Lakes, waterfalls and forestland make up Dingman
Dingman offers a scenic setting located within Delaware State Forest. Every fall, the township's green foliage transitions to golden hues, and in the winter snow covers the rolling terrain. Locals can spend warmer days fishing on Shohola Lake, hiking alongside waterfalls and rafting across the Delaware River. Several subdivisions also surround private recreation lakes in this community of 12,000. “Our quality of life is unmatched,” says Arlene Quirk, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty, who also lives in Dingman. “Most of us do at least one outdoor activity a day.”
Dingman's quiet atmosphere attracts part-timers from all over, especially New York City. “We have a few restaurants and stores, and the parks get some tourists, but Dingman truly is just a rural township,” Quirk says. “There’s just one stoplight and a whole bunch of forestland.”
Some lakefront communities have HOA fees
Split levels, ranch styles and cabins dot Dingman’s winding roads. New Traditionals and manufactured homes are also common. Dense forests of maple, pine and beech trees often shade houses, and some properties back up to the area’s lakes with docks and boat slips. Lakefront communities usually have HOA fees and resident-only amenities, like Gold Key Lake’s sports facilities, clubhouse and pool. Dingman’s median single-family home price is around $365,000, which is lower than the national median. Manufactured homes can start at around $30,000, while larger homes on bigger lots may cost about $950,000. Empty lots can range from $4,500 to $168,000, depending on acreage. Houses near lakes may be in flood zones. Residents should also be aware that Dingman experiences cold winters, with about 38 inches of snow annually.
Dingman is home to several waterfalls and hiking trails
The public Shohola Lake is on Dingman’s northwestern corner. Here, locals can paddleboat and fish for pickerel, pumpkinseed and perch. A hiking trail that’s a little over half a mile long reaches the 50-foot-tall Shohola Falls. Raymondskill Falls in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a popular tourist destination. “The trail that leads to it is shorter, so people can take their kids there,” Quirk says. The three-tiered waterfall is Pennsylvania’s tallest, reaching 150 feet.
Locals also find boat launches, swimming spots and more trails in the recreation area, which is located along the Delaware River on the township’s east side. Dingman Township Park on Log Tavern Road has a playground, baseball diamond and soccer field. The township regularly hosts movie nights here, and there’s a car show in June. State game lands surround the area, and hunters may find white-tailed deer, wild turkey and black bears on these forested plots. Several golf courses are nearby, including the 18-hole High Point Golf Club, a course open to the public about 15 miles east in High Point State Park.
Public schools earn B grades or higher
The Delaware Valley School District serves Dingman. Kids can attend Dingman Delaware Primary School, which Niche grades a B. They may continue to Dingman Delaware Elementary, Dingman Delaware Middle and Delaware Valley High, all earning B-pluses. The high school offers Career & Technical Education programs in fields like early childhood education, culinary arts and marketing.
Locals can drive golf carts to dive bars
Several Weis Markets, convenience stores and restaurants dot state Route 739, which stretches across Dingman’s core. Beer signage decorates the wooden walls of Side Street Bar & Grill, where customers enjoy wings, burgers and sandwiches. Locals can drink beer, throw darts and dance to live music at Fáilte, an Irish pub and steak house. Quirks says people often drive golf carts to these spots. “It’s the fastest way for us to meet our neighbors somewhere on the weekend,” she says. Bakeries, bars and diners fill small Italianate and Gothic Revival-style buildings in downtown Milford, a borough on Dingman’s northeastern side.
Interstate 84 is easily accessible
Dingman is a car-dependent community with Interstate 84 on its northern edge. A 55-mile drive west on the highway reaches Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport. New York City is a 79-mile drive southeast on nearby New Jersey Route 15. The highway and Dingman are often busier when people from the city come to hunt or stay at their lake houses. “We have a large second-home population here,” Quirk says. “People come all year-round, not just during the summer.” The Dingman Township Volunteer Fire Department provides some emergency services, and Bon Secours Community Hospital is about 20 miles north.
