Dingmans Falls, Delaware Water Gap NPS

Garrett Tershel

Dingmans Falls, Delaware Water Gap NPS

The Delaware Water Gap is a National Recreation Area in in the Poconos. We ended up here quite by accident, my wife talked about how it happened. Our "accidents" or "by chance happenings" so far on this trip have turned out great.  This was another one.  I had heard a lot about the Poconos but didn't really know what it was. Being, we were there off season, I still don't really know. But I did enjoy the Delaware Water Gap.

This was a quick couple day stop to break up the the trip south from Boston to DC. After having been so busy the month before in Maine, and just finishing Halloween we were a bit tired.  We only did one day of hiking and it was quite relaxing.

We had researched the area and tried find a good place to hike.  I had read that the waterfalls in the area were quite good. Unfortunately the websites were less than informative.  We started with Bushkills Falls. This was a flop. They might have had a nice trail but they wanted $52 to enter the park so we passed.

BushKill Falls Visitors Area BushKill Falls Visitors Area was mostly closed.

 
Map of Bushkill Falls trails Map of Bushkill Falls trails

 
Bushkill Prices Bushkill Prices

 

Enter Dingmans Falls NPS.

Dingmans Falls Dingmans Falls

 

Length: 0.4 mile, one-way

Difficulty: Easy; 0.3 mile is stroller and wheelchair accessible; last 0.1 mile is mostly stairs

Elevation Change: first 0.3 mile 55 feet elevation change; last 0.1 mile 107 feet elevation change

A bit of a change of pace from Acadia but exactly what we were looking to do.  It was an amazing stroll through trees and shrubs that I have not seen in a forest. Throw in two waterfalls and it was exceptional, quiet, and peaceful.

Walking Path Walking Path

 
Silver Thread Falls Silver Thread Falls

 
Walking through a dense rhododendron shrub forest. Walking through a dense rhododendron shrub forest. It was very different than any forest I had walked before.

 
Dingmans Falls Dingmans Falls

 
rhododendron rhododendron

 
The path allowed visitors to climb to the top of the falls and look down over the falls. The path allowed visitors to climb to the top of the falls and look down over the falls.

 
At the top of this picture is the railing allowing viewers to look over the falls. At the top of this picture is the railing allowing viewers to look over the falls.

 
Looking down, a long way down. Looking down, a long way down.

 
Nina found a setting on the camera and started to play with taking different pictures. I thought this one was fun. Nina found a setting on the camera and started to play with taking different pictures. I thought this one was fun.

 
Sliver Thread Sliver Thread