Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Canoe through rapids and quiet pools as the Delaware River winds its way through a valley of swiftly changing scenery or fish amid rolling hills and riverfront villages in one of the finest fishing rivers in the northeastern United States. The clean water of the Delaware, the last major undammed river in the eastern United States, supports a healthy ecosystem and offers tranquility and excitement.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River | Daily · All Day |
| Zane Grey Museum | Varies by day ▾
|
| Roebling Bridge Toll House | Daily · 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
Zane Grey Museum: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hours |
|
| Sep 30, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027NowZane Grey Museum, October - December | Closed |
| Jan 4 to Feb 23, 2027Zane Grey Museum, January and February |
|
| Feb 24 to May 24, 2027Zane Grey Museum, March - May | Closed |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Hike the Bouchoux Trail to Jensen's Ledges2-5 Hours
A difficult uphill hike leads to a dazzling waterfall and an amazing panoramic view of the Upper Delaware River Valley at the summit of Jensen's Ledges. Along the way, bluestone piles hint at the history of bluestone quarrying.
Opens on the Park Service site - Primitive Camping at Buckhorn Natural Area1-3 Days
Camp right on the Delaware River at Buckhorn Natural Area. This is a free primitive camping area, although a permit is required. There are no facilities at this campsite and this campsite can only be reached by boat.
Opens on the Park Service site - Float from Damascus to Skinners Falls1-2 Hours
Float this short stretch of river from Damascus River Access to Skinners Falls River Access. This stretch is approximately 3 river miles and takes on average 1.5 hours to float.
Opens on the Park Service site - Float from Mongaup to Sparrowbush1-2 Hours
Float this short stretch of river from Mongaup River Access to the New York DEC river access at Sparrowbush, NY. This stretch is approximately 3 river miles and takes on average 1.5 hours to float.
Opens on the Park Service site - Exciting: Paddle from Lackawaxen to Sparrowbush8-10 Hours
Paddle this longer stretch of river with a mix of calm waters, rapids, and rifts from Lackawaxen River Access to the New York DEC river access at Sparrowbush, NY. This stretch is approximately 20 river miles and takes on average 8-10 hours to paddle.
Opens on the Park Service site - Float from Lackawaxen to Highland1-2 Hours
Float this short stretch of river from Lackawaxen River Access to Highland River Access. This stretch is approximately 3 river miles and takes on average 1.5 hours to float.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Fishing on the Upper Delaware River
The pristine and undammed waters of the Upper Delaware River provide excellent habitat for a diverse variety of fish species such as trout, bass, walleye, and shad.
Opens on the Park Service site - Moderate: Paddle from Ten Mile River to Lackawaxen2-4 Hours
Paddle this stretch of river with a mix of calm waters and rapids from Ten Mile River Access to Lackawaxen River Access. This stretch is approximately 6.5 river miles and takes on average 2.5 hours to paddle.
Opens on the Park Service site - Easy: Paddle from Narrowsburg to Ten Mile River2-3 Hours
Paddle this calm stretch of river from Narrowsburg River Access to Ten Mile River Access. This stretch is approximately 6 river miles and takes on average 3 hours to paddle.
Opens on the Park Service site - Easy: Paddle from Buckingham to Long Eddy3-5 Hours
Paddle this calm stretch of river from Buckingham River Access to Long Eddy River Access. This stretch is approximately 9.5 river miles and takes on average 4.5 hours to paddle.
Opens on the Park Service site - Become an Upper Delaware Junior Ranger30-90 Minutes
Become a Junior Ranger at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. The Junior Ranger program is a great way for individuals of all ages to learn about the river, its natural resources, and the history of the Upper Delaware River Valley.
Opens on the Park Service site - Winter Eagle Watching at the Lackawaxen River Access
Although many eagles call the Upper Delaware River region home during all months of the year, winter is a particularly good time to go bald eagle-watching in the park. Wintering bald eagles visit, increasing the population of eagles in the area.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
News
- Community Volunteers Needed for Dragonfly Mercury Project ↗2026-08-02
The National Park Service invites the public to participate in the Dragonfly Mercury Project, a nationwide citizen science initiative focused on monitoring mercury in aquatic ecosystems.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 3× · North American Porcupine 2×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 94 birds, 43 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsBarred Owl · bald eagle · broad-winged hawk · great horned owl · osprey · red-shouldered hawk · red-tailed hawk · turkey vulture
Waterfowl & wadersCanada goose · common merganser · double-breasted cormorant · great blue heron · green heron
Shorebirds & seabirdskilldeer · spotted sandpiper
Gamebirds & dovesmourning dove · ruffed grouse · wild turkey
Woodpeckersdowny woodpecker · northern flicker · pileated woodpecker · yellow-bellied sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftschimney swift · ruby-throated hummingbird
Also on the checklistAcadian flycatcher · American crow · American goldfinch · American redstart · American robin · Baltimore oriole · Blackburnian Warbler · Canada warbler · Carolina wren · Chestnut-sided Warbler · European starling · Hooded Warbler · Lawrence's warbler · Louisiana Waterthrush · Magnolia Warbler · Myrtle Warbler · Nashville warbler · Northern Parula · Pine Warbler · barn swallow · belted kingfisher · black-and-white warbler · black-capped chickadee · black-throated green warbler · blue jay · blue-headed vireo · brown creeper · brown thrasher · cedar waxwing · chipping sparrow · cliff swallow · common grackle · common raven · common yellowthroat · dark-eyed junco · eastern kingbird · eastern phoebe · eastern towhee · eastern wood-pewee · field sparrow · gray catbird · great crested flycatcher · hermit thrush · house finch · house sparrow · house wren · indigo bunting · least flycatcher · northern cardinal · northern mockingbird · northern rough-winged swallow · northern waterthrush · ovenbird · purple finch · red-eyed vireo · red-winged blackbird · rose-breasted grosbeak · scarlet tanager · song sparrow · tree swallow · tufted titmouse · veery · warbling vireo · white-breasted nuthatch · willow flycatcher · wood thrush · worm-eating warbler · yellow warbler · yellow-billed cuckoo · yellow-throated vireo
Small mammalsAmerican beaver · North American deermouse · North American porcupine · brown rat · cinereus shrew · common muskrat · eastern chipmunk · eastern cottontail · eastern gray squirrel · hairy-tailed mole · house mouse · meadow jumping mouse · meadow vole · northern short-tailed shrew · red squirrel · smoky shrew · southern flying squirrel · southern red-backed vole · star-nosed mole · white-footed deermouse · woodland jumping mouse
PredatorsAmerican Mink · American black bear · North American river otter · bobcat · coyote · fisher · gray fox · long-tailed weasel · raccoon · red fox · striped skunk
Hoofed mammalswhite-tailed deer
BatsNorth American Hoary Bat · big brown bat · eastern red bat · eastern small-footed myotis · little brown myotis · northern myotis · silver-haired bat · tricolored bat
Also on the checklistVirginia opossum · woodchuck
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 15 activitiesHide
Questions people ask
Does Upper Delaware charge an entrance fee?
No. Upper Delaware is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Upper Delaware open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Upper Delaware?
380,245 recreation visits in 2025, number 131 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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