Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Park Overview:
A pristine major river for fishing and boating with multiple opportunities for short hikes, some with stunning views of the Upper Delaware River.
Park Description:
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River extends for about 75 miles from Sparrowbush, N.Y. north to Hancock, NY, separating New York State from Pennsylvania. As the least developed section of the last major river on the Atlantic Coast -- undammed the entire length of its mainstem -- the River's wild and scenic, largely ecologically intact, free-flowing pristine waters provides ample opportunities for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and rafting.
See also further south, along the New Jersey/Pennsylvania border, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Trails Overview:
Most land along the Upper Delaware River is privately held; those rights need to be respected when visiting this beautiful area. The National Park Service owns only roughly 30 acres of more than 55,575 acres in towns alongside this stretch of the river in New York and Pennsylvania. Nonetheless there are varied hiking opportunities using trails in public parks -- some state or county owned -- making a visit to the area a satisfying experience. Further information about the hikes listed below – including GPS coordinates and trailhead directions -- can be found on the NPS web site:
- Bouchoux Trail (Jensen’s Ledges) – 2 miles (linear), difficult with steep inclines; Lordville, NY
- Damascus Forest Trail – 2 miles (loop), easy with level terrain; Beach Lake, PA
- Tusten Mountain Trail – 3 miles (loop), difficult with steep inclines; Narrowsburg, NY
- Cobey Pond Trail – 3 miles (loop), moderate with some inclines; Masthope, PA
- Minisink Battleground Park Trails – up to 0.5 mile (loop); easy with level terrain; Barryville, NY
- Mongaup River Trail – 2 miles (linear), moderate with some inclines; Town of Deerpark, NY
As a volunteer-based organization the Sullivan County TrailKeeper maintains an informative website about parks and trails in the region (use its Trails tab).
The “GoneHikin’” blog contains an exceptional collection of several hundred hikes in the metropolitan region and beyond. Recently completed hikes are presented primarily through photographs with directional or descriptive captions. For hikes in the Upper Delaware River area see the Minisink Battleground Park Trails blog entry (with links to two other hikes) and the Tusten Mountain Trail blog entry (with links to three other trails listed above -- all ambitiously completed in one day by combining hiking and driving!).
Park Acreage:
55575.00 acresMunicipality:
NarrowsburgA pristine major river for fishing and boating with multiple opportunities for short hikes, some with stunning views of the Upper Delaware River.
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River extends for about 75 miles from Sparrowbush, N.Y. north to Hancock, NY, separating New York State from Pennsylvania. As the least developed section of the last major river on the Atlantic Coast -- undammed the entire length of its mainstem -- the River's wild and scenic, largely...