Biking the McDade Recreational Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The McDade Recreational Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a trail open to hikers and bikers 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. The trail is a gravel path that is mainly flat, but there are some extremely steep hills that are challenging for for even the most fit hikers and bikers.

Start of the McDade Trail at Milford Beach, Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area

For those looking for a very easy hike or bike ride on the McDade Trail, the section from Bushkill Access to Jerry Lees is the ticket. Even young children can handle the terrain along this six-mile stretch of trail.

If you would like to tackle a long section of the McDade Trail on a weekend or holiday between Memorial Day and Labor Day but don’t have a ride back to where you started, you can catch the free River Run Shuttle. The bus can transport bikes, canoes, kayaks, and dogs on a leash. See the National Park Service’s official Shuttle Information web page for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

For bikers, it is extremely important to know that while the National Park Service bills the McDade Trail as a 31-mile biking trail, there is a 1.5-mile section between the Pittman Orchard and Conashaugh parking lots and a 1-mile section between the Conashaugh and White Pines parking lots that are only open to hikers, forcing bikers onto US 209 / Federal Road, a 55 MPH-plus highway with no road shoulder. If that doesn’t bother you, have at it. For bikers who care about living, the McDade Trail is essentially two separate trails:  a 2.25-mile section that runs between Milford Beach and Pittman Orchard and a 24-mile section that runs between White Pines and Hialeah.

And before you think, “I’ll just push my bike on the hiker section,” that is an extremely grueling experience that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy (yes, I did it). Both hikers-only sections of the trail run right along a cliff, and the trail is so narrow in some places that there is not enough room to walk next to your bike without it hanging off the cliff. There are also steep sections that use stone staircases. I would push my bike up a couple steps and then lock my brakes just to pull myself up, then repeat the agonizing process over and over all the way to the top. I lost a $40 can of bear spray while doing this and had no desire to go back and find it.

Hikers-only section of the McDade Trail between the Pittman Orchard and Conashaugh parking lots on Federal Road in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Hikers-only section of the McDade Trail between the Pittman Orchard and Conashaugh parking lots on Federal Road in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The following reports cover the McDade Recreational Trail in detail from the perspective of traveling north to south on a bike. Hikers will also get something out of the reviews, if nothing more than seeing what the terrain looks like. The reviews are broken up into sections based on the various parking areas along the trail. At the bottom of each page is a menu that leads to the next or previous section of the McDade Trail.

Milford Beach to Pittman Orchard  (2.25 miles)

Pittman Orchard to Conashaugh  (2.4 miles)

Conashaugh to White Pines  (1.8 mile)

White Pines to Schneider Farm  (3.6 miles)

Schneider Farm to Jerry Lees  (4.9 miles)

Jerry Lees to Eshback Access  (2 miles)

Eshback Access to Egypt Mills  (1.8 mile)

Egypt Mills to Bushkill Access  (2.4 miles)

Bushkill Access to Bushkill Village  (1.7 mile)

Bushkill Village to Park Headquarters  (2 miles)

Park Headquarters to Owens  (.7 mile)

Owens to Turn Farm  (.9 mile)

Turn Farm to Riverview  (.5 mile)

Riverview to Smithfield Beach  (2.2 miles)

Smithfield Beach to Hialeah  (1.9 mile)

Biking the McDade Recreational Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Back to the Top