Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Sindhu Swaroop
a month ago
The trails are all beautiful no doubt but 3 stars for directions/instructions. You d think this takes you to the actual Delaware Water Gap but no it just takes you to a point in the entire recreational area and you won t know where to go from there. We ended up doing the Blue Mountain Lake trail which was beautiful but not what we went there for and by the time we finished the other trails and figured out where the actual gap was it was too late and it got dark. We drove at least 2 hours for this. Would appreciate there being some more information on this at every trailhead. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE DELAWARE WATER GAP PLEASE DO NOT SEARCH FOR THE RECREATIONAL AREA, LOOK UP THE MT TAMMANY TRAIL INSTEAD. I researched only after I got back. So if you don t want to be disappointed like me, please do your research before going here as it s very poorly documented. Anyway here are pictures of the Blue Mountain Lake and the water gap view which we found at the end of the day but with trees blocking the viewRestrooms: No flush restrooms. There s sanitizer and toilet paper too. But get your own to be safe.

  Divya Garg
2 weeks ago
Beautiful place for hiking and viewing waterfalls. They have many overlooking points. We only did Raymondskill falls. Expect some steep stairs or steep pathways. It can get slippery during rainfall. Best to visit the day after the rain for good force.Restrooms: There are two small parking lots and one of them has a restroom.

  kajal Jain
5 months ago
One of the best place to visit in fall. There was small route of trekking( 10 min) to reach near lake and the fall color around the lake was awesome and scenic view. Very calm and silent place to visit and reaching this place had amazing route so whole journey till reaching this place was an amazing ride. Attaching a map of this place for your reference.Restrooms: The place had washroom in parking lot.

  David Bryant
9 months ago
Wonderful place. Was a stormy couple of days while we were visiting but with enough gaps in the rain to enjoy short hikes to great waterfalls (the up side of putting up with lots of rain). We were able to paddle a bit on the river which was awesome. Easy going current on a wide river with bald and golden eagles, kingfishers and various song birds. The water was clear despite all the rain and the rocks in the river well worn so that wading along the shore was not difficult. Looking forward to coming back!Only negative was the lack of flush toilets at various sites due to facility damage. But porta-potties were provided and relatively clean.

  Deb Hanson
6 months ago
There Visitors Center was closed during open hours. We did enjoy the beautiful scenery but did not do any trails.

  Liliia Liliia
7 months ago
Interesting place. Beautiful nature. Suitable for those who just like to fall in a boat and go with the flow as well as for those who do not like a lot of adrenaline because on the way you will meet thresholds of level 1 and 2, ride on the waves. You can rent a kayak, canoe, raft for about three hours of oars - this is a 6-mile ride from Smithfield Beach - Kittatinny Point. You can choose 4 miles from Kittatinny Point to Portland, Pennsylvania and 10 miles to take you 4-6 hours. You can stop in beautiful places, fish and have a picnic while rafting The price is about $60 per person.

  Ross Workman
10 months ago
This is a beautiful place for a good hike. There are multiple waterfalls, calming creek views, and peaceful sounds (birds, leaves rustling, etc.). The trails aren't hard and are well maintained and marked. It's a great place to get away for a while.

  Cynthia Graca
a week ago
This spot, nestled between New Jersey and PA, is my go-to for a leisurely stroll. It's typically serene, with the trails being quite spacious, ensuring there's plenty of room to wander without crowds.Dog-friendliness: I usually take my dog here and usually bring her next to the water and so far I had no issuesPicnic area: There are quite a few picnic tables, which gives you the option to sit down and have your lunch

  osanchezo
2 years ago
Beautiful Hiking place for anyone.There are 2 sides to go up the mountains. Green Dots has better views of the river and beautiful pathwaysRed Dots is for more extreme hike where you would have to climb rocks and climb up hill!I really recommend this Spot for a great workout or to just have a small walk next to the river!!

  deepti gupta
4 years ago
Again another beautiful hiking spot to enjoy some cool and fresh air. The trek is difficult and very rocky. I got almost tired while reaching the top but the view took my breath away. During the trail also you can enjoy some breathtaking views and click pictures but be careful while taking photos over the mountains. Best way to spend your weekend. Very limited parking area and its free. While coming down back you can relax and dip your tired legs in cool n freezing waterfall. A must do trek for people with some trekking experience.

  EE Grimshaw
10 months ago
My chum and I come here every two years or so to either hike up Mt. Tammany or to do a hike in the nearby vicinity. Depending on the weather/time of year, it's gorgeous - you're treated to a pretty expansive view of the Delaware River Water Gap on both the NJ and PA sides - and the area by Sunfish Pond is pretty nice too. This isn't in my absolute top tier bucket list hikes of the area, but it's a solid option.We stopped by here last Saturday morning just as the Canadian wildfire drama was starting to dissipate. You could definitely still see its effects at the top of the mountain, with a haze that limited the optics a bit, though the air (hopefully) seemed okay and wasn't noticeably smoky or anything. If you're hoping for a legit parking spot by the trailhead, I'd recommend getting here before 9am and honestly closer to 8am. There are a lot of parking spots on the other side of 80 and it's not THAT long of a walk, but you can't beat the convenience of those first two parking areas right by the highway. There's also a consistent port-a-potty presence, which is a huge selling point. And usually on the weekends there's a few volunteers set up with a card table providing maps and FAQ-type stuff.On this particular day, we just did the 3.6-mile loop going up the red trail to the summit of Mt. Tammany overlooking the Gap, then taking the blue trail shortly thereafter back down, a little further into the woods/Recreation Area. I recently completely a very hardcore Arizona hike so grain of salt; I was in tip-top shape for this and had no issues getting up the mountain. There were definitely some other hikers taking a breather from time to time so depending on your fitness level/skillset, this could be challenging. For someone who regularly does a lot of rugged terrain, up-and-down hiking, I don't personally think this is too nuts - it also helps that it's not that long of a hike to get to the top, at which point it's pretty easy to mosey on back down. Even in its toughest/steepest sections, you're never at the point of rock scrambling or anything dramatic.One downside for me is that this is an insanely popular destination for not just legit hikers (you're bumping up against the AT, so it's not unusual to see backpackers around here) but literally anyone with a functioning pair of legs so the viewpoints are often teeming with hoards of families and large groups out for a quick adventure. I usually like to get a pic by the edge, but I can't recall a time I didn't have to wait at least a few minutes for other people to get their selfie sticks out, etc. A little annoying, but I'm also spoiled by a lot of desolate hikes where I can pretty much do what I want.The other side of the coin though is that you usually have a strong canine chum situation. This one wasn't as good as I would hoping for - maybe some pooches were scared off by the recent smoke - but we did get a nice meet and greet with a young pupper named Finn who literally whined every time his owners stopped because he wanted to keep going. A real trooper. We also saw a wild turkey that wasn't remotely perturbed to be around tons of people, and just casually walked across the trail at one point. Luckily we're not too close to November so I think the danger was minimal for him.The trip back down is pretty pleasant though it's often rocky and you have to be careful of footing issues, even on the driest of days. I'm a big fan of the last stretch of the hike when you get back down from the mountainous section and walk by some very pleasant water sources. There's also a few spots where you can easily wade into the creek and cool off, along with some little wooden bridges and benches. And I'm always impressed that despite the fact that you're right up against Route 80, you don't really hear the highway too often except at the very beginning and end of the adventure.It's popular for a reason. Even with the crowds and chaos that can accompany that, this is a hike worth doing. If you have the option, I'd recommend the fall for the foliage goodness.

  Deep Vadaliya
4 years ago
Amazing & very pretty hike. 1.5 miles one way, to the top. It has very beautiful views at middle & also at the top its breathtaking. Very much tiring because there is hardly actual trail its all rocks. Elevation is about 1359 ft. Very steel climb. Parking is limited & free. Be careful there could be rattle snakes. There is a small spot at the edge from where the views can be enjoyed more. You need 1.5-2 hrs to climb if you are quick then may be 1 or less. Alot of spiders on the way. At the end of the day I burned 2000+ calories just by hiking. Must go place.

  Jacquelyn at Greenbeans and Honeybees
3 months ago
This is a clean, well managed park which, as a National Rec. Area has the added bonus of being completely free to enter (for now, at least). The trails are well maintained and absolutely gorgeous year-round. If you live nearby or are planning a trip to the area, this is a must-see.

  Brittany Rafferty
5 years ago
I am in LOVE with this place!! I am an avid hiker and absolutely loved the trail I hiked at the Delaware Water Gap. The view from the top was amazing. The park ranger in the parking lot was very informative and friendly. The trails work clean and easy to maneuver. The sites were beautiful and the people hiking the trail were all very friendly. I will definitely be visiting here again and again!

  Mike Q
3 years ago
Beautiful place. Hiked part of the appellation trail. Everything gets a lot more serene as you go higher and hike the ridgeline. Lots of trout fishers people are friendly. No guarantee you'll meet people with a mask on but it's easy to social distance. Weather is a little cooler up high. Would be really cool if there was a way to access and upload the trail markers and blaze colors to google maps.

  Pradipta Ranjan Paul
a year ago
beautiful experience of falls along with its natural beauty..the Delaware Water Gap is a beautiful and diverse destination that offers something for everyone. Whether you're looking to hike, camp, fish, or simply enjoy the natural beauty of the area, the Delaware Water Gap is definitely worth a visit.

  Mike A
4 years ago
Great place. I encourage people to learn leave no trace, since so many people visit here. It's important to preserve it, every effort made picking up litter to storing food properly benefits us all.That being said. Mcdade bike trail is great. It's wide path, gravel, non aggressive trail so hybrids and rigid frames are fine. River offers many put ins and take outs, plenty of canoe/raft/kayak rental services to choose from. Edge of the woods is a great one to go through.Apart from leave no trace, do not try to swim from one side of the river and back. This is how most people drown here. Easily preventable. Also if you bring in it, bring it out. Pack your trash out. It's an easy to garner a lot of respect from strangers to rangers.

  Ivan Apparition
4 months ago
Hey everyone...If someone here tells me that I have nothing to do or that they are bored, I have no words...

  Kashif Khan
10 months ago
One of our favorite places to visit in summer beautiful hiking trails amazing scenery must visit placePicnic area: One of the best picnic spots we love it amazing place to visit

  Zelda
7 months ago
Cool unexpected beautiful place. Busy but stunning. Decent trails for dogs.

  Pack Rat
4 years ago
This is the place to escape civilization. If you want to see eagle's this is the place. I spend most of my time on the river. But the many trails and waterfalls are a big part of the gap. The scenery is awesome. If you love the outdoors I strongly recommend that you spend some time in the Delaware water gap.

  Lenny Handfinger
a year ago
A really nice place to visit, the 4th is a little crowded but that is to be expected, just before entering the park you'll see some unique statues at the Jinyin temple

  Nick Rivera
7 months ago
Excellent area with plenty of locations to camp, trails to hike, or you can raft/kayak/tube down the river. beautiful scenery and the weather is excellent from May to SeptemberDog-friendliness: You can bring your dogs, but given how public the trail is, keep them on a leash.

  Heidi
a year ago
The DWG is a part of the Appalachian Trail which was a cool discovery. It's a nice walk, not difficult to navigate. I suggest bringing your phone or something for a GPS map as the trails aren't super well marked.

  Iurii Novak
5 years ago
It was amazing tour from Philadelphia by car 84 miles. Trial has a color sign and a lot of steps. I met too many people on Sunday afternoon (teenagers, couples, old persons with dogs). Yeah, fog and 100% humidity little bit made difficulties but smell and hiking (sometimes climbing) were unforgettable. Have enjoy said me one happy pair and it's true! I did!! You do the same!!!

  Krupesh Shah
a year ago
It was a good experience of hiking. A good place for adventure lovers.Don't leave anything in your car. I had a bad experience of stealing stuff from the locked car.

  Kadi Dulude
7 years ago
Beautiful hike, one of the best I've been to in the area. The very initial climb was tough, super tough. But once you reach the first scenic view that climb goes right out of your mind. Rest of the hike was just pure bliss, not too tough (or maybe I was distracted by the views).

  Cain L
a year ago
Only really one main trail worth seeing.Not enough parking to accommodate all the trails. Getting here at 9am still seems to be too late somehow.Other trails aren't as well maintained unfortunately.

  Yuxian Du
2 years ago
Beautiful scenery and ideal for kayaking, canoeing, and paddling. Nice summer weather on the water and between the woods. Super relaxing and chilling. Highly recommend for family and group outting activity.

  Curtis Kleier
4 years ago
A great camping location. Good facilities but I do wish they did a better job of getting the poison ivy out of the sites and away from the paths. Yes I know that's it's the outdoors and a park but just be in the lookout. Quiet and clean. No electric or water at the sites but there is a central location to charge and wash dishes. You can bring in your own wood but wood can be had for $5 for about 5 pieces. Enough for making s'mores! There is hiking nearby but bring any fun toys as there are not easy rentals that we found.