Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

As a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System of the US National Parks, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River stretches 73.4 miles along the New York-Pennsylvania border. The longest and one of the cleanest free-flowing (undammed) rivers in the eastern United States, the Upper Delaware features riffles and Class I and II rapids interspersed with pools and eddies.

While most of the land along the river is privately owned, there is ample opportunity for canoeing, kayaking, rafting, tubing, fishing, and eagle watching. Villages, historic buildings, remnants of a once-busy canal, the nation’s oldest existing wire cable suspension bridge, and the home of author Zane Grey are some of the river valley’s sights.

On the River in the US National Parks

Boating and Canoeing

Whether by canoe, kayak, raft, or tube, the best way to see and get to know the Upper Delaware is to be on the river. The boating season usually runs from April to October. Most of the Upper Delaware River is a Class I stream in terms of difficulty, which means "moving water with a few riffles and small waves; few or no obstructions." One of the more difficult spots along the river is Skinners Falls. You should scout these rapids from shore before attempting passage. The most important thing to remember about boating is to always wear a PFD (personal flotation device, or life jacket). If you plan to camp overnight, make reservations at an established campground. Many private liveries along the river have campsites. Liveries rent kayaks, canoes, rafts, and tubes; provide safety instruction, gear, and PFDs; and even shuttle you back to your vehicle. Almost all land along the river is privately owned, and trespass laws are enforced by local authorities. A valid registration is required for all motorized vessels.

Swimming and Wading

Most drownings on the Delaware River have been swimming related. The river has swift currents and sudden drop-offs. The Delaware’s bottom can be rocky or muddy, shallow or deep. Rocks may be slippery. Wear a PFD and appropriate footgear, such as sneakers, while swimming, wading, or floating. There are no life-guarded beaches. Never swim alone.

Fishing

The Upper Delaware is a popular stream for both casual and serious anglers. Brown and rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, white suckers, fallfish, and American eels are abundant. The American shad spawn here in late spring. A New York or Pennsylvania fishing license is required. Fishing guides are available for hire.

Eel Weirs

Constructed by permit in late summer, V-shaped stone eel weirs with wooden racks are used to trap migrating American eels. Eels are born in the Sargasso Sea, far out in the Atlantic. After their first year, they head for waters that flow into the ocean. Males remain at the mouth of the river, while females swim upstream to mature.

After about seven years the females return to the ocean, where they spawn and die. During this downstream migration in late summer and fall, the weirs come into play. They are made of two stone walls that form a downstream vee. At the point of the vee is a wooden trap that catches the eels, they remain there until removed by the owner of the weir.

Bald Eagles

Clean water, ample food, and stands of tall trees along the river make the Upper Delaware an ideal habitat for the bald eagle. The Upper Delaware watershed hosts the largest population of wintering bald eagles in the northeast, and a growing year-round population of eagles has made the are an ideal location for eagle watching.

Wildlife

The river and its banks are feeding grounds for much wildlife. Muskrat, mink, raccoon, beaver, and snapping turtle are the most common. Be especially alert for raccoons, who like to scavenge food from unwary travelers. At dawn and dusk, watch carefully for white-tailed deer crossing the roadways. Be wary of skunks and porcupines – an encounter with either one can make you wish you had stayed at home.

A variety of snakes is found in the river valley – all but the timber rattlesnake and copperhead are nonvenomous. A special treat is seeing on of the region’s black bears. Enjoy them from a safe distance. Avoid ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease, and mosquitoes, carriers of West Nile virus.

Roebling Delaware Aqueduct

The oldest existing wire cable suspension bridge in the nation, the Delaware Aqueduct was built in 1848 as one of the major improvements on the Delaware and Hudson Canal (1828-98). The D&H was built to transport anthracite (hard coal) mined in northeastern Pennsylvania to markets in New York and New England. Gravity railroads took the coal over Moosic Mountain from Carbondale to Honesdale, Pennsylvania. From there the 108-mile canal carried the coal by boat through 108 locks to Kingston, N.Y., on the Hudson River.

The D&H hired John A. Roebling to build four suspension aqueducts on the canal. Two of these alleviated a major bottleneck on the Delaware River at Lackawaxen, Pa. Transporting boats above the river reduced the time required to cross the Delaware, making the D&H more competitive with its rivals – the railroads and other canals. Competition from railroads closed the D&H in 1898.

The Delaware Aqueduct was used for another 70 years as a private toll bridge. In 1980 it was sold to the National Park Service, which repaired and restored the masonry, reconstructed the roadway and deck, and replaced the wooden trunk walls and towpaths. The Towpath Trail follows the route of the earlier 1828-48 towpath. You may visit this site in Lackawaxen to learn more about the canal and John Roebling’s aqueduct.