Riverside campsite in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

RIVERSIDE CAMPSITES

For those planning an overnight trip down the Delaware River within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, there are 62 campsites available that are located along the shore and on select islands for paddlers only. To qualify, your trip must span at least 14 miles in one day, 26 miles over two days, or 34 miles over three days. How anyone would ever know how far you paddled in a day is beyond me, but that’s the way it works if you are honest. These are primitive campsites—no water, toilets, or electricity—that are only accessible from the river. You can only camp one night at any particular location, for the general idea is that you’ll be moving on in the morning.

The way the system works is that the river is divided into five zones. You must make a reservation at Recreation.gov up to six months in advance for a campsite within the zone you think you’ll be in by the end of the day, and then you can get any site within that zone. There is no guarantee that your first destination will be available due to other campers who may already be there, so you might have to continue downriver to the next campsite…and so on. Thus, don’t plan on arriving at your first choice just as the sun is going down just in case you have to keep on paddling.

Riverside camping is seasonal, and the schedule changes each year. To get the current dates, visit the National Park Service’s River Camping web page for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

The map below shows the general areas covered by each camping zone, but it is not detailed enough to see where the campsites are. However, you can download the River Campsite Map PDF for a higher resolution map.

River campsite zone map (click to enlarge)

To find a campsite, you must know the general area of where it is located and be on the lookout for signs nailed to trees along the riverbank (see the photo at the top of this page). I went down the entire river and only noticed the one campsite in the photo, so it’s not like there are billboards along the shore to let you know a campsite is coming up. Also keep in mind that campsites might not have a launch area. If not, you must drag your boat up an embankment. The campsite in the above photo was on a “cliff” a good ten feet off the river, and you have to use a rope tied around a tree to help pull yourself up. Good luck with your boat.

Each campsite can have up to ten people and five tents, so it is possible that you may end up having to share a campsite. However, if you do the math—10 people times 62 campsites—that’s a lot of campers, and I would bet my house that there’s never a time when anywhere near 620 paddlers are looking to camp for the night.

The following is a list of camping rules from the National Park Service website:

• Camping is limited to one night in each location.
• To use a river campsite, the total river miles traveled must be at least 14 miles for a one-night trip, at least 26 miles for a two-night trip, and at least 34 miles for a three-night trip.
• If you are leaving a vehicle in a National Park Service parking lot overnight, you must register your information with the park emergency operations center here. If you are unable to use our registration system, please call the park Emergency Operations office at: 570-426-2457. (Note: This line is monitored 24/7 and should only be used when unable to register online or for emergencies)
• Small fires are only permitted in existing fire grates. Use dead and down wood only. Cutting standing trees is not permitted.
• Pack out all trash to include all food and food waste.
• Please use soaps sparingly. Soap should be dumped on well-drained soil away from water sources.
• Do not urinate or defecate within 100 feet of any river or stream. Fecal material, including pet waste, must be buried at least 6 inches deep and at least 300 feet away from water.
• Quiet hours are 10 PM to 6 AM. Loud audio devices and fireworks are prohibited.

ALOSA RIVER CAMPGROUND

There is also a separate riverside campground with six campsites, the Alosa River Campground, that is located 2.5 miles downriver from the Bushkill Access Boat Ramp. This is a traditional campground where you make a reservation for a specific site. There is no running water or electricity, but there are fancy outhouses. These are what Jed Clampett would call a portable toilet in a permanent building.

Five of the campsites can accommodate up to six people, and one can accommodate up to ten people. Reservations are required and can be made at Recreation.gov up to six months in advance.

VALLEY VIEW GROUP CAMPGROUND

If you have a group of 5 to 25 people and don’t mind paying $100, you can also make a reservation at the Valley View Group Campground. This is right on the river and has its own canoe launch. It is located on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, also near Bushkill. For more information, see the Valley View Group Campground web page here on National Park Planner.

RIVERS BEND GROUP CAMPGROUND

The National Park Service also promotes the Rivers Bend Group Campground for paddlers, but while the campground property may technically butt up to the Delaware River, the campsites are pretty far from it. I was there and photographed the entire campground, and I had no idea I was even near the river. This would be my last choice for a river campsite if I were making an overnight paddling trip. See the Rivers Bend Group Campground web page here on National Park Planner for more information.

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