Paymaster's Cabin

The Paymaster's Cabin is the one rental cabin at Pine Grove Furnace State Park: a two-story historic house that was once the iron furnace's paymaster's office, now a modern cabin that sleeps six and rents all year. It has electric heat, air conditioning, a full kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, and a picnic table and fire ring outside. In summer it rents by the week, Friday to Friday; the rest of the year, stays run 2 to 14 nights.

Inside the Cabin

• Bedrooms: one with a queen bed, one with two sets of single bunk beds.
• Living room: couch, love seat, chair and end tables.
• Kitchen and dining: table and chairs, sink, refrigerator, stove and oven, microwave.
• Comfort: electric heat, air conditioning, warm shower.
• Not included: no fireplace, phone, internet, cable, TV or radio. Cell service is poor in the park, though the nearby General Store may have Wi-Fi in season.

What to Bring

Sheets, blankets or sleeping bags, pillows, towels, all cooking and eating utensils, a coffee pot, a toaster and toiletries. Firewood is not provided; in season you can buy it at the campground.

Booking Rules

• Summer peak (second Friday in June to third Friday in August): weekly rentals, Friday to Friday.
• Rest of the year: 2-night minimum, 14-night maximum.
• Check-in: 3 p.m. (entry instructions come in your reservation email). Checkout: 10 a.m.; clean up, then return keys to the park office or its door slot.
• Book: online through Pennsylvania State Parks reservations or 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday. DCNR adds a $6.50 transaction fee.

Pets and Alcohol

• Pets: not allowed in the cabin (service dogs are not pets). Pet owners can use designated pet sites at the campground.
• Alcohol: allowed here, the only place in the park where it is. Only the reservation holder and invited guests 21 and older may drink, responsibly; violations mean removal without a refund (Rules).

Location and History

DCNR says the cabin is near the camp store. It was the iron works' clerk's office, where the paymaster worked, and is one of the original buildings of the furnace village (About).

Good For

• A family of up to six who want walls and a kitchen in winter or shoulder season.
• A base for hiking the AT and Michaux State Forest.

Maybe Skip If

• You need TV or internet, or want to bring a dog: book a pet site at the campground instead.