Dingmans Creek Trail leads to Dingmans Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

• Length:  .35 mile to Dingmans Falls; .5 mile to the top of Dingmans Falls (one way distances)
• Time:  30 minutes to an hour, round trip, depending on time spent at the waterfalls
• Difficulty:  Easy to Dingmans Falls; over 200 stairs to the top of Dingmans Falls

The Dingmans Creek Trail at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area begins at the Dingmans Falls Visitor Center. This is one of the more popular trails in the park because it is short, easy, and leads to two waterfalls: Silver Thread Falls and Dingmans Falls. I don’t know if these are the tallest waterfalls in the park, but I hiked nearly all the trails, and they are definitely the tallest ones I saw.

Start of the Dingmans Creek Trail at the Dingmans Falls Visitor Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The trail is a boardwalk for the first .35 mile. It is fairly flat with a little bit of a slope, but it is accessible to those in wheelchairs. The boardwalk allows everyone to see both waterfalls. At the end of the trail, those without mobility issues can climb stairs to a viewing platform at the top of Dingmans Falls.

Boardwalk portion of the Dingmans Creek Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Dingmans Creek Trail passes over Dingmans Creek and comes to the first waterfall, Silver Thread Falls, in a matter of minutes. Silver Thread Falls is a nice waterfall and the taller of the two, but you cannot get right up to it like you can Dingmans Falls, and downed trees and other debris get in the way of a good photograph.

View of Dingmans Creek from the Dingmans Creek Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

View of Silver Thread Falls from the Dingmans Creek Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

At the end of the boardwalk is a viewing platform that provides everyone with a great view of Dingmans Falls. As mentioned, it is not as tall as Silver Thread Falls, but it is a prettier waterfall, and you can’t beat the view as far as taking photos is concerned.

Dingmans Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

For those who want a view from above Dingmans Falls, continue up the staircase at the end of the boardwalk. Overall, there are three different staircases to climb up and down with over 200 steps, and that’s just one way.

Staircase at the end of the Dingmans Creek Trail boardwalk leads to the top of Dingmans Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The path to the top of Dingmans Falls involves climbing multiple staircases, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

View of Dingmans Falls on the way up to the observation deck at the top, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

When you finally get to the observation deck, you will find that you actually have no view at all of Dingmans Falls other than the water flowing over the top. You can see the lower observation deck, for what that’s worth. Ultimately, it’s a lot of effort for not much reward. Just stick to the bottom platform unless you really like climbing stairs. Total distance of the hike all the way to the top is a half mile (one way).

Observation deck at the top of Dingmans Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

View from the observation deck at the top of Dingmans Falls of water flowing over the top of the waterfall, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Dingmans Creek Trail is the only trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area that has its own set of rules. From the National Park Service website:

• Other than trained service dogs, pets are not allowed at this location.
• Bus and RV parking is prohibited in the Dingmans Falls Visitor Center parking lot on weekends and federal holidays.
• The following areas are closed to swimming / wading: Dingmans Creek from 100 feet upstream of the top of Dingmans Falls to the end of the Dingmans Falls Visitor Center Parking Lot, including the pool at the base of Silver Thread Falls.
• Picnicking is not permitted on the Dingmans Creek Trail or observation platforms.
• The road to Dingmans Falls is closed to vehicle traffic during winter months but open to pedestrians.
• Please stay on marked trails.
• No fishing is permitted in Dingmans Creek from 100 feet upstream of the top observation platform to the road-side end of the parking lot.
• Silver Thread Falls along the Dingmans Falls Trail is closed for resource protection to all climbing, rappelling, diving, or jumping, including ice climbing.

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