Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River between Skinners Falls and Narrowsburg, New York

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Length: 5 miles
Water Level at Time of Trip: 1.3 to 3.15 feet
Average moving speed: 3.3 MPH with two paddlers
Time: 1.5 hours

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This river review covers the Delaware River from the Skinners Falls Canoe Launch to the Pennsylvania and New York boat ramps near downtown Narrowsburg, New York, a span of 5 miles. The Skinners Falls launch is a decent place to start a paddling trip down the Delaware River (no motorboat launching from here). It has a large parking lot, but you must carry your boat and gear about 75 yards to the river, and the shoreline is full of cobblestones.

Skinners Falls Canoe Launch, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

Before starting a trip on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, it is a good idea to check the water levels so that you have an idea of the river conditions. Levels of 2.5 to 4 feet are average and provide plenty of water for a trip down the river with conditions suitable for paddlers of all skill levels. The two relevant water gauges for this section of the river are at Callicoon, New York, and just north of Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. These cover a span of 26 miles, so you’re not going to get readings you can bet your house on, but you’ll have a good idea of whether you are in for an enjoyable outing or if you’ll be dragging your boat over rocks most of the time (or risking your life when water levels are high).

The Skinners Falls launch started the third day of my late-October trip down the river. The Callicoon gauge reported water levels of 1.3 feet, which is low but typical of that gauge. The actual measurements are taken at the Callicoon Bridge where Callicoon Creek empties into the Delaware River. This reading was in the ballpark for a few miles upriver from the bridge, but downriver the water levels were much higher (the Lackawaxen gauge read 3.15 feet). I scraped over some rocks a few times on my way to Skinners Falls the previous day, but for the most part there was enough water for any hand-paddled watercraft. At this point on the river, I’d give more credence to the Lackawaxen gauge than the one at Callicoon. Keep in mind that all observations in this report are based on the above mentioned water levels, so adjust your expectations according to the conditions on the day you do the trip.

It was sunny the first day of my journey down the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. I made it 15 miles from Hancock, New York, to Long Eddy. On the second day it was cold and overcast. I covered twenty miles from Long Eddy to Skinners Falls. Here at Skinners Falls at the start of my third day, it was back to sunny skies with barely a cloud in sight.

View upriver from the Skinners Falls Canoe Launch, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

There is a nice set of rapids just a quarter mile downriver from the launch point known as the Skinners Fall Rapids. I hit one of the waves sideways and got swamped, so luckily it wasn’t as cold outside as the day before. Since I hadn’t unscrewed the drain plugs in my inflatable kayak, I had to pull over and empty the water. There is a nice beach area just past the rapids, and the water was deep enough that I could pull right up to the shore and step out on dry land. By the way, this was only the third set of decent rapids (Class II) I encountered since departing from Hancock.

Skinners Falls Rapids on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

Beach area just downriver from the Skinners Falls Rapids, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

Around 1.75 miles downriver from the Skinners Falls Canoe Launch are a couple of islands. I had to dodge some rocks in this area, but there was plenty of water. Since departing from Skinners Falls, in most places the water was 3-feet deep. Even in the shallow areas there was at least a foot of water, so I never scrapped over any rocks on this section of the river.

There is another island a mile and a half farther downriver from the first group of islands. It comes just before the start of a large S-curve. I went around to the left since the current appeared to be moving faster than on the right-hand channel, and I even ran though some small riffles.

Small rapids on the Delaware River between Skinners Falls and Narrowsburg, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

The start of the S-curve comes four miles into the trip. The water in the elbow of the first bend was almost still, and from there until Narrowsburg it rarely got any faster. At this point I had averaged 3.3 MPH, which is the slowest moving speed since Hancock. Aside from a few spots of swift current, if I didn’t paddle non-stop while in the S-curve, I’d still be there.

Downtown Narrowsburg is located at the end of the second bend in the S-curve. There are two boat ramps in this area, one on each side of the river. The first one—not counting the private ramp for the local outfitter Lander’s River Trips—is operated by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC). It is on the New York (left) side of the river and comes before the Narrowsburg-Darbytown Bridge. It is hidden behind a small island, but once past the island you can’t miss it because it is the sweetest public boat ramp on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.

I went around the island on the main channel (to the right), but the narrower channel to the left is more of a direct route to the boat ramp. However, I’m not sure about the water level of the left channel. If you want to be on the safe side, stick to the main channel. It doesn’t add much distance to the trip. Also, to stay in the deepest water, approach the ramp straight on.

New York DEC boat ramp at Narrowsburg, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

The Pennsylvania boat ramp, which is operated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), is located a half mile downriver from the New York ramp, about .3 mile from the bridge. The trip between the two is on what is basically a lake, so if you don’t paddle you won’t move. In fact, once you go under the bridge there is a large cove, and this is the only spot within the boundary of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River where water skiing is allowed.

The PFBC ramp is concrete, but nothing fancy like the New York ramp. Furthermore, all boats, including non-motorized boats, must have a launch permit to use the PFBC ramps. Tourists with their own kayaks or canoes might play dumb if caught using the ramp without a permit, but New York and Pennsylvania residents won’t have an excuse.

Pennsylvania boat ramp at Narrowsburg, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

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