Named for the river that flows 12 miles through town, Lackawaxen is the indian word for "swift waters." The Delaware River marks the eastern boundary of the township, and joins the Lackawaxen River here.
The community is located in Pike County east of Scranton along Highway 590 near the New York state line.
The western author Zane Grey lived in Lackawaxen from 1905 to 1918. Today, Grey's home is preserved as a museum by the National Park Service. Lackawaxen is part of the Newburgh, New York-Pennsylvania metro area.