What's New in the Poconos in 2026: Openings, News and Local Changes

A new restaurant on Route 903

Thorpe's 903 is the local opening to know

The biggest dining news near the chalet is Thorpe's 903, a new restaurant at 874 Route 903 in Penn Forest Township — right on the road many of our guests take toward Jim Thorpe. Per local reporting, owners Rob and Alexis Scolnick took over the former Trattoria 903 space, rebuilt it top to bottom, and now run a 70-seat dining room with a full bar, weekday breakfast and a varied dinner menu. For a group-sized table on a night you don't feel like cooking, it's a welcome addition between the lake and town.

The Lake Harmony standbys — Nick's Lake House, Louie's Prime and Boulder View Tavern — are all still going strong. We keep a running list of favorites in our things to do in Lake Harmony guide.

Ski hill investments at Camelback and JFBB

Both of our nearest mountains put money into lifts and snow

The short version: Camelback upgraded a major lift and its snowmaking, and Jack Frost Big Boulder made steady infrastructure fixes for the 2025–26 season. Per resort announcements, Camelback overhauled the high-speed Stevenson lift's mechanical and electrical systems and expanded snowmaking with dozens of new automated hydrants and stick guns on key trails; it opened December 3 for the season, added an LED light show to its 42-lane tubing park, and now sits on the Ikon Pass network alongside Blue Mountain. Season passes for 2026/27 went on sale February 18 — early-bird pricing is usually the play.

At Jack Frost Big Boulder — 3 minutes to Big Boulder and 5 minutes to Jack Frost from our door — this season's work included a new haul rope on Jack Frost's D-Lift, new LED lighting at Big Boulder and replaced snowmaking pipe, building on the multi-lift replacements of recent seasons. Epic Pass holders can also share 50%-off "friend" tickets. Not sure which mountain suits your crew? See our Big Boulder vs. Jack Frost comparison and our ski chalet page.

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Waterpark resorts: Kalahari and Great Wolf

The big indoor waterparks keep collecting hardware

Kalahari's Pocono Mountains resort — about 25 minutes from the chalet — was named the #1 indoor waterpark in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for the fourth consecutive year in 2026, and its virtual-reality waterslide repeated as best water slide, per the resort's announcements. One heads-up from Kalahari's own updates: the Tiko's Watering Hole area is scheduled to close for renovations starting September 8, 2026, so check Kalahari's site before a fall visit. The brand is also opening its next resort in Virginia in November 2026, which says something about how well the Poconos flagship has performed.

Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains, meanwhile, is fresh off its $125 million resort-wide transformation — new suites and villas, seven added slides, laser tag and mini bowling. Our staying near Kalahari guide covers how to do a waterpark day pass while sleeping somewhere much quieter.

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Pocono Raceway: 2026 recap and 2027 outlook

Hamlin three-peated in June; 2027 brings a tripleheader

The Great American Getaway 400 ran June 14, 2026, and Denny Hamlin won it again — his eighth career Cup victory at the Tricky Triangle and, per race reporting, his first career three-peat at any track, ahead of Tyler Reddick and William Byron. The race streamed on Prime Video and drew about 1.66 million viewers.

The bigger news for planners came in August 2026: Pocono Raceway announced its 2027 dates, and the Craftsman Truck Series is returning for a full tripleheader weekend, per local reporting.

The track is 10 minutes from our driveway, which makes race weekend absurdly easy from here — our Pocono Raceway weekend guide has the logistics.

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Trails, parks and the scenic railway

No big changes at Hickory Run — and that's the good news

Hickory Run State Park, 20 minutes away, enters 2026 much as you remember it: Boulder Field, Hawk Falls and 40-plus miles of trails, with the seasonal note that the dirt road to Boulder Field often closes in winter until ice clears, per the state park's guidance. Our Boulder Field guide covers timing and footwear.

On the D&L Trail, the pedestrian bridge connector between downtown Jim Thorpe and the Weissport trail section — a recent addition per the trail corridor's own materials — has settled in as the easiest way to link a town visit with a flat riverside walk or ride. And the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway published its 2026 season: main-line excursions run March 13 through September 25 with 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. departures, plus bike trains and fall foliage runs. Jim Thorpe itself is 20 minutes from the chalet — our day trip guide maps out a full day there.

The closure to know about: Split Rock's waterpark

H2Oooohh is closed until further notice — plan around it

Split Rock Resort's H2Oooohh indoor waterpark here in Lake Harmony is currently closed until further notice, per the resort's own website, and no reopening date has been announced. The resort's new ownership has signaled phased renovations under the Bel Air Collection banner, so the story may improve — but for now, don't build a trip around it, and double-check before believing any listing that promises waterpark access.

If a swim day is non-negotiable, Kalahari and Great Wolf both sell day passes, and Camelback's Aquatopia is a third option. And honestly? Our guests tell us the hot tub and sauna back at the chalet cover the warm-water requirement most nights.

Stay with us

If 2026's news has you planning a Poconos trip, we'd love to host you. The Lake Harmony Chalet sleeps 14 across 5 bedrooms, with a hot tub, sauna, game room and a fenced yard for your dog — 3 minutes from Big Boulder and about 2 hours from NYC. Check dates and book direct with us here.