Giving Pond Recreation Area Canoe Launch on the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

See the Boat Launches web page for an interactive location map.

TYPE

The Giving Pond Recreation Area Canoe launch is for hand-launched watercraft only.

LOCATION

Giving Pond Recreation Area is a unit of Delaware Canal State Park. It is located at 1125 River Road in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. If using Google Maps, search GIVING POND RIVER ROAD.

FEES

While there is no specific fee to use the canoe launch at Giving Pond, a fee-based launch permit is required from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). This requirement is for all types of watercraft including canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats, rafts, and sailboats without a motor. This applies even to out-of-state paddlers who are in Pennsylvania on vacation unless their home state already requires launch permits for non-motorized boats and their boat has one attached. Those from states that do not require such permits must get one from the PFBC. If you have three months before your vacation, you can get a permit by mail. There are also retail stores in Pennsylvania where launch permits are sold. See the PFBC’s Registering / Titling An Unpowered Boat web page for details (scroll to the bottom for Launch Permits).

BOAT RAMP DETAILS

The Giving Pond Canoe Launch is located across the street from the park entrance. It is about a 200-foot walk from the large parking lot to the river. There is no place to unload your boat and gear any closer. The footpath down to the water starts out wide enough for a boat trailer but soon narrows into a one-person walking trail. However, the terrain is fairly level other than a mild slope at the end. Of the many canoe launches I visited on the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River, this is one of the nicest.

Giving Pond Canoe Launch on the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

If you are paddling down the river towards Giving Pond, the ramp is a little hard to spot from the water, so you need to know where to look in order to find it. Giving Pond Recreation Area shows up on Google Maps, hand-held GPS units, and hiking apps for cell phones. Cell service is generally very good along the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River.