Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River near Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania
RIVER TRIP OVERVIEW
Riegelsville (NJ) Boat Ramp to Upper Black Eddy Boat Ramp
Length: 6.9 miles
Water Level at Time of Trip: 5.3 feet
Average moving speed: 5.5 MPH with two paddlers
Top Speed: 7 MPH
Time: 1.25 hour
This review covers a trip on the Delaware River from the boat ramp in Riegelsville, New Jersey, to the boat ramp in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. The first 3.6 miles of the trip are not within the boundaries of the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River. I mention this because not all sections of the river from the northern boundary south of Belvidere, New Jersey, to the southern boundary at Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, are part of the park. River sections can be excluded for a number of reasons, one being that the municipalities along the river have not decided if they want to be part of the park, which is the case here. Decisions not to be included are often based on the fact that the municipality may have to impose stricter regulations on the businesses along the river.
There are no YOU ARE NOW ENTERING or YOU ARE NOW LEAVING the park signs, so unless you are specifically aware of the exclusions and where they begin and end, you wouldn’t know the difference. It’s not like the sun suddenly shines brighter and the colors become more vibrant when you enter the park. So that you can be the pedantic person on your trip down the river, be sure to let everyone in your group know that when they pass a huge power plant—which can’t be missed—they are back on the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River.
THE FINE PRINT
Before starting a trip down the Delaware River, always check the water levels so you have an idea of the river conditions. The most relevant United States Geological Survey (USGS) water level gauge for this trip is at Riegelsville. On the day I did the trip in mid-October, the Riegelsville gauge reported 5.3 feet of water. The observations in my report are based on this water level. If you do the trip when the level is significantly lower, you may be dragging your boat to deeper water in some places and probably won’t experience the same degree of rapids as reported. If the water level is significantly higher, you may experience more intense rapids, and more of them. Also be aware that regardless of water levels, extreme winds can cause turbulent conditions that require advanced skills on water otherwise suited for all paddlers.
Keep in mind that water level gauges only measure water depth at one location. The actual depth of the river varies from place to place. However, a gauge reading gives a good indication of what the water levels will be like between it and the next downriver gauge. For example, it may be recommended that for an enjoyable paddling trip that Gauge X reads at least four feet, even though you can have a good time in your kayak in as little as a foot of water, perhaps even less. However, a four-foot reading at Gauge X may mean that some areas of the river only have six inches of water. Likewise, the gauge at Washington Crossing read .15 foot at the start of the day when I did the trip at the southern end of the river and -.15 by the evening. Minus? How is that possible? Do I have to dig a well to get to the water? All I know is that there was plenty of water, and I’m not talking about just enough to get by. I’m talking about not being able to see the bottom. So .15 feet of water at Washington Crossing means there is plenty of water in that area, while .15 feet at Gauge X probably means the river is dry in that area.
So you now know the water levels are all relative to the area, and you really need to be a frequent paddler, or know someone who is, to judge when it’s going to be a good day on the river. I’m from Georgia. I went down the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River once, so I do not know what water levels may require advanced paddling skills or may even be dangerous, or at what levels you may be scraping the bottom of the riverbed. All I can say is that with 5.3 feet of water at Riegelsville, conditions are excellent for a paddling trip from Riegelsville to Upper Black Eddy. There was plenty of water in the river and the current was moving fast, but there were no rapids or anything else that even beginning paddlers could not handle.
RIVER TRIP DETAILS
Departing from the Riegelsville Boat Ramp, the current moved swiftly but resulted in nothing but some choppy water. There is supposedly another boat ramp on the Riegelsville, Pennsylvania, side of the river—there is a Riegelsville in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania—but I did not see it. There is a ramp tagged on Google Maps, but it is listed as CLOSED. Just down from that ramp is supposedly another in Pennsylvania at the Durham Aqueduct, a unit of Delaware Canal State Park, and while I am sure it exists, I didn’t see it either. It is most likely similar to the canoe launch at Theodore Roosevelt Recreation Area, another unit of Delaware Canal State Park.
Choppy water on the Delaware River near Riegelsville, New Jersey
A mile or so from Riegelsville, the Delaware River flows around a bend and heads east. You’ll start to see some cliffs along the shore known as the Nockamixon Cliffs.
Nockamixon Cliffs along the Lower Delaware River
Views of the cliffs begin near Lynn Island. The Delaware River splits into two smaller channels to go around it, and when this happens the current typically picks up due to a large amount of water suddenly being squeezed into a smaller space. In this case, the water is indeed swifter, but there are no rapids, just some more choppy water. This is about as exciting as the trip to Upper Black Eddy gets. I went around the island on its left side.
Choppy water as the Delaware River passes Lynn Island near Kintnersville, Pennsylvania
At the downriver end of Lynn Island is the Gilbert Generating Station. Once past it, you are on the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River.
View from the Delaware River of the Gilbert Generating Station in Milford, New Jersey
From the power plant to Upper Black Eddy, the current remains swift, and there are a few patches of choppy water, but most of the journey is pretty relaxing. The trip ends at the Upper Black Eddy Boat Ramp, which comes right after passing under the Upper Black Eddy-Milford Bridge (the only bridge on the trip). When you see it, head over to the Pennsylvania (right) side of the river.
Upper Black Eddy-Milford Bridge as seen from the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
Just after passing under the bridge is a wooden dock extending into the river that belongs to a bed and breakfast establishment. Right after this is the Upper Black Eddy Boat Ramp. It is operated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and all boats, including canoes and kayaks, must have a launch permit. See the Upper Black Eddy Boat Ramp web page here on National Park Planner for details.
Upper Black Eddy Boat Ramp on the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
Next River Section | Previous River Section | Paddling Home Page
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on February 21, 2024
