Camping on Delaware Water Gap

T

tree huggin tracker

Scout
Nov 27, 2007
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Stockton College
Greetings all!
I'm planning a camping trip for mid January with a friend of mine, and I wanted to camp on or near the Delaware Water Gap. I've got to find a place that's open year round, and preferrably offers sites for tent camping exclusively (it's not roughing it if there's an RV parked next door) :)
Any insight? If not on the Delaware River, someplace in Northern Jersey. If there's a good spot in the Pine Barrens, I'm open to that as well.
Happy New Year!!
 
Stu

Stu

Explorer
Feb 19, 2004
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White Haven, PA
www.stuofdoom.com
Stokes State Forest, which is my personal Mecca, is along the Water Gap. They have tent sites, lean-tos, and cabins. The cabins are just about impossible to get though; their reservations are usually full the year before. The "ghost town" of Walpack is also within Stokes.
A good campground on the PA side is Dingman's Ferry Campground. One of my favorites.
 
ICANOE2

ICANOE2

Explorer
Sep 30, 2007
141
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Browns Mills
If you like primitive camping and the Delaware River, you should consider taking a canoe camping trip.
There are several FREE primitive campsites along the river above the Gap that are only accessible by canoe/kayak.:bear:

This past summer me and my Gf did a trip down the river from Dinghams Ferry bridge to Belvidere NJ. Three days two nights, 41 river miles.
The first night we camped at the Walpack Bend and the second night we camped on the island next to Rt. 80 bridge.
This was without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done in my life.
I got to see my first bear and bald eagle in the wild. I caught my first ever and several other small mouth bass.
I can't wait to go again.:dance:
 
whippoorbill

whippoorbill

Explorer
Jul 29, 2003
675
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Bridgeton
ICANOE2 said:
If you like primitive camping and the Delaware River, you should consider taking a canoe camping trip.
There are several FREE primitive campsites along the river above the Gap that are only accessible by canoe/kayak.:bear:
Click to expand...


It might be a bit chilly to canoe/camp the Delaware this time of year, but I can attest that this river, including the Gap area, is fine for canoeing and camping (though I'm not sure how legal the latter is?). Al and I paddled 125 miles of this river many, many, many moons ago (back when I could be persuaded to do insane things like this), starting on the upper Delaware at Hancock, NY and pulling out at the Gap four or five days later (sun-blistered, poison-ivy ravaged and nearly drowned after our one-and-only whitewater spill at Skinner's Falls). What geology, though! We saw a bear, too -- swimming across the river. Thought it was a large dog at first, but when it reached the bank I knew this thing wasn't barking. :)

Ah, those were the days.
 
ICANOE2

ICANOE2

Explorer
Sep 30, 2007
141
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Browns Mills
whippoorbill said:
It might be a bit chilly to canoe/camp the Delaware this time of year, but I can attest that this river, including the Gap area, is fine for canoeing and camping (though I'm not sure how legal the latter is?).
Click to expand...

I meant to add when it gets a little warmer out. LOL

It's legal to camp along the river, as long as you leave the beer at home. There are several marked NPS camp sites that are only accessible by water.
 
T

tree huggin tracker

Scout
Nov 27, 2007
99
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Stockton College
a canoeing trip sounds WONDERFUL. i'm all about winter camping but i dont think i could do the canoeing this time of year! yes, definitely when it gets warmer :]

thanks for the good stories guys, your trips sound great, i'm glad you've had such awesome experiences
.
stu,
Stu said:
Stokes State Forest, which is my personal Mecca, is along the Water Gap. They have tent sites, lean-tos, and cabins. The cabins are just about impossible to get though; their reservations are usually full the year before. The "ghost town" of Walpack is also within Stokes.
A good campground on the PA side is Dingman's Ferry Campground. One of my favorites.
Click to expand...

i think we might be going with this stokes state forest. can you tell me a bit about it? pros and cons? what's the layout of the land like? i bet it'll be pretty barren in terms of visitors this time of year (definitely a good thing) :]
 
Stu

Stu

Explorer
Feb 19, 2004
466
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White Haven, PA
www.stuofdoom.com
Stokes has all kinds of terrains. The ravine is rocky and hilly at first and then flattens out and turns into a forest. There are a few waterfalls as well, which at the end becomes a quiet stream. The trail to the beaver dams (wish I could find it again) was relatively flat if I remember correctly. There's a place called Piney Point, which is maybe a few acres of pine trees right on a lake. That's across from Lenape Lodge.

I hike Tillman's Ravine and it's easy to moderate. Very hilly at times and at one point you have to somewhat climb over a rock. At the end is a road. Going left will take you to Buttermilk Falls. Right will bring you to a cemetery. At the cemetery is an intersection. Left brings you to Walpack Center, straight brings you to a big abandoned house, and right will take you back to the 2 ravine parking lots.
I hiked to the top of Sunrise Mountain once. No idea just how long the trail was, but we drank from a spring and found volcanic rocks in a metal cage. Supposedly the spring has the cleanest water in the state. All I know is I didn't get sick from it.
 
wis bang

wis bang

Explorer
Jun 24, 2004
235
2
East Windsor
ICANOE2 said:
If you like primitive camping and the Delaware River, you should consider taking a canoe camping trip.
There are several FREE primitive campsites along the river above the Gap that are only accessible by canoe/kayak.:bear:

This past summer me and my Gf did a trip down the river from Dinghams Ferry bridge to Belvidere NJ. Three days two nights, 41 river miles.
The first night we camped at the Walpack Bend and the second night we camped on the island next to Rt. 80 bridge.
This was without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done in my life.
I got to see my first bear and bald eagle in the wild. I caught my first ever and several other small mouth bass.
I can't wait to go again.:dance:
Click to expand...

I came over the gap on the PA side Saturday and there was an Ice dam at the elbow 'bend' in the gap...Kinda' hard to canoe there now!

I grew up in a family that was involved in the Delaware Canaland spent alot of time on the river. I was always told the water was too cold b/4 Memorial Day...My grandfather didn't know the word hypothermia but he told stories of recovering bodies of people who thought March and April were warm enough...
 
wis bang

wis bang

Explorer
Jun 24, 2004
235
2
East Windsor
grendel said:
A little west of the water gap in deleware state forest is a place called Thunder swamp trail. No it is not a swamp. Portions of the trail follow the bushkil river. It is really lightly visited and there is lots of wildlife. At least it was ten years ago. Nice country up there.http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/FORESTRY/hiking/thunder.aspx
Click to expand...


I have a SF lease cabin near thunder Swamp and I recomend it, I hike and hunt parts of it. They allow over night camping and the section along the Bushkill CREEK [Yeah, down here it would be called a river] South of Snow Hill Rd is down stream of a large private holding called Easton Anglers who stocks their area. Good trout fishing.

The trails are well marked and lie between 900 ft and 1400 ft. I recomend good boots. it's rocky and wet in places...
 
T

tree huggin tracker

Scout
Nov 27, 2007
99
0
34
Stockton College
stu,
my friend and i spent a night at stokes and had a wonderful time. it snowed the whole time but it was great! thanks so much for the suggestion; we're going to go back in the spring and spend more time there :]
 
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