DELAWARE RIVER BASIN

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE | NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM | US DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES DELAWARE RIVER BASIN | NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES DELAWARE RIVER BASIN | NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES Photo: David B. Soete

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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE | NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM | US DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES OF THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES

Outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs) are defined by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as the characteristics that make a river worthy of special protection. Thus, the foundation for wild and scenic river management is a clearly defined set of ORVs. The Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council has issued criteria for identifying and defining these values. The criteria guidance states that:

• An ORV must be river related or dependent. This means that a value must

°° be in the river or on its immediate shorelands (generally within 0 .25 mile on either side of the river),

°° contribute substantially to the functioning of the river ecosystem, and °° owe its location or existence to the presence of the river . • An ORV must be rare, unique, or exemplary at a comparative regional or national scale. Such a value would be one that is a

conspicuous example from among a number of similar values Photo: Scott Rando that are themselves uncommon or extraordinary.

Based on these criteria and a careful analysis of the designated reaches of the Delaware River and its tributaries, the National Park Service has determined that several ORVs are present. The analysis concluded that the designated segments of the Delaware River basin contain the following ORVs: cultural, ecological, geological, recreational, and scenic. A set of broad statements has been developed that articulates each ORV for the collection of all designated segments of the Delaware basin. These narratives capture the overall, combined values of the river system, as protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

An evaluation process for each ORV was then used to determine which river segments contain the different ORVs. The results of this evaluation were used to develop segment-specific ORV statements providing further evidence and support for the broad ORV statements. These segment- specific narratives provide a higher level of detail for the ORVs that are present in each designated segment. The following matrix summarizes the evaluation results and provides organization to the ORV statements and segment-specific descriptions that follow. It indicates which segments of the Delaware River basin possess the above-mentioned ORVs.

In addition to ORVs, the free-flowing condition and water quality of the Delaware and its tributaries are also integral to its designated status. Because free-flowing condition and water quality support the integrity of the ORVs and are key components of future management, they are included as part of this ORV statement. Photo: Dan Mohr

8 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES OVERVIEW: WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES OF THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN 9 • • • • • • • Scenic • • • • • Recreational NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES RIVER SCENIC AND WILD NATIONAL • • • • • •

Geological ORV CATEGORY ORV DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • • • • • • Ecological • • • • • • • Cultural (below Hancock, New York) to the existing railroad bridge immediately downstream of of downstream bridge immediately the existing railroad to New York) (below Hancock, (73.4 miles) York vicinity of Sparrowbush, New Cherry Island in the (approximately 40 miles) Area to the southern boundary Gap National Recreation to the railroad tunnels at Highway bridge 20.7-mile stretch from King’s 46 bridge and the (24.2 miles) Musconetcong Gorge to just the Gilbert Generating Station Pennsylvania; from just south of the city of Easton, Station; from just south of the Point Pleasant Pumping north of the Point Pleasant Pumping of the Route 202 bridge; from 1,750 feet south of the Station to a point 1,000 feet north (totaling 38.9 miles) Crossing, Pennsylvania Washington Route 202 bridge to the town of Pleasant (14.7 miles) south of Erwinna and north of Point Point Pleasant (10.7 miles) (approximately 3 miles) RIVER SEGMENT From the confluence of the east and west branches branches the east and west confluence of River: From the Recreational Scenic and Upper Delaware of Delaware Water River: Northern boundary National Scenic and Recreational Middle Delaware from Saxton Falls to the Route Wild and Scenic River: The 3.5-mile stretch Musconetcong National 193.8 to the northern border of National Wild and Scenic River: From river mile Lower Delaware to the Lower Delaware River confluence Creek: Headwaters of its two upper branches Tinicum to the Lower Delaware River confluence near Creek: From the Lake Nockamixon dam Tohickon to the Lower Delaware River Township Paunacussing Creek: Portions passing through Solebury Paunacussing Creek Tohickon Creek Tohickon Tinicum Creek Lower Delaware River Lower Delaware Middle Delaware River Middle Delaware Musconetcong River Upper Delaware River Upper Delaware For the purpose of ORV analysis, the designated rivers of the Delaware River basin were divided into the the into divided basin were River Delaware of the rivers designated the analysis, of ORV purpose For the segments are segments. The seven analysis identifies these The location map seven segments. following as follows: defined UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER Photo: David B. Soete

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e e A Notch Brook Big I nlet k R Tar N kil US Highway W Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational Riverl p h C a ite Promised Land Lake ree B k G r o B r o rid r e k ge C eek k t Su Streams and Rivers Pecks Pond State Highwaye g re k a U507 a o V r C Wilson Creek Hi ill o ll Cr M H Br W e e ud ck r k K a k P o e e Freeli ee in on R B Major Waterr Bodytz d Ru Secondary Road r e C Cre n ng Run z ett e a Mo k k k B ee l o e w D rs kil o Taylor Creek e r r r a y B C T Local Road l B r National Park Service Unit s a A r ke t y da o r e o h l m a o D g in k i gma s P r r ns C D C 0 2.5 C 5 10 re B r e re ek ee k ek re Urban Areas (below 1:500k) k Miles y C nn ti k U447 ta o V t mp i r o a Run aver R un K riss B rook Sw B C son Be t G h er l a ris c nd c el Run e F Stony Brook r n Produced byo NPS Denveru Service Center Planning DivisionH e September 2012 a l m a L t r t C i B r t L e t e vi k ea Buck H L ill Cree Ho k rnb eck s C reek Stony Run 18 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER

The outstandingly remarkable values that make the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River worthy of protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act are described on the following pages.

CULTURAL

“Although it lies just to the west and northwest of the Boston-to- Washington urban corridor, the Upper Delaware River appears relatively untouched by the frenetic pace of the mid-20th century. The Upper Delaware and its riverside communities have managed to retain those qualities and values of earlier times which elsewhere have passed into memory, perishing in the onslaught of industrialization, modernization, urban sprawl, and other similar forces of contemporary life. The counties which form the …region have remained essentially rural… some of these qualities and values may still be seen as they appeared to earlier eyes. This special quality, this pace of daily life, is easily discernible by comparison with the large cities and suburban Photo: Don Hamilton overflows of the Eastern Megalopolis …”1

Dating from the paleo through the transitional period, 437 documented pre-contact archeological sites record a rich cultural tapestry of riverine occupation of aboriginal people who used the river as a trade route. Eighteen archeological sites worthy of more detailed investigation and one site eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), taken collectively with the archeological sites on downstream segments, are exemplary of Munsee peoples and their predecessors. Several privately owned archeological sites illustrate the history of early European settlers who arrived in the mid-18th century. Remnants of the early settlements along the river help to convey the history of the early subsistence period to the mid-1700s, including small-scale rural

hydro-powered industry in the northeast, while the NRHP-listed Minisink Photo: David B. Soete Battleground Park tells the story of a Revolutionary War battle between local residents and militia, and Indians and Tories under the command of Joseph Brant.

Extractive industries dependent on water power and water-related transportation spurred an industrial economy, contributing to a pattern of hamlet settlement identifiable today. The timber rafting industry was introduced in the 1760s to transport ship’s mast-length logs to Easton and Philadelphia. From the end of the Revolutionary War to the early 1900s, this industry fed the local economy, stripping the hillsides of white pine and hemlock, while contributing to the growth of colonial America.

Early 1800s technological development spurred construction of historic transportation routes dependent on the river and valley geology for defining their routes, each contributing to the cultural profile of the Upper Delaware. Timber, coal, and bluestone transported to coastal markets contributed to growth of the early American economic centers. 1 The Upper Delaware River, A Wild and Scenic River Study, U .S . Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, 1973

20 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES

UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER 21 Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES RIVER SCENIC AND WILD NATIONAL DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • stone remnants can easily be seen by both boaters on the river and by both boaters on the river and stone remnants can easily be seen suspension aqueducts to connect the coal fields of Pennsylvania fields of Pennsylvania connect the coal aqueducts to suspension construction methods as well as stone arch construction on nearby construction methods as well as stone arch construction on nearby city workers who found fresh air, restful landscape, and good home and good home restful landscape, city workers who found fresh air, houses, contributing to “the cooking at local farms and boarding leaving behind an unsullied testimony to a culture dependent on leaving behind an unsullied testimony to a culture dependent on progressed north and westward, carrying immigrants to the frontier. carrying immigrants to the frontier. progressed north and westward, reuse restoration as a one-lane vehicular bridge known locally as locally as as a one-lane vehicular bridge known reuse restoration Pennsylvania, for 25 miles between Lackawaxen, paralleling the river miles of gravity railway, 108 locks over 108 miles, and four cable- 108 miles, and 108 locks over gravity railway, miles of Four-lane highways of the 20th century divert much of today’s highways of the 20th century divert much of today’s Four-lane Register of Historic Places districts in Cochecton, Damascus, Register of Historic Places districts in Cochecton, Damascus, Delaware Scenic Byway), led to construction of several notable Delaware Scenic Byway), led to construction of several notable Places and owned by the National Park Service, a canal-era lock Park Service, a canal-era lock Places and owned by the National Roebling Bridge. The D&H traversed the southern river corridor, river corridor, The D&H traversed the southern Roebling Bridge. Delaware Aqueduct carried the canal across the Delaware between between carried the canal across the Delaware Delaware Aqueduct dollars, the Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal operated from from Canal operated Hudson (D&H) Delaware and dollars, the identified during a NPS-funded cultural resource survey. industrial transportation around the Upper Delaware River corridor, is Corwin Farm, eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic in the National Register of Historic is Corwin Farm, eligible for listing National Register of Historic Places listings. Eighty-six historic National Register of Historic Places listings. Eighty-six historic NRHP-listed historic bridges using petite and through-truss steel NRHP-listed historic bridges using petite and through-truss steel vacationing fisherman, author Zane Grey, stayed on to establish stayed on to establish Grey, vacationing fisherman, author Zane Riders of the Purple including “Riders of the Purple wrote his earliest articles and books, New York City with the Great Lakes and west. The Port Jervis line Jervis line City with the Great Lakes and west. The Port New York National Historic Landmark and National Historic Civil Engineering Civil Engineering Landmark and National Historic National Historic for its adaptive the Presidential Design Award Landmark received Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, and Minisink Ford, New York. North North York. and Minisink Ford, New Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, Milanville, and Equinunk, in addition to a number of individual Milanville, and Equinunk, in addition to a number of individual with the Hudson River and New York City markets. Roebling’s Roebling’s City markets. New York Hudson River and with the It also provided transportation to the Upper Delaware region for the Upper Delaware region for It also provided transportation to archeological sites, in addition to 73 individual structures, were archeological sites, in addition to 73 individual structures, were the bucolic Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. tributaries. Many of the homes and commercial buildings dating tributaries. Many of the homes and commercial buildings dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s are extant; of note are National the NRHP-listed Zane Grey House. a home on the Delaware at Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, where he Pennsylvania, where he a home on the Delaware at Lackawaxen, and Port Jervis, New York, before veering to the northeast. The to the northeast. The before veering York, and Port Jervis, New traversed the entire river corridor, spurring thriving hamlets as it hamlets as it spurring thriving traversed the entire river corridor, tourists along the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. Of particular note Of particular note Scenic Byway. tourists along the Upper Delaware of the canal. house and barn along an intact portion tender’s for nearly 150 years. Two early depots, the NRHP-listed Old Old early depots, the NRHP-listed for nearly 150 years. Two Cochecton Station and the Callicoon Depot, remain. One notable Depot, remain. One notable Cochecton Station and the Callicoon Catskills and the Poconos,” geographic areas famous for hospitality areas famous for hospitality Catskills and the Poconos,” geographic .” The National Park Service owns and manages a museum at and manages a museum at Sage.” The National Park Service owns America’s oldest existing wire suspension bridge, this NPS-owned suspension bridge, this NPS-owned oldest existing wire America’s The railroad, and later New York State Route 97 (the Upper State Route 97 (the Upper The railroad, and later New York The Erie Railroad, America’s first long line railway, connected connected first long line railway, The Erie Railroad, America’s The first business in the United States to be capitalized for a million million for a capitalized to be States the United in first business The 1829 to 1898. The 171-mile-long engineering feat included 16 16 feat included engineering The 171-mile-long 1829 to 1898. Photo: David B. Soete

22 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES

UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER 23

Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: Photo: Scott VanArsdale Scott Photo: NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES RIVER SCENIC AND WILD NATIONAL DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • ocean. These features combine to provide a complex food web, a a combine to provide a complex food web, features These ocean. historic fluxes of nutrients, energy, and biomass to and from the and biomass to and from the energy, historic fluxes of nutrients, wide variety of habitats, and a healthy diversity of species. a healthy diversity of species. and of habitats, wide variety sea-run migratory fish into and above this segment, thus allowing thus allowing this segment, sea-run migratory fish into and above The unobstructed river affords access to the full complement of river affords access to the full complement of unobstructed The significance beyond its own watershed. segment of river. It provides regionally important high quality provides regionally important high quality It segment of river. supports key components and processes that contribute to the to the and processes that contribute supports key components water quality, found here. Exceptional superb natural resources contribute to water quality and nutrient processing. The Upper processing. The Upper contribute to water quality and nutrient communities, such as ice scour rock outcrop, seep communities, outcrop, seep communities, communities, such as ice scour rock conditions result in an abundance of riffles, runs, and pools, and a and runs, and pools, in an abundance of riffles, conditions result ECOLOGICAL mussel. provinces of Canada, and serves as a migratory bird stopover along provinces of Canada, and serves as a migratory bird stopover along recreational fisheries for naturalized rainbow trout and brown recreational fisheries for naturalized rainbow trout and brown historic spawning and rearing habitat for sea-run migratory fish, historic spawning and rearing habitat for sea-run migratory fish, helping to buttress their larger range-wide populations. In addition resulting from a predominately forested landscape, sustains high sustains high predominately forested landscape, resulting from a least-developed section of the last major river on the Atlantic Coast, Coast, river on the Atlantic the last major section of least-developed eagle wintering habitat for birds from as far away as the maritime eagle wintering habitat for birds from as far away as the maritime Delaware provides habitat for a sizeable population of the federally population of the federally Delaware provides habitat for a sizeable as well as several state threatened endangered dwarf wedgemussel, diverse and healthy native aquatic plant communities, including plant communities, including diverse and healthy native aquatic diversity of in-stream habitats. These aquatic conditions, combined combined habitats. These aquatic conditions, diversity of in-stream quality fish and aquatic insect assemblages. Excellent in-channel in-channel aquatic insect assemblages. Excellent quality fish and integrity found in any of the large rivers of this region. As the the of this region. As the large rivers found in any of integrity with good riparian habitat that is coupled with a functioning functioning habitat that is coupled with a with good riparian wild and scenic, largely ecologically intact, free-flowing character character largely ecologically intact, free-flowing wild and scenic, undammed the entire length of its mainstem, the Upper Delaware’s Delaware’s the Upper of its mainstem, the entire length undammed and endangered species including bridle shiner, and brook floater brook floater and bridle shiner, and endangered species including a plentiful population of threadfoot riverweed, a relatively rare riverweed, a relatively rare a plentiful population of threadfoot A diversity excellent water quality. aquatic plant that is indicative of freshwater mussels further and extraordinary abundance of and bitternut hickory lowland woodland. The river itself sustains The river itself sustains and bitternut hickory lowland woodland. the Atlantic flyway. The Upper Delaware provides drinking water The Upper Delaware provides drinking water the Atlantic flyway. trout. The river corridor is also regionally important inland bald trout. The river corridor is also regionally important inland bald to native brook trout, the river and tributaries support thriving to native brook trout, the river and tributaries support thriving function. function. for millions of people, all helping to underscore the Delaware’s for millions of people, all helping to underscore the Delaware’s floodplain, provides great hydrological connectivity, structure, and and structure, great hydrological connectivity, floodplain, provides The Upper Delaware River’s ecological value extends beyond this extends beyond this ecological value The Upper Delaware River’s The riparian area along the river supports rare terrestrial plant supports rare terrestrial plant The riparian area along the river The Upper Delaware River exhibits some of the highest ecological of the highest ecological exhibits some Delaware River The Upper GEOLOGICAL

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is an exceptional example of a deep, narrow river valley cutting across the Small Lakes section of the glaciated portion of the Appalachian Plateau. The overall landscape is a fluvial or stream-cut landscape modified by stream derangements from glacial deposits burying portions of preglacial valleys. Examples of significant geologic features include sandstone cliffs, barbed tributaries, glacial deposits, glacial outwash terraces, diverse channel morphologies, exposed ancient bedrock, bedrock knobs, cutoff incised meanders, island complexes, gorges, and fossils.

The area’s rolling hills vary in elevation from 800 to 2,000 feet and are

characterized as a series of indistinct and irregular escarpments. Relief is Photo: David B. Soete generally between 300 and 500 feet, although it ranges to 700 feet in a few locations. Point Mountain, defining the northernmost extent of the wild and scenic river designation, is an isolated bedrock knob formed by glacial meltwater that eroded through a ridgeline between the east and west branches of the Delaware River. Sandstone cliffs, clearly evident at places like Hawks Nest, show ancient river channel deposits that have a wide variety of bedding features, including three types of cross- bedding, ripple marks, current lineation, tool marks, mud cracks, and conglomerates. Fossilized plant and animal remains are found here, such as bony plates from the armored fish of Devonian times, brachiopods and mollusks, a few types of coral, bryozoans, cephalopods, and rare trilobites.

Glacial deposits partially fill many of the tributary valleys, especially those that are oriented transverse to the direction of the most recent ice age glacier. The post-glacial Delaware River cut into the bedrock Photo: David B. Soete and glacial materials at least 200 feet. Many of the tributary valleys have narrow, deep gorges with a series of waterfalls. These steeper- sloped tributaries have deposited alluvial or debris flow fans on the floodplain. Barbed tributaries, including Shehawken Creek, Calkins Creek, and Callicoon Creek, are another unique geologic anomaly where the streams enter the river in an unusual upstream direction. These barbed tributaries are evidence that the drainage pattern of the river once flowed to the north and were then reversed to the south by erosional forces.

The Upper Delaware River has a variety of channel patterns ranging from pool-riffle chains in straight reaches to elongated pool-riffle chains in incised meander reaches to anastomosing channel reaches with a number of islands to short bedrock gorge reaches. For example, the Narrows is

a short gorge cut through the bedrock of a preglacial ridge that once Photo: David B. Soete occupied the site.

24 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER 25 NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES RIVER SCENIC AND WILD NATIONAL DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • examples of bedrock-floored rapids where the river has incised incised rapids where the river has examples of bedrock-floored its pre-glacial channel. essence bypassing levels. Skinners Falls, Shohola Rapids, and Staircase Rapids are and Staircase Rapids are Shohola Rapids, Falls, Skinners levels. upstream to an approximate depth of 113 feet at normal flow at normal flow depth of 113 feet to an approximate upstream subsequently refilling the pool with sediment transported from transported from with sediment refilling the pool subsequently through glacial fill and cut into the bedrock of the valley side, in in valley side, and cut into the bedrock of the through glacial fill the Narrows, possibly formed from a submerged waterfall. During During submerged waterfall. formed from a possibly the Narrows, flood flows, the river may scour down 150 feet into glacial deposits, deposits, 150 feet into glacial may scour down the river flood flows, The Narrowsburg Pool is a plunge pool at the downstream end of end of at the downstream is a plunge pool Pool Narrowsburg The

provides a rare combination of drainage anomalies that challenge that challenge of drainage anomalies provides a rare combination pattern came to be. geologic time. The diversity of valley orientations has produced an has produced an diversity of valley orientations geologic time. The explain how the geologic hypotheses that try to equal diversity of various explanations of how Appalachian river systems evolved over evolved over of how Appalachian river systems various explanations The convoluted drainage pattern of the Delaware River system River system pattern of the Delaware The convoluted drainage Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: RECREATIONAL

The Upper Delaware River is known for its outstanding recreational activities from tubing the rapids on a hot summer day to relaxing on a hidden deck, slope side in the Pocono or Catskill mountain forests. The river’s close proximity and accessibility attracts visitors from major metropolitan areas along the northeast corridor, including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

The Upper Delaware provides a relatively undeveloped and varied river setting that is ideal for families and recreationists of all levels.

The river corridor offers a wide variety of recreational activities ranging from heavily used accesses at Skinners Falls, Narrowsburg, Mongaup, and Sparrowbush, to opportunities for solitude while hiking or canoeing various other stretches of the river. River reaches from Lordville to Callicoon, and Narrowsburg to Lackawaxen provide some of the most remote and serene experiences along the Upper Delaware.

The Upper Delaware segment is surrounded primarily by privately owned property, but there are 18 well-marked and easily accessible public access points. These developed boat and canoe launches on both sides of the river are available to the public approximately every 5 river miles. Privately owned and operated access points also exist along the river. All of these facilities, easily accessible by rural roads, include river information and amenities during the periods of heaviest visitor use. Four of the public access sites are staffed by NPS personnel during peak periods, making it easy for visitors to obtain information about recreation opportunities.

River activities include canoeing, kayaking, boating, tubing, rafting, SCUBA diving, snorkeling, swimming, and hunting waterfowl. The Upper Delaware’s cold water fishery between Hancock and Callicoon attracts anglers from around the world, especially those interested in fly fishing for its world renowned wild trout. This type of fishing experience is seldom found elsewhere in the region.

Other recreational activities include photography, wildlife viewing, bird- watching, picnicking, hunting for both small and big game, and hiking/ cross-country skiing at places such as Jensens Ledges, Tusten Mountain Trail, Game Lands 316, Buckhorn Natural Area, Damascus Forest, and Minisink Battleground Park. Sightseeing can be found at numerous scenic overlooks such as Jensens Ledges, Peggy Runway, Indian Ledges, and Hawks Nest, as well as at historic sites such as Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct (known

locally as Roebling Bridge) and Zane Grey House. Auto touring and Photo: David B. Soete cycling along the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway (New York State Route 97) and New York State Bicycle Route 17 is also popular. Camping at both primitive and developed commercial campgrounds, fall foliage viewing, resorts, downhill skiing, geocaching, scientific research, education activities, and ranger-led activities are also popular. Eagle watching is particularly popular in the Lackawaxen area. The Eagle Institute, a project of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, operates eagle viewing platforms and provides interpretive services in the area.

26 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER 27 NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES RIVER SCENIC AND WILD NATIONAL DELAWARE RIVER BASIN •

something on the Upper Delaware to challenge their skills and skills and Upper Delaware to challenge their something on the clean water for swimming, tubing, and boating in quiet eddies quiet eddies tubing, and boating in clean water for swimming, provides the swimmer, tuber, boater, and SCUBA diver or snorkeler diver or snorkeler and SCUBA boater, tuber, provides the swimmer, SCUBA diving and snorkeling are remarkable subsurface visibility. and Skinners Falls. particularly popular activities at Narrowsburg provide an outstanding boating experience. provide an outstanding river users to easily explore the river. The mixture of class I and II II of class I and The mixture the river. to easily explore river users Rift) with Falls, Staircase, Mongaup, and Butlers rapids (Skinners and quality recreational a varied offer runs, and pools riffles, rentals, as well as transportation between access points. Guided trips trips access points. Guided between well as transportation rentals, as or swift-moving rapids. The exceptional clarity of the water the water rapids. The exceptional clarity of or swift-moving outfitters provide opportunities for beginners as well as experienced experienced as well as for beginners provide opportunities outfitters expert boaters alike can find Beginners to river. experience on the Experienced commercial outfitters provide canoe, kayak, and raft raft and kayak, canoe, provide outfitters commercial Experienced are also available. Commercial fishing guides provide guided fishing fishing provide guided fishing guides available. Commercial are also trips for both warm and cold water fish species. These guides and and species. These guides cold water fish both warm and trips for The exceptional water quality provides the recreationist remarkably remarkably water quality provides the recreationist The exceptional Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: Photo: David B. Soete

28 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES

UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVER 29

Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: Photo: David B. Soete B. David Photo: NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER VALUES RIVER SCENIC AND WILD NATIONAL DELAWARE RIVER BASIN • providing for amazing views of the landscape, the river bottom, the river bottom, views of the landscape, providing for amazing and aquatic life. and aquatic life. changing visual stimulus that is enhanced by the water clarity clarity that is enhanced by the water changing visual stimulus The riffles, runs, rapids, and pools of the river provide an ever- and pools of the river rapids, runs, riffles, The historic buildings; remnants of the Delaware and Hudson Canal; Delaware and Hudson Canal; historic buildings; remnants of the reflect its history of agricultural and transportation-based and transportation-based reflect its history of agricultural seminary built with local hotels, inns, taverns, homes, a hillside provide beautiful scenic bluestone, and other unique structures for early American ingenuity. backdrops and a feeling of nostalgia landforms, and topographic features include, but are not limited include, but are not limited landforms, and topographic features development. The historic canal, railroad, petite truss bridges, railroad, petite truss bridges, development. The historic canal, Aqueduct Delaware Particularly notable are the Roebling’s Rock outcroppings, cliff faces, and exposed unusual sedimentary faces, and exposed unusual sedimentary cliff Rock outcroppings, waterfalls, including Peggy Delaware. A number of cascading any waterfall in Pennsylvania, Runway with the largest drop of and The contrasting hardwood forest delight the viewer. of colors and textures evergreen stands provide a rich variety vegetation, steep forested slopes and gently rolling hills. The The rolling hills. slopes and gently steep forested vegetation, unspoiled river valley. agricultural fields and livestock pastures add variety to this add variety to this pastures fields and livestock agricultural as regionally significant due to its picturesque gorge, riparian gorge, riparian due to its picturesque significant as regionally and Cochecton Station. The Hawks Nest stone wall along the Nest stone wall along the and Cochecton Station. The Hawks and Point Mountain. Dark night skies are prevalent. and Point Mountain. Dark night across the four seasons. Additional outstanding natural features, outstanding natural features, across the four seasons. Additional tranquil scene. tranquil scene. to: Hawks Nest, York Lake Falls, Jensens Ledges/Bouchoux Trail, Trail, Lake Falls, Jensens Ledges/Bouchoux to: Hawks Nest, York Upper Delaware Scenic Byway provides the best overlook of the the best overlook of the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway provides formations add to the stimulating visual variety of the Upper the Upper the stimulating visual variety of formations add to SCENIC (Roebling Bridge) and the privately owned prominent, stately and owned prominent, stately and (Roebling Bridge) and the privately The scenic quality of the Upper Delaware River is recognized River is recognized Upper Delaware quality of the The scenic The Upper Delaware scenery is rich in structures and sites that in structures and sites that The Upper Delaware scenery is rich