Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Delaware Water Gap is the best known feature of the park, a distinct notch cut into the Kittatinny Ridge by the Delaware River.
Situated within the most densely populated region of the United States, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides a unique opportunity to experience tranquil landscapes, rich human history, and striking scenery along 40 miles of the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi. The park offers year-round recreation including hiking, paddling, fishing, and hunting.
Map showing location of park.
People paddling canoes and kayaks on the Delaware River.
National Park Service is Ready to Welcome Summer Visitors
Employees at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are working hard to prepare facilities ready for a busy summer season. The 70,000-acre national park unit in PA and NJ and was the 20th most-visited national park unit in the country in 2024 with over 4 million visits recorded.
A white, blue, and green shuttle bus towing a trailer with kayaks on it.
Park Shuttle Ready to Roll Starting Memorial Day Weekend
The River Runner Shuttle, which stops at river accesses within the park, will be available for visitor use on Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
NPS issues Delaware River Safety Advisory for May 9-11
Due to rising water levels in the Delaware River, the National Park Service (NPS) at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area announced today that the river and all access points within the park will be closed until levels recede below 15’ at the Montague, NJ gauge.
National Park Service: Winter Closures Lifted, Fee Season Begins 4/15
Winter closures around the park will be lifted and the sites reopened. Fee sites start charging fees on Tuesday, April 15.
A blue-cabbed tractor trailer flipped on its side along route 209.
Tractor Trailer Wreck Temporarily Closes Route 209 through Park
A tractor trailer overturned on Route 209 through the park today, closing a section of road. Tractor trailers are prohibited on park roads.
View of the Delaware River cutting between two low mountain peaks
Photo by Courtesy of James Hicks
A waterfall flows toward the viewer along a rocky riverbed.
Photo by NPS Photo
A woman braids rye straw for hatmaking
Photo by NPS Photo
a snaking river view from a mountain top
Photo by NPS Photo
Great Blue Herons attending their nests in a tree
Photo by NPS Photo/Dan Mohr
A strongly running Dingmans Falls waterfall surrounded by plants.
Photo by NPS Photo / Michael Cuff
Tall and narrow, Silver Thread Falls
Photo by NPS Photo / Michael Cuff