• Winter sunrise, Kittatinny Ridge

    Delaware Water Gap

    National Recreation Area NJ,PA

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  • Areas closed or newly opened

    Childs Park opens May 25. Dingmans Falls, Blue Mt Lakes/Skyline and unpaved Old Mine roads are open. STILL CLOSED PA: Mt. Minsi spur trails closed due to falcon nesting; Hornbecks & Adams Trails closed; McDade Trail closed trail miles 24.5 to 27.5 More »

Farm Crops, Orchards, and Cultivars

An ear of corn on the stalk

Corn along McDade Trail PA

The recreation area has nearly 3,000 acres in agricultural production. These leased lands provide food and shelter for wildlife and help preserve the rural landscapes of the river valley. Corn, wheat, hay, and oats are the chief crops grown in the park. (See Features: Plants for more about Farming the Park.)

Since this section of the Delaware River valley was inhabited for centuries before it was taken over for the Tocks Island Dam Project, remnants of home gardens abound along trails. Even on the remotest trails of the recreation area, a hiker might come upon plant survivors of an orchard or flower or vegetable garden, such as daffodils, spurge, or catalpa.

The orchard at Roberts Farm in Montague NJ (See Features: Plants) is believed to be the oldest in the National Park system, with trees more than 200 years old.

 

Features Pages on Plants

Did You Know?

A ranger in the uniform of the French and Indian War.

... that in the 1750s, the northwest border of New Jersey (now Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area) was a frontier of the English colonies. In the French & Indian (Seven Years) War, a string of forts protected these settlements. The sites of seven of these outposts are in the park. More...