News Release

Take A Hike! on the Minisink Battleground Park Trail

Indian Rock is just one feature found along the Minisink Battleground Trail..

National Park Service

News Release Date: September 3, 2021

Contact: Ingrid Peterec, 570-685-4871 ext. 6609

Do you enjoy hiking? Have you heard of Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River’s Take a Hike! program? To get people to enjoy the outdoors, Upper Delaware has partnered with the New York Department of Conservation, the Pennsylvania Game Lands, Sullivan County, NY, Boy Scouts of America, and Damascus Township, PA to create the Take A Hike! program which includes six local trails. Located off Route 97, just 0.8 miles up the hill from the Roebling Bridge, in the town of Highland you will find the Minisink Battleground Park on County Route 168. The park entrance will be on your left. This historic park is owned by Sullivan County, New York and is one of the trails included in the Take A Hike! brochure.

The Minisink Battleground Park Trail is a one-half mile, easy loop trail that will guide you around the site of a historic battle between American patriots and a militia of Iroquois and Torrey soldiers in 1779. The Battle of Minisink was one of the deadliest battles in the Revolutionary War. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and this flat, short trail is perfect for beginner hikers and history buffs alike. The 57-acre Minisink Battleground Park also includes picnic areas, a group picnic pavilion, restroom facilities and a handful of additional walking trails. Monuments commemorating the Battle of Minisink can be found throughout the park.

Upper Delaware’s “Take a Hike!” brochure highlights six local hikes and provides the names, locations, descriptions, and difficulty levels of trails all found in the Upper Delaware Valley. It also provides a checklist to keep track of the trails you’ve hiked which can be turned in upon completion at Upper Delaware’s park headquarters or the Zane Grey Museum as well as mailing to the park for the coveted “Take a Hike!” patch. Taking advantage of this local hiking program is a great way to get out and learn more about the beautiful natural and cultural resources of this region, whether you are visiting the area for the first time or are a lifelong resident who may not have ever know about these trails. This resource is available on the web at www.nps.gov/upde/planyourvisit/take-a-hike.htm  or by calling [phone] and asking a park ranger to put a copy in the mail for you. 

When hiking the Minisink Battleground Park Trail or any other trail it is always a good rule of thumb to be prepared by wearing sturdy shoes or hiking boots, bringing plenty of water, snacks, sunglasses, tick/insect repellant, binoculars, and a hat. It’s also good practice to do a thorough tick check once you’re off the trail. Please be respectful of this trail and remember that it is carry-in, carry-out. Please don’t litter.

If you are seeking even more hiking opportunities close by, look at the Trail Keeper (www.trailkeeper.org) page for plenty of hiking options throughout Sullivan County, New York. Happy Hiking!