DWGNRA waterfalls of Pennsylvania
Jan 4, 2016 9:19:47 GMT -5
Post by hoosier on Jan 4, 2016 9:19:47 GMT -5
Friday January 1, 2016
Delaware Gap National Recreation Area (Pennsylvania) Waterfalls
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DWGNRA) stretches for 40 miles along the middle section of the Delaware River on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of the river. And encompasses 70,000 acres of land.
On the Pennsylvania side of the river access is along Pennsylvania Route 209. There are four major creeks (drainages) on the west side of the river. From North to south they are Raymondskill Creek, Adams Creek, Dingmans Creek and Hornbeck’s Creek. Each of the drainages has multiple waterfalls.
I figured I could hit the majority of these falls (Ten Waterfalls) by doing five hikes on New Year’s Day.
Hike one hit up the furthest north falls. Being Raymondskill and Hacker falls. Raymondskill falls are observed by a short lop to the bottom of the upper falls and the top of the upper falls. Hackers Falls is observed by using the trails of the Cliff Park Area. Which is the same parking area for both hikes. With recent rains all the falls where flowing nicely.
After hike one I headed south on route 209 to the Adams Creek Trailhead for Hike number two. There is one nice waterfall on Adams Creek. There are two unbridged stream crossings on the 1.1 mile trail if one wants to hike to the falls. Two of the crossings had downed trees that I used to cross. The third would have been knee deep crossing through the icy water. Decided to bushwhack steeply uphill and then back downhill around this second crossing.
Hike three was to check out the falls on Dingmans Creek located in Childs Park. There are three major falls on this portion of Dingmans Creek. Factory Falls, Fulmer Falls and Deer Leap Falls. The trail leading to the top of Factory Falls is ADA compliant.
Hike four was to my second hike on the Dingman’s Creek drainage. And was to Dingmans falls. There are two waterfalls located here, Dingmans falls and Silverthread Falls. Luckily with the warm weather the gate which is normally closed once the area around the falls becomes icy, was still open. Both Silverthread and Dingmans Falls are accessed by an ADA accessible boardwalk (to the base of Dingmans Falls)
My fifth and final hike was up the Hornbeck’s Creek Drainage on the Indian Ladders Trail. There are at least four major falls on the Hornbeck’s Creek. But some are not very accessible. As usual the second bridge crossing of the creek is missing. But a well-placed tree and some rocks allowed my progress up stream. The trail is currently closed after the second crossing and to just before the base of what I call Indian Ladder Falls, as a steep side hill section of trail has slid down into the Hornbeck Creek chasm.
Some pictures of the various falls:
Raymondskill and Hackers Falls
Raymondskill Falls
Raymondskill Falls
Raymondskill Falls
Hackers Falls
Delaware Gap National Recreation Area (Pennsylvania) Waterfalls
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DWGNRA) stretches for 40 miles along the middle section of the Delaware River on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of the river. And encompasses 70,000 acres of land.
On the Pennsylvania side of the river access is along Pennsylvania Route 209. There are four major creeks (drainages) on the west side of the river. From North to south they are Raymondskill Creek, Adams Creek, Dingmans Creek and Hornbeck’s Creek. Each of the drainages has multiple waterfalls.
I figured I could hit the majority of these falls (Ten Waterfalls) by doing five hikes on New Year’s Day.
Hike one hit up the furthest north falls. Being Raymondskill and Hacker falls. Raymondskill falls are observed by a short lop to the bottom of the upper falls and the top of the upper falls. Hackers Falls is observed by using the trails of the Cliff Park Area. Which is the same parking area for both hikes. With recent rains all the falls where flowing nicely.
After hike one I headed south on route 209 to the Adams Creek Trailhead for Hike number two. There is one nice waterfall on Adams Creek. There are two unbridged stream crossings on the 1.1 mile trail if one wants to hike to the falls. Two of the crossings had downed trees that I used to cross. The third would have been knee deep crossing through the icy water. Decided to bushwhack steeply uphill and then back downhill around this second crossing.
Hike three was to check out the falls on Dingmans Creek located in Childs Park. There are three major falls on this portion of Dingmans Creek. Factory Falls, Fulmer Falls and Deer Leap Falls. The trail leading to the top of Factory Falls is ADA compliant.
Hike four was to my second hike on the Dingman’s Creek drainage. And was to Dingmans falls. There are two waterfalls located here, Dingmans falls and Silverthread Falls. Luckily with the warm weather the gate which is normally closed once the area around the falls becomes icy, was still open. Both Silverthread and Dingmans Falls are accessed by an ADA accessible boardwalk (to the base of Dingmans Falls)
My fifth and final hike was up the Hornbeck’s Creek Drainage on the Indian Ladders Trail. There are at least four major falls on the Hornbeck’s Creek. But some are not very accessible. As usual the second bridge crossing of the creek is missing. But a well-placed tree and some rocks allowed my progress up stream. The trail is currently closed after the second crossing and to just before the base of what I call Indian Ladder Falls, as a steep side hill section of trail has slid down into the Hornbeck Creek chasm.
Some pictures of the various falls:
Raymondskill and Hackers Falls
Raymondskill Falls
Raymondskill Falls
Raymondskill Falls
Hackers Falls
