Mongaup Canoe Launch on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
TYPE
Free public launch for non-motorized watercraft only. No licenses or permits are needed to launch non-motorized boats in New York. This ramp is managed jointly by the National Park Service and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC).
LOCATION
Off of NY 97 just west of the Mongaup River. If using Google Maps, search USNPS Upper Delaware River Information Kiosk and Boat Launch for directions.
CANOE LAUNCH DETAILS
The Mongaup Canoe Launch is not the most convenient place to start a trip on the Delaware River. Paddlers must carry their boats and gear a tenth of a mile from the large parking lot down a narrow, rocky path to a very rocky shoreline. On the positive side, the best rapids on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River are just a stone’s throw downstream.
Start of the trail from the parking lot to the Mongaup Canoe Launch on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Rocky trail to the Mongaup Canoe Launch on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Mongaup Canoe Launch on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Mongaup Canoe Launch parking lot, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
If you plan on ending a trip at Mongaup, you better know where the canoe launch is and what to look for because it isn’t easy to spot. The launch comes just before the confluence of the Mongaup and Delaware rivers. If you see the Mongaup River flowing into the Delaware, you went too far. In fact, the moment you see it, you better turn around and paddle as hard as you can back upriver, because once you get to the Mongaup River you’ll be hitting the above-mentioned rapids and there is no turning back. Thus, keep a keen eye out for what amounts to a gap in the vegetation. This is the trail that leads to the parking lot. There are two such trails, but skip the first one. It is the second trail that you want. If you have a GPS device, it is approximately .75 mile past the downstream end of an island you pass just before the take-out spot.
View of the Mongaup Canoe Launch from the water, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
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Last updated on August 19, 2023
