List of waterfalls in the Delaware Water Gap facts for kids

There are many amazing waterfalls located in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. This special area is managed by the National Park Service and stretches across parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It's a great place to explore nature and see some incredible natural wonders!

Discovering the Waterfalls

Buttermilk Falls: New Jersey's Tallest

Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in New Jersey. Imagine a waterfall nearly 100 feet high! You can reach its base by a dirt road, which is closed to cars in the winter. There are steps that lead up to special viewing platforms, so you can see the waterfall from different heights. From the very top platform, a trail continues for about 1.4 miles. This trail eventually connects to the famous Appalachian Trail, which is about 1,100 feet higher than the bottom of the falls. This waterfall is located in the northern part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in New Jersey.

Dingmans Falls: Pennsylvania's Second Highest

Dingmans Falls Base View

Dingmans Falls is the second highest waterfall in Pennsylvania, with water plunging about 130 feet! It's found in the northern part of the park. There's a beautiful boardwalk that takes you right to the bottom of the waterfall. From there, you can see an 80-foot section of the water cascading down. This boardwalk is about half a mile long and also lets you see Silverthread Falls. If you want to see the entire 130-foot drop, you can climb a series of stairs for a bird's-eye view. The best time to visit is about 24 hours after a good rain, when the water flows fast and strong. Dingmans Falls is one of the most well-known waterfalls in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Silverthread Falls: A Narrow Beauty

Silver Thread Falls Boardwalk View

Silverthread Falls is a waterfall you'll pass on your way to Dingmans Falls. It's also in northern Pennsylvania, less than half a mile from Dingmans Falls along the boardwalk. This waterfall is very steep, dropping about 80 feet through a narrow channel. The channel was formed by large rock cracks. It doesn't have as much water flowing as Dingmans Falls, but it's still a beautiful sight!

George W. Childs Park Trail Waterfalls

The George W. Childs Park Trail in Pennsylvania is home to three amazing waterfalls. This trail follows Dingmans Creek, so you're very close to Dingmans Falls. You'll walk on a single path through the woods that runs along both sides of the creek. The entire loop is about 1.5 miles long.

Factory Falls: A Historic Spot

Factory Falls is the first waterfall you'll see on the George W. Childs Park Trail. A family named Brooks used to run a woolen mill right next to this waterfall from 1823 to 1832. You can still see the remains of the old mill next to the falls! Factory Falls drops twice and makes a sharp 90-degree turn with the creek.

Fulmer Falls: The Park's Largest

Factory Falls View

Fulmer Falls View

Fulmer Falls is the second waterfall you'll discover on the George W. Childs Park Trail, right after Factory Falls. This waterfall is 56 feet tall and is the largest in George W. Childs Park! It has a unique feature: the water falls into a semi-circular rock basin before flowing downstream. The base of this waterfall is not easily reached, and climbing over the fence is not allowed for safety.

Deer Leap Falls: Walk Above the Water

Deer Leap Falls is the third and final waterfall on the George W. Childs Park Trail. There's a bridge built right over the top of the falls, which gives it a very grand look. You can see the waterfall well from all sides, including from above, because the bridge lets visitors walk right over it! At the bottom of the falls, there's a very large, wide, and shallow pool. Even though swimming and wading are not allowed, many people still try to get into the water for a quick photo. The walk back to the parking area from here is about 0.75 miles.

Bushkill Falls: The "Niagara of Pennsylvania"

Bushkill Falls

Bushkill Falls is a special place with eight waterfalls and more than 2 miles of trails. This area covers about 300 acres in Pennsylvania, also near the northern part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The main waterfall at Bushkill Falls drops about 100 feet. From the first falls to the bottom of the lower gorge, the total drop is about 300 feet! This set of falls is on private land, so there is an admission fee to enter. They are often called "The Niagara of Pennsylvania" because they are so impressive.

Raymondskill Falls: Pennsylvania's Tallest

Middle and lower Ranymondskill cascades

Raymondskill Falls is actually the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania! It's made up of three different sections of cascading waterfalls. These are located on Raymondskill Creek in Pike County, Pennsylvania. When you add up the heights of all three sections, Raymondskill Falls has a combined height of about 150 feet.

Van Campens Glen Falls: A Hidden Gem (Currently Closed)

Van Campens Glen Falls is at the end of the Lower Van Campens Glen trail hike, near Walpack, New Jersey. At the top of the falls, there's a deep, large pool that then spills down a slanted rock face. It's very important to be extremely careful around the upper pool area. Sadly, this spot has been the cause of many accidents and even deaths in the past.

The trail itself goes through a thick forest of hemlock trees. This area is home to many delicate plants and different kinds of wildlife. Unfortunately, the roots of many hemlock trees have been damaged because so many people walked on them. Because of this, along with storm damage and not enough money for repairs, the National Park Service decided to close the Lower Van Campens Glen trail. It has been closed since Spring 2019 because it is too dangerous for the public.