Management of a Natural Area

Mission
To provide outdoor recreation opportunities while conserving the natural, cultural and scenic resources of the recreation area. In so doing, the park works cooperatively with surrounding communities and the public to achieve the conservation goals of the Delaware River region.

Significant Natural Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is the largest natural area in the National Park System between Virginia and Maine and one of the largest protected natural areas in the metropolitan corridor extending from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts.

Water Quality
The waters of the Middle Delaware River are of exceptional quality. The 125 miles of the river that run through Upper Delaware National Scenic & Recreational River and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are classified as Special Protection Waters which have "exceptionally high scenic, recreational and ecological values." Under the regulations applicable to this category, "no measurable change in existing water quality [is permitted] except towards natural conditions."

Visitor Access
The park is the tenth most visited area in the National Park System with almost 5 million recreational visits each year. Visitation is growing at a steady rate. Much of this visitation is from the nearby, rapidly expanding New York/northern New Jersey and Philadelphia surburban areas.

 
Delaware Water Gap Foundation Document cover page with photo of Delaware River in fall.
Click on image to download document (4.72 MB)

Foundation Document

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (October 2014)

The Foundation Document for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational River provides provides a shared understanding of what is most important about the park and basic guidance for planning and management decisions. The core components of the document include a brief description of the park as well as the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, other important resources and values, and interpretive themes, which typically do not change over time.

 

Last updated: October 11, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
P.O. Box 2

Bushkill, PA 18324

Phone:

570 426-2452

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