Hilly terrain on the McDade Trail between the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Park Headquarters and the Owens Trailhead
Note: There are mile marker posts along the McDade Trail just as there are along a highway. Trail miles are counted south to north, with Mile 0 being at the southern trailhead at Hialeah. Since this report is written from the perspective of traveling south from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Park Headquarters to the Owens Trailhead, the accounting of the trail miles covered on the trip is in reverse order.
Trail Miles Covered: 6.2 to 5.5
Length: .7 mile
Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
River Run Shuttle: The shuttle can be flagged down from the Park Headquarters if you walk out to River Road. There is no stop at the Owens Trailhead.
The stretch of the McDade Trail between the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Park Headquarters and the Owens Trailhead is the second shortest of any segment on the trail, with the two stops being just .75 mile from each other. It is also the most difficult section open to both hikers and bikers. Here you will encounter the longest hill on the trail at a whopping .4 mile long, and for the first quarter mile prior to this hill is a series of shorter hills, including an extremely steep one that ends at a boardwalk over a swampy area. I was heading south on the McDade Trail, and luckily this was a downhill ride for me. I had my brakes on the entire time and was often sliding sideways on the gravel. I’d hate to be traveling north.
Boardwalk segment of the McDade Trail just south of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Park Headquarters building
The long hill is also a downhill run for those heading south. A STEEP HILL warning sign is at the start. Needless to say, I made great time biking this segment, and I’m certainly glad I wasn’t going the other way. The trail actually switchbacks down the hill, making the climb up easier for those traveling north, whether on foot or bike. The overall grade of the hill is just 9% (15% is where strenuous starts), but there are short segments with grades averaging as steep as 30%. That’s damn steep.
Start of the long hill on the McDade Trail between the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Park Headquarters and the Owens Trailhead
Ever since departing Bushkill Village (heading south), the McDade Trail has been heading towards the Delaware River, which was as far as a mile away. It is just after coming to the end of the long hill at the Owens Trailhead parking lot where the trail finally gets back to the river. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have clear views, as there is nearly always a forest between the trail and water, but you know it’s there and can catch glimpses of it through the leaves every now and then.
Owens Trailhead parking area on the McDade Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
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Last updated on January 24, 2024
