Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Delaware Water Gap: Dingmans to Smithfield Beach
About this paddle route
The Delaware through the national recreation area is the closest thing to a wilderness float within two hours of New York and Philadelphia. It is flat, with occasional class I riffles, and the corridor is protected on both banks for forty miles. Island campsites along this stretch are first come, first served and reachable only from the water, which is what makes an overnight worth doing rather than a long day.
An easy two-day float on the middle Delaware, Dingmans Ferry down past Bushkill to Smithfield Beach.
Highlights
What earns the trip
- Forty miles of protected river corridor with no development on either bank
- Primitive island campsites accessible only by boat
- Class I riffles, so it suits families and first-time overnighters
- The Water Gap itself, where the river cuts through Kittatinny Ridge, is just downstream
Stops
- 1
Dingmans Access
Public boat ramp at Dingmans Ferry.
- 2
Bushkill Access
Midpoint ramp, a common one-day take-out.
- 3
Smithfield Beach
Take-out with a beach and picnic area.
When to go
Best time to go
May through September. Spring runoff makes the river faster and colder.
Planner estimate for the mapped line: 1h 22m
Before you go
Know before you go
- A launch fee applies at the national recreation area access points.
- Life jackets are required to be worn on this stretch during the spring high-water period.
- Alcohol is prohibited on the river within the recreation area.
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