Team ProKart Racing for kids above 14.

Likewise, its season of events usually runs for approximately 35 days, between May and October.

There are four experiences to choose from in Pocono Raceway.

First, try the infamous StockCar Ride and Bring-your-own-car experience on a 2.5 Mile Super Speedway.

Then, move on to the 0.75-Mile race track drive, a ProKart, and the mile-long road course for exotic driving.

Pit stop at Pocono Raceway

Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

Final Thoughts

Blakeslee has a lot to offer, from sightseeing to thrilling outdoor activities.

There are many sites and adventures to choose from, whether alone, with friends, or with family.

Plan your trip today and discover the best things to do in Blakeslee, Pennsylvania!

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