Hidden Lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Length:  1.9-mile loop
Time: 1.5 hours with time to enjoy the lake views
Difficulty:  Between easy and moderate

The Hidden Lake Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is located in Pennsylvania off of Hidden Lake Drive just south of the Park Headquarters. There are two parking lots, with the main one being at the west end of the lake. If using Google Maps for directions, search HIDDEN LAKE MAIN PARKING EAST STOUDSBURG.

Hidden Lake Trail Map (click to enlarge)

The National Park Service rates the Hidden Lake Trail as easy, but I have to disagree with that. Yes, most of it is easy, but there are some pretty steep hills, plus the trail on the north side of the lake is full of rocks and roots. Easy makes it sound as if you can bring your decrepit grandmother out for a hike, but that’s not the case, and I just want to make that clear. The trail is somewhere between easy and moderate, perhaps a 2 out of 5 on a difficulty scale.

Since Hidden Lake is an oval that runs northeast to southwest, I need to define geological / navigational terms so that I can reference points of interest along the trail in my review. I will call the side of the lake that runs parallel to Hidden Lake Drive the northern shore and the opposite side, the southern shore. The location of the main parking lot is at the northwestern end of the lake, and of course the opposite side of the lake from the parking lot would be the southwestern end. The location of the other parking lot (and dam) is at the northeastern end of the lake, and the opposite side, the southeastern end.

I started the hike from the main parking lot. The most obvious way to begin is by taking the steep-but-short connector trail located behind the Hidden Lake information sign next to the restroom building (a fancy outhouse). After 100 feet the connector dead ends at the Hidden Lake Trail. I took a right and hiked around the lake in the counterclockwise direction, and this trail report is written from that perspective.

Hidden Lake Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area starts behind the restroom building

From the connector, the Hidden Lake Trail heads down a moderate hill to the lake shore. At this point it is so close to the water that should the water level be high, it is possible that short segments of the trail will be underwater, forcing hikers up into the bushes to get through. I hiked a lot of trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area that looped around lakes and ponds, and only the Inner Blue Mountain Lake Trail followed right along the shore, and even then, only for a quarter mile. Most of the lake and pond trails in the park never even come close to the water, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain about the fact that I was now almost hiking in the water on the Hidden Lake Trail.

From the parking lot, the Hidden Lake Trail quickly leads down to the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Section of the Hidden Lake Trail on the northwestern end that runs right next to the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

When the Hidden Lake Trail gets to the very western end of the lake, it continues southwest, beyond the lake, instead of hugging the shoreline as it curves around to the other side. This departure from the shore lasts roughly a quarter mile and passes up and over another fairly steep hill. Look for the remnants of an old stone wall, an indication that a homestead of some sort was here many years ago. This section has quite a few rocks and roots on the surface, so watch your step.

Rocky section at the western end of the Hidden Lake Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Stone wall on the southwestern side of the Hidden Lake Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Once the trail curves around and begins heading northeast towards the other end of the lake, it widens into what is most likely an old road.

The Hidden Lake Trail widens considerably on the southwestern side of the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

When the Hidden Lake Trail gets back to the lake, it heads uphill on a ridge high above the water. You can see the lake through the trees, but the trail is a couple hundred yards away from the shore. The ridge continues for a quarter mile before the trail gradually descends back towards the shore. When you get to the bottom of the hill you will be near the center of the lake at the point where it narrows (see map).

Hidden Lake Trail descends from a ridge above the lake’s southern shore towards the narrow, central section, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

At .6 mile into the hike—near the center of the southern shore—the Hidden Lake Trail merges with an actual dirt road (this is shown on the trail map). This is used—or was used—to get to an old day camp. If you are hiking in the opposite direction, clockwise on the Hidden Lake Trail, you will see a fork where the trail splits from the road, not merges with it. Be sure to stay right on the narrower trail. The photo below is the view from the clockwise direction. The lake, by the way, is nowhere in sight once you get to the road.

Clockwise view of a fork in the Hidden Lake Trail where it splits from an old dirt road near the center of the lake on its southern shore, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The road ends at a day camp that is not used anymore, or at least it doesn’t appear to be used. There is a large building that is boarded up. An old box by one of the doors with YMCA DAY CAMPS written on it is the only hint as to what the facility used to be.

The Hidden Lake Trail passes through the grounds of a former YMCA camp on the southern shore of Hidden Lake in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Box with YMCA written on it at what appears to be a former summer camp on Hidden Lake in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

To continue the hike, follow the path that leads from the building down to the lake and eventually to a metal dock that looks rather new. There are a lot of roots on the trail surface, and if the trail is wet, as it was when I did the hike in a very light on-and-off rain, stepping on a root is like stepping on a cartoon banana peel.

The Hidden Lake Trail follows the path from the YMCA summer camp building to the shore near a boat dock, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Dock on Hidden Lake at the YMCA summer camp on the lake’s southern shore, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

From the dock, the Hidden Lake Trail runs right along the shore, or very close to it, all the way to the southeastern end of the lake. However, the trees between the trail and the water are often quite dense, so there is not always a good view. The trail eventually forks as it approaches the eastern end of the lake, so stay to the left along the shore. A tree is down blocking the fork to the right (straight), and it looks like it is there on purpose to keep hikers off that section and force them to the left.

The Hidden Lake Trail hugs the lake’s southern shore from the YMCA summer camp all the way to the north end of the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

There is another fairly steep climb up and over a hill as the trail curves around the eastern end of the lake. The gain in elevation is 35 feet, and once at the top you will be high above the lake. This is the steepest section of the Hidden Lake Trail, and there are a lot of roots at this point, so watch your step.

Hidden Lake Trail climbs up and over a steep hill at the eastern end of the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

At the bottom of the hill is the Hidden Lake Dam (1.1 mile into the hike). Cross over the sluice via the footbridge and then walk across the top of the dam. As for a view of the lake, this is as good as it gets. There is a parking area at this end, which I assume is used by those who only want to take a photo.

Hidden Lake Dam at the northeastern end of the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

View of Hidden Lake from the dam at the northeastern end of the lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Hidden Lake Trail at the dam on the northeastern end of Hidden Lake in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Aside from another hill just before arriving back at the main parking lot, the hike along the northern shore is on fairly level terrain. This is also where the Hidden Lake Trail gets so close to the water at times that it may well be underwater after a good rain. Much of the trail was muddy when I did the hike, there was one section that was underwater, and there was another section where the difference between being on land and being in the water was the width of my foot—I was basically walking a tightrope to proceed. I did notice that, when possible, hikers had cut alternate trails up into the bushes to get around many of these sections.

The northeastern end of the Hidden Lake Trail runs right along the shore of Hidden Lake in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Section of the Hidden Lake Trail that was underwater (red line shows the trail’s path), Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Another hazard when the trail is wet are a few slabs of rock at 45-degree angles that you must either walk on or around. When dry, these are no problem. When wet, they are as slippery as ice.

Rock slabs on the Hidden Lake Trail are very slippery when wet, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

At the 1.5 mile point on the hike, the Hidden Lake Trail curves to the left to follow the lakeshore at the point where the lake narrows significantly (shown on the trail map). This narrow section is roughly two tenths of a mile long, and the trail is once again right up next to the water and can be a little muddy because of it. There continues to be an ample number of tree roots on the trail surface as well.

Hidden Lake Trail runs right along the north shore at the narrow central section of Hidden Lake, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Muddy section of the Hidden Lake Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Less than .2 mile from the parking lot, at the point where Hidden Lake widens at its northwestern end, is a canoe launch. I could see a man fishing from a kayak he had launched from here.

The Hidden Lake Trail passes the Hidden Lake Canoe Launch, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Man fishing on Hidden Lake in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The last leg of the hike beyond the boat ramp climbs up and over another steep hill, one very similar to the hill near the dam. At the top is the foundation of an old building. Again, there are lots of roots and rocks on the trail, and they are slippery when wet.

Final descent to the Hidden Lake parking lot on the Hidden Lake Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Hidden Lake Trail comes out on the left side of the parking lot where the picnic area is located. This trailhead is hard to spot due to the trees, which is why I mentioned at the beginning of this report that the most obvious trailhead is the one near the restroom.

Hidden Lake Trail ends at the picnic area on the left side of the parking lot, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Back to the Top