Cliff Park and McDade Recreational Trail, Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA - 09/18/2010

[Daniela Wagstaff]

The Cliff Park trails are mostly woods roads, some actually very pleasant, others not so pleasant, but the great views you get from along the cliffs come very easily for the little amount of work involved in this hike. After hiking the cliffs I switched to sneakers and did the part of the McDade Multi-use Trail I knew was completed and runs along the valley at the foot of the cliffs. Only ran into two people on bikes, one other hiker and two groups of HUNTERS! Yes, apparently it is crow season in PA right now so keep that in mind if you are planning a PA hike. I was disappointed that the McDade Trail never offered views of the Delaware River along this section. I explored south of where the trail was supposed to have ended to find a very nice section of the McDade trail I did not know had been completed. I ran into the forest ranger who was working on the trail and he told me the McDade trail is now complete and connected for the entire 32 miles on the PA side of the Delaware River in the Delaware Water Gap. The dedication is on Saturday, 9/25/10. This portion of the trail was interesting and lovely with great views of the river. Better yet, it was a dirt foot trail since the landscape did not allow for a wide and level gravel multi-use trail. This portion of the trail is still multi-use but will only be appreciated by mountain bikers as it is definitely more of a hiking trail.

For details and pictures of the Cliff Park hike, click here.
For details and pictures of the McDade Trail hike, click here.