The Lakewood Lodge was founded by Mrs. Mary McGranaghan and later operated by her son Edward and Mr. Francis McGraw. On October 18, 1944, a fire completely destroyed the original building. Francis McGraw decided to rebuild and open the new three-story hotel on the same site on May 13, 1946. He and his family operated this landmark in rural Northern Wayne County for 25 years.
During that time, Lakewood was a bustling stop on the Ontario & Western (O&W) Railroad – Scranton Division, which was primarily used for hauling coal out of the Lackawanna Valley. Other freight included block ice, harvested from nearby lakes and ponds, milk from the creamery operated across the street, and passengers who could travel from Carbondale to New York City. When the underground coal mining ended, so did the railroad. Now, the rails are all gone, and the O&W Trail is used as a recreational Rails-to-Trails system with several uses: mountain biking, hiking, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and ATV riding. The old Lakewood Railroad Station (c1889) still stands and we operate it as a mountain bike, canoe and kayak rental center: Lakewood Outdoor Adventures.
Our Lodge has been modernized and expanded over the past several years. We have a mixture of guest rooms totaling 16, including two carriage house efficiency apartments. Our restaurant is run by professional chefs, and we are well known for providing great country breakfasts and a seasonal breakfast buffet, which are included with all room rates. Under the “Stay with Us” Page of this website, you can see room pictures and availability, and can book directly with us, which we recommend. You can also make reservations for renting mountain bikes, canoes, and kayaks. Bikes are ridden directly on the O&W Trail, with direct access from the Lodge and Station. We moor canoes and kayaks on nearby Belmont Lake, which is the largest public lake in this area at 173 acres. Very pristine and untouched and operated by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
We added an outdoor dining pavilion during 2015, and added a stone patio to that during 2021, so we have plenty of room for small or larger groups. We regularly cater onsite for birthday, holiday and anniversary parties, smaller weddings. During 2020 we added a trailer parking lot for our Lodge and restaurant customers hauling off-highway vehicles.
Located in the northern Poconos, we are 2 ½ hours from NYC and 3 hours from Philadelphia. A 25 minute commute to the West takes you to the Elk Mountain Ski Resort. A 15 minute to the East takes you to the Upper Delaware Recreational and Scenic River National Park, which hosts some of the best trout and walleye fishing on the East Coast. Visit our “Activities” Page to see details of all our area has to offer.
