Biking the McDade Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Other than on the park roads, biking within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is limited to the McDade Recreational Trail, a gravel hiker-biker trail that runs nearly the entire length of the park on the Pennsylvania side starting at Milford Beach and ending at Hialeah, a distance of approximately 31 miles. Most of the trail covers level terrain, but there are many moderate and extremely steep hills that are challenging for all bikers. There’s no shame if you have to push you bike up such hills—at least that’s what I kept telling myself. E-bikes are allowed on the McDade Trail, but speed is limited to 15 MPH.
For those who don’t want to bike all the way to the end of the McDade Trail and then have to bike back to their car, the River Run Shuttle runs up and down River Road and Federal Road (the roads that parallel the trail) and can accommodate hikers, bikers and their bikes, paddlers and their boats, and those with dogs on a leash. The shuttle operates on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There is no charge. For details, see the National Park Service’s official Shuttle web page for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
See the McDade Recreational Trail web page here on National Park Planner for section by section details about hiking or biking the trail.
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Last updated on January 12, 2024
