Secluded living meets vacation destinations in Smithfield Township
Smithfield Township unfurls along Monroe County's eastern border, where Pennsylvania and New Jersey meet along the Delaware River. Tucked within the Poconos, rolling wooded hills comingle with open fields, while preservation lands frame much of its landscape. "Smithfield is a beautiful, natural township," says Xander Weidenbaum, President of Redstone Run Realty. "It borders the Delaware River to the east, which includes the Delaware Water Gap area, a major tourist destination." Still, Smithfield is home to a healthy blend of long-time locals and newer residents. "Smithfield is a mixed bag," Weidenbaum says. "There are many full-time residents, but there are also small pockets of vacation homes."
U.S. Route 209 divides the town into two parts. Most vacation rentals, hotels and campgrounds sit east of Route 209, offering access to the valley and the nearby Shawnee Mountain Ski Area. Farther west, quiet residential enclaves lined with single-family homes abut swathes of rugged woodland. Milford Road serves as the town's commercial hub, while East Stroudsburg offers additional nearby amenities. With a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4, Smithfield Township provides year-round recreation, rural vistas and suburban convenience in the Poconos.
Year-round recreation around the Delaware Water Gap
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area hugs the township's edge, offering year-round recreation and scenic overlooks along the Appalachian ridgeline. The nearby Appalachian Trail traverses the ridge along the Delaware Water Gap. The McDade Recreational Trail is another path that spans 30 miles through the Water Gap, passing by popular spots like Smithfield Beach. Canoeing, kayaking and tubing are popular pastimes during the warmer months, while winter crowds flock to the neighboring Shawnee Mountain Ski Area.
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is one of the area's most prominent landmarks along the riverfront. The resort has a microbrewery, full-service spa and formal dining room. "They also have a beautiful 27-hole golf course that extends across an island in the river," Weidenbaum says. Nearby, the village of Shawnee-on-Delaware caters to visitors with a performing arts venue, boutique shops, and locally owned cafes and restaurants like The Gem and Keystone Tavern.
Additional green spaces are scattered around town. The River's Edge Bike Park sits at the confluence of Brodhead Creek and the Delaware River, while off-road motor bikers can zoom around open fields at Back 9 MX. Across the creek, Minisink Park features three soccer fields, natural trails and additional river access points. The park also serves as a gathering place for Smithfield's largest event: The River of the Year Festival. Every June, crowds gather by the waterfront to enjoy live music, vendors and family-friendly activities. Additional events include community cleanups, Easter egg hunts, annual Halloween Trunk-or-Treat events and fall festivals.
About 4 miles north, Waterfront Park is the town's main green space adjacent to the Township Municipal Center. Amenities include sports facilities, nature trails, a playground and picnic pavilions. Marshalls Falls Park is another popular green space in town where pristine wilderness gives way to a rushing waterfall and secret swimming hole.
Secluded single-family homes mix with vacation rentals
Smithfield Township is mainly comprised of single-family homes spread across wooded lots and small subdivisions. Properties range from modest ramblers and bi-levels to larger Colonial Revivals and New Traditionals tucked into forested cul-de-sacs, offering a sense of privacy and seclusion. Sales prices for these homes can range from $245,000 to $530,000. The township remains sparsely developed, but newer pockets of planned communities boast larger properties, with prices ranging from $530,000 to $1 million. The occasional custom-built home on acreage can sell for over $1 million. Other pockets of vacation homes near Shawnee Mountain Ski Area and the valley feature condominiums and townhouses that range from the low-to-mid-$200,000s.
East Stroudsburg’s educational offerings
East Stroudsburg Area School District, which garners a B-minus rating from Niche, serves Smithfield Township students. Kindergarteners through fifth graders may attend Smithfield Elementary School, which scores a B-minus. J.T. Lambert Intermediate School earns a C-plus, and East Stroudsburg Senior High School South boasts a B-plus. The district also offers a Cyber Academy for students who have struggled in a traditional classroom. The online program is available for third through 12th graders, but participants are still considered students of their home campus.
Just outside Smithfield's town limits, East Stroudsburg University is a public liberal arts university founded in 1893. The university offers dozens of undergraduate and graduate programs, including two doctoral programs.
Amenities in and around Smithfield Township
Locally owned businesses line Milford Road, or U.S. Route 209 Business. Establishments range from medical offices and churches to cozy coffee shops and community staples like Pub 447, where an outdoor tiki bar draws after-work crowds.
Along the southwest side of town, the Delaware Water Gap is a small, quaint borough with popular mom-and-pop shops. Joe Bosco Authentic Smokehouse BBQ is a casual, laid-back hidden gem with specialty plates like Word to Your Smother, a large bowl of mac and cheese topped with pulled pork and bacon bites. Down the street, Village Farmer and Bakery has been serving fresh pastries and more than 30 flavors of pie since 1976.
Dollar General is located in the heart of town. Neighboring tourist hotspots include the Frazetta Art Museum, home to the largest collection of work by fantasist painter Frank Frazetta, and Country Kettle, where rows of barrels house over a dozen different types of candy. Price Chopper sits just outside Smithfield's eastern limits, while chain grocers and big-box retailers are located just past the town's western limits. East Stroudsburg and Stroudsburg are home to additional nearby eateries, breweries, shops and entertainment.
Getting around town
The Monroe County Transit Authority (MCTA), locally known as the Pocono Pony, offers public transportation around the county. However, Smithfield is primarily car-dependent, with limited bus service through Flex Connect, a weekday service requiring reservations in advance, as there are no MCTA stops in the township. East Stroudsburg's Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono is about 4 miles away via U.S. Route 209. Route 209 is the main road through town, while Interstate 80 weaves through the southwest corner, crossing the border into New Jersey. Lehigh Valley International Airport is the nearest airport, about 35 miles south via State Route 33.
