• Winter sunrise, Kittatinny Ridge

    Delaware Water Gap

    National Recreation Area NJ,PA

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  • Season Starts!

    Childs Park opens Thursday, May 23. Dingmans Falls Visitor Center opens Saturday May 25, and will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday the rest of the summer. The road to Dingmans Falls is open but is single lane at one point and NO BUSES or RVs ARE ALLOWED More »

Paddle

Teenager in a yellow kayaK
Kayaks offer teens a chance to travel along while still paddling along with thte family.
NPS Photo
 

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area includes nearly 40 miles of the free-flowing Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. One of the most popular activities enjoyed by visitors each year is paddling -- in a canoe, a kayak, a raft or a tube. Have a safe trip!

Please note, pets and alcohol are not permitted at Milford Beach or Smithfield Beach.

More Information
Liveries (with web links) | Boat Launches & Canoe Access Points
Bulletin listing liveries for canoe/kayak/rarft /tube rental, safety & river mileage
Bulletin on river campsites for overnight paddling trips
Lifejackets (PFDs), and swimming and paddling safety
Current river conditions

 

Lifejackets / Personal Flotation Devices (PFD's)

Each occupant on a boat must have a lifejacket (pfd) which fits, is in good shape, and is accessible in an emergency. Children who are 12 years of age and under MUST WEAR A LIFEJACKET on board a vessel.

Lifejackets / Cold Water Safety

In Pennsylvania waters (including the Delaware River) boaters must wear lifejackets on boats less than 16 ft. in length and on canoes and on kayaks, from November 1 through April 30. This regulation is intended to protect boaters from the dangers of cold water shock if they fall into the water.

Did You Know?

Sketch of a dam with forests on the river banks.

... that the reservoir of the proposed Tocks Island Dam would have inundated 30 miles of the Delaware River and 30,000 acres of its river valley (now part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.) The defeat of the dam was an early victory of the environmental movement in this country. More...