A proposed glamping-style campground in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, has received approval from the borough’s zoning board, advancing a plan that could expand outdoor lodging opportunities near key regional transportation routes.
S. Walsh Properties LLC, based in Scranton, was granted a special exception during the April 24 zoning board meeting to develop a campground with five one-room cabins on a site at Silver Lake, located off Drinker Turnpike.
Borough Zoning Coordinator Michael Brazil confirmed on April 26 that the board had unanimously approved the proposal.
The development site is situated between the Interstate 84/380 Twin Bridges and Route 435, near the recently completed flyover ramp that reconfigured the Elmhurst exit from a left-lane to a right-lane departure.
The planned development will occupy land designated as a conservation district under Dunmore’s zoning rules, a classification that permits campground use.
“It’s an allowable use in that district,” Brazil said in a report by The Times-Tribune. He described the project as a “glamping”-style operation, emphasizing that it would provide a more upscale camping experience compared to traditional campgrounds.
According to Brazil, the campground will include five one-room cabins and is not intended to operate as a recreational vehicle park.
While the public notice used the phrase “campground/recreational vehicle park,” Brazil clarified that this language was drawn from the cooperative zoning ordinance categories adopted in December 2023 under the Scranton-Abingtons Planning Association (SAPA), which Dunmore now follows.
Although S. Walsh Properties did not respond to inquiries on Friday, the project’s engineering firm, DesignBLD of Exeter, shared a photo on behalf of the developer.
The plan must now proceed to the Dunmore Planning Commission for further review, and construction is not expected to begin for several months.
The Silver Lake site is near the county’s North Pocono Trail project, a multi-phase recreational trail initiative still in development.
The first section of the trail runs approximately 3.5 miles, beginning at the Twin Bridges project area and extending to a trailhead near Route 435 in Elmhurst Township.
Once complete, the trail will pass beneath the bridges and follow a former railroad corridor owned by Lackawanna County. Long-term plans aim to connect the trail to systems in the Moscow area.
For outdoor hospitality professionals, the Silver Lake campground project highlights opportunities tied to infrastructure improvements and trail connectivity.
Proximity to major highways and recreational trails can enhance a property’s accessibility and appeal to modern travelers seeking nature-based, yet comfortable, accommodations.
Developers and campground operators may find value in monitoring projects like this one, especially in jurisdictions aligning with cooperative zoning frameworks like SAPA, which can influence land use classifications and streamline approval processes.