Blue Mountain Lake Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
There are over 100 miles of original hiking trails within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, plus 28 miles of the Appalachian Trail. While a few are very strenuous, most are easy to moderate in difficulty.
Hikers need to be aware that there are plenty of bears in the park, so be vigilant and carry a readily-accessible can of bear spray with you when you hike. Also be aware that hunting is allowed in the park at certain times of the year. During hunting season, either wear a bright orange T-shirt or a bright orange hat. These are hard to come by if you wait around until hunting season to get one.
Hiker wearing a bright orange hat during hunting season at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Trail maps are available in the Guide to the Gap, a free tabloid-size publication with the best information about the park. However, many of these maps are highly inaccurate. There are trails that the National Park Service apparently does not want anyone to know about, but eliminating them from the trail map does not mean they have disappeared from the landscape. Because there is no directional signage at the large majority of the intersections, mapped or unmapped, it is very easy to get confused. I highly suggest carrying a hiking GPS unit or loading a hiking app on your phone. Even having access to Google Maps will be of help, as many trails show up on Google’s maps. I have corrected the maps I posted on my trail reviews here on National Park Planner.
The following is a list of trails within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Trail names that are hyperlinks are trails that I personally hiked. The links lead to detailed trail reports with plenty of photographs. The trails are listed by state, north to south.
PENNSYLVANIA TRAILS
Sawkill Glen Trail
George W. Childers Park Trail
Upper Hornbecks Creek Trail
Fossil Trail
Ridgeline Trail
Scenic Gorge Trail
Trail for Everyone
Tumbling Waters Trail
Slateford Trail
NEW JERSEY TRAILS
Appalachian Trail: Buttermilk Falls to Crater Lake
Inner Blue Mountain Lake Trail
Outer Blue Mountain Lake Trail
Appalachian Trail: Rattlesnake Swamp Segment
Appalachian Trail: Coppermine Trail to Kaiser Trail
In the winter, the McDade Recreational Trail, Arrow Island Trail, Slateford Trail, and the Blue Mountain Lake Trails are open to snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
Note: I did not hike any trails within Worthington State Forest since they are not actually managed by the National Park Service or technically part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
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Last updated on January 12, 2024
