Damascus Boat Ramp, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
TYPE
Public boat ramp for motorboats and non-motorized watercraft that is operated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). You must obtain a launch permit to use PFBC ramps. This requirement is for all types of watercraft including canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats, rafts, and sailboats without a motor. See the PFBC’s Registering / Titling a Boat web page for more details. The ramp is closed from 10 PM to 5 AM.
LOCATION
Off of the Cochecton Turnpike / PA 371 in Damascus, Pennsylvania, near the base of the Cochecton-Damascus Bridge. If using Google Maps, search Damascus PFBC Boat Ramp for directions.
BOAT RAMP DETAILS
The Damascus Boat Ramp is a convenient place to start a paddling trip down the Delaware River or to launch your motorboat. It has a concrete ramp, large dirt parking lot, and even a portable toilet.
Parking area for the Damascus Boat Ramp, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Paddlers should be advised that on busy weekends when the weather is nice, the boat ramps tend to be packed with people trying to launch their motorboats from trailers, even to the point where fights break out. If you find yourself planning a trip on such a day, consider using one of the launches dedicated to non-motorized boats. The closest is the Skinners Falls Canoe Launch three river miles downstream. Upstream you’d have to backtrack quite a ways to Kellmans Bridge, and that’s not an easy place to access. It’s really a fishing access point, but you can launch your canoe or kayak from there if necessary.
If ending your paddling trip at Damascus, be on the lookout for the ramp on the Pennsylvania (right) side of the Delaware River as soon as you pass under the Cochecton-Damascus Bridge.
View of the Damascus Boat Ramp from the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
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Last updated on August 16, 2023
