diff --git a/datatree/datatree.py b/datatree/datatree.py
index c86c2e2e..e556adbc 100644
--- a/datatree/datatree.py
+++ b/datatree/datatree.py
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
     from xarray.core.merge import CoercibleValue
     from xarray.core.types import ErrorOptions
 
+    from datatree.treenode import T_PathLike
+
 # """
 # DEVELOPERS' NOTE
 # ----------------
@@ -76,9 +78,6 @@
 # """
 
 
-T_Path = Union[str, NodePath]
-
-
 def _coerce_to_dataset(data: Dataset | DataArray | None) -> Dataset:
     if isinstance(data, DataArray):
         ds = data.to_dataset()
@@ -848,7 +847,7 @@ def get(
         else:
             return default
 
-    def __getitem__(self: DataTree, key: str) -> DataTree | DataArray:
+    def __getitem__(self: DataTree, key: T_PathLike) -> DataTree | DataArray:
         """
         Access child nodes, variables, or coordinates stored anywhere in this tree.
 
@@ -903,7 +902,7 @@ def _set(self, key: str, val: DataTree | CoercibleValue) -> None:
 
     def __setitem__(
         self,
-        key: str,
+        key: T_PathLike,
         value: Any,
     ) -> None:
         """
@@ -1034,7 +1033,7 @@ def drop_nodes(
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(
         cls,
-        d: MutableMapping[str, Dataset | DataArray | DataTree | None],
+        d: MutableMapping[T_PathLike, Dataset | DataArray | DataTree | None],
         name: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> DataTree:
         """
@@ -1442,7 +1441,7 @@ def merge(self, datatree: DataTree) -> DataTree:
         """Merge all the leaves of a second DataTree into this one."""
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def merge_child_nodes(self, *paths, new_path: T_Path) -> DataTree:
+    def merge_child_nodes(self, *paths, new_path: T_PathLike) -> DataTree:
         """Merge a set of child nodes into a single new node."""
         raise NotImplementedError
 
diff --git a/datatree/mapping.py b/datatree/mapping.py
index 34e227d3..4e577a8f 100644
--- a/datatree/mapping.py
+++ b/datatree/mapping.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import sys
 from itertools import repeat
 from textwrap import dedent
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Callable, Tuple
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Callable, Tuple, Union
 
 from xarray import DataArray, Dataset
 
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def _map_over_subtree(*args, **kwargs) -> DataTree | Tuple[DataTree, ...]:
         original_root_path = first_tree.path
         result_trees = []
         for i in range(num_return_values):
-            out_tree_contents = {}
+            out_tree_contents: dict[str, Union[None, Dataset]] = {}
             for n in first_tree.subtree:
                 p = n.path
                 if p in out_data_objects.keys():
diff --git a/datatree/treenode.py b/datatree/treenode.py
index 1689d261..a0b8acdd 100644
--- a/datatree/treenode.py
+++ b/datatree/treenode.py
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@
 from xarray.core.utils import Frozen, is_dict_like
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from os import PathLike
+
     from xarray.core.types import T_DataArray
 
+    T_PathLike = Union[str, PathLike]
+
 
 class InvalidTreeError(Exception):
     """Raised when user attempts to create an invalid tree in some way."""
@@ -445,14 +449,13 @@ def get(self: Tree, key: str, default: Optional[Tree] = None) -> Optional[Tree]:
 
     # TODO `._walk` method to be called by both `_get_item` and `_set_item`
 
-    def _get_item(self: Tree, path: str | NodePath) -> Union[Tree, T_DataArray]:
+    def _get_item(self: Tree, path: T_PathLike) -> Union[Tree, T_DataArray]:
         """
         Returns the object lying at the given path.
 
         Raises a KeyError if there is no object at the given path.
         """
-        if isinstance(path, str):
-            path = NodePath(path)
+        path = NodePath(path)
 
         if path.root:
             current_node = self.root
@@ -487,7 +490,7 @@ def _set(self: Tree, key: str, val: Tree) -> None:
 
     def _set_item(
         self: Tree,
-        path: str | NodePath,
+        path: T_PathLike,
         item: Union[Tree, T_DataArray],
         new_nodes_along_path: bool = False,
         allow_overwrite: bool = True,
@@ -513,8 +516,7 @@ def _set_item(
             If node cannot be reached, and new_nodes_along_path=False.
             Or if a node already exists at the specified path, and allow_overwrite=False.
         """
-        if isinstance(path, str):
-            path = NodePath(path)
+        path = NodePath(path)
 
         if not path.name:
             raise ValueError("Can't set an item under a path which has no name")
diff --git a/docs/source/whats-new.rst b/docs/source/whats-new.rst
index 2f6e4f88..6b81230a 100644
--- a/docs/source/whats-new.rst
+++ b/docs/source/whats-new.rst
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ v0.0.14 (unreleased)
 New Features
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
+- Allow passing :py:class:`os.PathLike` objects as paths to nodes in addition to strings. (:pull:`282`)
+  By `Tom Nicholas <https://github.com/TomNicholas>`_.
+
 Breaking changes
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~