Cabins
Promised Land State Park rents 12 rustic cabins in the Bear Wallow Cabin Colony, a cluster of 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps cabins among evergreens beside Lower Lake. They are open from mid-April to early December and sleep two to five people each. Each has a wood-burning fireplace insert, electricity, a refrigerator, stove and microwave, a covered porch and a fire ring. There is no running water inside; a modern restroom and drinking water spigot stand near each cabin. Bring your own linens and cookware.
Cabins at a Glance
Inside a Bear Wallow Cabin
Each cabin has one main room with a fireplace insert for heat, a dining table with chairs or benches, a refrigerator, a stove with oven, a microwave and a coffee pot. Outside are a covered porch, a fire ring and a picnic table. Sleeping is in bunks or single beds, and cabins hold between two and five guests depending on the cabin.
What to Bring
DCNR's cabin list says to pack:
- All linens: sheets, blankets or sleeping bags, pillows, towels.
- All cooking, serving and eating utensils.
- Toiletries and coffee filters.
- Firewood: none is provided, and cutting live trees or using chainsaws is prohibited.
Dogs
A few designated Bear Wallow cabins allow up to two dogs for an extra nightly fee; all the others are pet-free. Check the cabin's listing when you book, because DCNR's pages do not agree on exactly which cabin numbers take dogs. Whittaker Cabin also allows up to two dogs.
Accessible Cabin
Cabin 9, Moshannon, is ADA accessible, and so is the restroom near it. It sleeps up to four.
Whittaker Cabin
Separate from the colony, Whittaker Cabin sits down a private driveway off North Shore Road and sleeps eight. Linens are not provided.
Booking and Rules
- Reserve from 11 months to three days before arrival through Pennsylvania State Parks or 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757). Within two days, call the park.
- Off-peak: two-night minimum, 14-night maximum.
- Peak season, from the second Friday in June to the third Friday in August: weekly rentals only, Friday to Friday.
- Check in at 3 p.m. at the park office (after hours, pick up your cabin envelope in the office lobby). Check out by 10 a.m. and return keys to the office.
- Two vehicles per cabin; extra cars use the free extra parking area.
- Quiet hours run from 9 at night to 8 in the morning. No alcohol. No tents, trailers, RVs or ATVs at the cabins.
- Prices vary by cabin, season, length of stay, day of the week and residency; a transaction fee and local taxes are added.
The Private Cabins You Will See
Scattered through the park are more than 200 privately owned cabins on land leased from the state. They are not rentals from the park. Please respect the owners' privacy.
Good For
- A fall weekend by the fire, through early December.
- Families who want walls and a bed without hauling a camper.
Maybe Skip If
- You need an indoor bathroom or kitchen sink: try a camping cottage near a shower house, or glamping with air conditioning.
Cabins FAQ
Does Promised Land State Park have cabins?
Yes. It rents 12 rustic Bear Wallow cabins built by the CCC in the 1930s beside Lower Lake, plus Whittaker Cabin, which sleeps eight.
Do the Bear Wallow cabins have bathrooms?
Not inside. The cabins have no running water, but a modern restroom and drinking water spigot are near each one.
When are the cabins open?
Mid-April to early December. From the second Friday in June to the third Friday in August, they rent by the week, Friday to Friday.
Are dogs allowed in the cabins at Promised Land?
In a few designated cabins, up to two dogs for a fee. Check the cabin listing when booking.
Do the cabins have linens?
No. Bring sheets or sleeping bags, pillows, towels and your own cookware.
Facts from the DCNR page for Promised Land State Park.