Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a gaping hole in the Appalachians through which the Delaware River flows. This craggy, spectacular gap on the border of northwestern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania is more than a mile wide. Yet the National Recreation Area that surrounds the gap offers much more than a break in the rock; it encompasses 40 miles of the middle Delaware River and almost 70,000 acres of land along its shores.
The Delaware River itself, with beaches and boat launches, serves as the centerpiece of recreation, but the surrounding area offers much more. Rocky cliffs stretch straight up, offering great climbing. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Beautiful.Wooded hills pepper the landscape, making for awesome hiking and biking. Wildlife? You bet. Deer, beaver, and otter scamper through these woods and waters, while hawks and bald eagles are regular visitors. Streams, ponds, waterfalls, and mountain overlooks make for incredible scenery. And though more than four million people visit each year, you can still carve out your own stretch of solitude.
Hiking
Trail cuts through it, the Gap makes for some great hiking. And there are options just about everywhere you turn. Starting in the historic Millbrook Village? Try the increasingly steep Donkeys Corners Trail, a two-mile jaunt to Blue Mountain Lake Road. Something easier: Watergate Trail, just over a mile from Millbrook Village. Birders are in luck: Climb Mt. Minsi (an easy one, at just under 1,500 feet) and look for turkey vultures, which soar on the Gap’s thermals USA adventure tours. Or take the Mt. Minsi Fire Road, a 1.5-mile road that can be hiked in conjunction with the AT. And for a great view of the Gap itself, try the Table Rock Spur, just 0.5-mile long, which branches off the AT a short distance beyond Lake Lenape.Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Awesome Place For Holidays.
Biking
One thing to remember: There’s tons of wildlife here, and it often darts across your path. Keep that in mind and tour the whole park on Old Mine Road, on the New Jersey side of the Delaware. Or go off-road on the designated mountain-bike trail at Blue Mountain Lake in New Jersey (hint: the inner loops are the easiest). For more of a challenge, head to Hemlock Pond for a five-mile loop. The hard-packed dirt roads are fun to ride, just be aware that they’re open to traffic. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a Awesome Place For Vacations. Big Egypt Road runs between Rt. 209 and Milford Road, about two miles with some moderate-to-steep sections. Freeman Tract Road, from River Road up to the Delaware River, is an easy three-mile ride. And Zion Church Road goes between Hidden Lake Road and River Road for 1.9 miles, passing by Zion Church and the beautiful Hidden Lake.Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is Heaven of Earth.
Plan Your Visit
- 40 miles of calm river
- 67,000 acres of valley
- the world-famous “Water Gap”
- 100 miles of trails along streams, ridges, and mountains
- 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail
- bountiful wildlife
- waterfalls and rhododendron ravines
- 200 miles of scenic roadways
- historic villages