Happy Sunday my fellow Adventurers!…read more This is a relatively new hidden gem that I just found. From what I know it was a swimming hole back in 1989 however they closed it down when it was used for a water resource until recently they decided to bring it back to its original roots. (Please fat check this) It has the brand new man made beach complete with what seems to be quarry sand that is course and not like beach sand. Its a beautiful white and lovely when the sun hits its crystalline in texture. The beach itself is small relatively compared to say a lake community beach. There are two lifeguard stations and several rotating guards. The small beach has four areas with noodle ropes in order for you to make sure you are swimming in the right spots. They offer swimming lessons which is really good for the local communities. They also have a platform in the middle which is about 11 feet deep which is reminiscent of the 'Blob' Movie. I half expected that the Blob would come especially if you sneak in after hours. (I don't recommend this lol) You basically pull in and park either on the grass or follow the road to the concession stand. You can purchase a day pass for $10 with no residential requirement for the area. I believe you can purchase an annual badge which I think runs $25-35 per person. You fill out a form that is all legalities and liabilities in order to get the badge or wristband for a day pass. The staff are really helpful and accommodating for any questions you may have. They have very clean porta-potties that are frequently serviced. As well as a concession stand that offered hotdogs, hang burgers, and various other carnival like foods. They sometimes run out of items like sauerkraut with no compensation of any sort which I get they can't help but it's a small area and was open at 11 am, we got there by 12. Always purchase back ups in order to provide for your customers. The hot dogs are pre-grilled and wrapped in aluminum so don't expect a fresh dirty water dog. The overall experience is a really nice one considering you battle tons of traffic going the shore versus the short ten minute drive from Hamburg and $10 fee. It's also really brand new and still working itself out.

Nice, clean park. Dog friendly place to walk. Fun local events. Very nice children's area.read more

It was a very long but fun hike and I think that you should go to the hike even if you have little…read morekids

It's located in the upper northern area of New Jersey and is part of the Appalachian Mountain…read morechain. Part of the 2100 mile and 14 state Appalachian Trail runs through the park. At 1803 feet, it has the highest Atlantic white cedar swamp population in the world. It is also the highest point in New Jersey at 1803 feet above sea level. From the top of the monument which was built by the Kusers to honor all of New Jersey's war veterans, you can see the Pocono Plateau (Pa.), Port Jervis (NY), Catskill foothills (NY) and Sussex farmlands (NJ). IFrom Memorial day to Labor Day the cost is $10 per vehicle during the week and $20 on the weekends and holidays. After Labor Day and before Memorial Day it is free. The monument has been refurbished relatively recently. . The spiral staircase is physically challenging and if you fear heights it could be a problem. The stairs can be damp if not outright wet. Cross country skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling are available through a private contractor. Some people dog sled. There are 10 miles of trails. Ice fishing and other types of fishing require a NJ license as does hunting for deer and bear. Hunting is done in limited areas of the park. Boating on lakes Sawmill and Steenykill requires an electric motor or the old fashion paddle. Lake Marcia has lifeguards, great restrooms and changing facilities. There are camp areas, picnic BBQ grills at the park headquarters and an Interpretive center with displays. Get a map because the trails can be tricky, Some people horseback ride. Bring Deep Woods Off there are ticks. And do not bring alcohol, it is prohibited. There are concession stands open during the season and restaurants on Route 23, Port Jervis, etc..

Idyllic little area to hike and commune with nature. It's a very well kept area. Obviously, a lot…read moreof love and care good into maintaining this little sanctuary

Really nice hiking trails and lake is nice as well. The hike was marked well, and is great for…read morebeginners. Overall a good hiking trail.

The lake itself is BEAUTIFUL!!! I would definitely come back and hang out by the lake. However, we…read morewalked the 7 mile Bruce lake trail and THAT was crazy .... It took 4 hours. We saw bears, listened to a thousand mosquitoes in my ear, and walked single file through a jungle like setting. However, the lake itself is gorgeous. I would definitely come back to just enjoy the scenery NOT for the crazy hike!

Bruce Lake is a natural area located in Delaware State Forest. It offers a multitude of natural…read moreterrain for great hiking and views along the way. There are lots of bears so get loud on your hike so the bears see/ hear you coming. Enjoy this slice of mother nature.

So beautiful. The trails are poorly marked and there aren't any maps really. But it's worth it…read more Just leave plenty of time. Lots of variety

A quiet preserve with a nice, paved path on slight grade. There are more paths through the woods…read moreand alongside the river that runs through the glen. Watch out for coyotes and bears! It's nice to see a refuge like this, and great spot for easy access to a little bit of nature when you need to kick back and dangle your feet in a cool stream..

Crater Lake is a non-lifeguard private area that's tucked deep into the Delaware Water Gap…read moreRecreation Area. It's a two hour drive from Long Island and 3.5 hours when there's a fire that's closed down the Throgs Neck Bridge. But this lake, also near Blue Mountain Lake is amazing. A few years back you would have been hard pressed to find anyone else there but on a hot Saturday in summer, there were about 30 people and some families picnicing, lounging and boozing by the water. The water was warm and almost everyone was a local who had their own kayaks, rafts and floatation devices. We traded beers for rafts and sat in the middle of the lake for at least an hour. The park closes at 10pm but most people leave around sun down so if you bring music, BUG SPRAY, a lantern and flashlights, and the game Apples to Apples you can have yourself a private lake side party undisturbed from 8 - 10p. Downsides: It costs so much money to go over bridges now from NY to NJ make sure to borrow mom or dad's EZ Pass! DAMN! Again, bring bug spray. My legs are itchy, itchy, itchy now. WARNING: It is very easy to get lost coming to this lake. Your GPS may not know what you're talking about because it's hard to enter a town name for the location in Jersey. Here's how to get there (you can thank me later - just don't tell a lot of people) Take 80 to Exit 1 - the entrance of the delaware water gap rec. area. Ask for a map w/ the person at the visitor's entrance but basically you're looking for a general store that leads you down a windy road (past blue mountain lake) and veer left at the rocky path at the end of the road. There really aren't any signs so getting a map and coming in from Exit 1 is your best bet. ALSO BE CAREFUL if you get lost and someone points you to CRANDon lake. This is Crater Lake and that's what you're looking for. My friend got very lost because of his bad hearing.

This was my first time at Crater Lake. It was a Saturday at 1pm. It was part of a hike that passed…read moreBlue Mountain Lake and Hemlock Pond as well. Since this lake has a nearby parking lot, it was much more populated than the other two, although Hemlock Pond had a good share of visitors. There's a peaceful and back to nature type feel.

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is absolutely stunning and encompasses a huge area…read more There are many trails and lookout points so find a map and choose where you want to see before heading there. This review is specifically for the Mount Minsi Loop Trail. There is also a lookout point you can drive/easily park at a few minutes away. The small parking lots here fill up quickly, but if you can snag a spot it is worth the visit. There is a small trail around Lenape Lake; the fall colors around the lake are beautiful. There is also a picnic table near the lake. This area is part of the Appalachian Trail making it a great spot for hikers and nature lovers alike. You do not need to be an avid hiker to enjoy the easy trail here. There are no restrooms facilities here and parking is very limited.

This is one of the best parts of the State of New Jersey. It's a huge state park with mountain…read moretrails and the scenic Delaware Water Gap rolling right in the middle of it all. I've never been one to go hiking but the park is beautiful especially during the fall. The leaves change quicker up here so it starts in September. The fishing is pretty good as well, visited here to fish many times as a kid. It has a nice visitor center with picnic tables and rest rooms. New Jersey gets a bad rap. Most critics don't know about the better parts of the state such as this one.

This place is absolutely beautiful, highly recommend. It's super popular, so the parking lot gets…read morepretty full. Come early! It's 3.5 miles, 1,250 feet elevation. You get a pretty good cardio workout as you traverse across the rock scrambles. It's a somewhat strenuous hike. For an easier time, go up the Red Dot trail and come down the Blue Dot trail. It's a loop! If you're looking for a less strenuous hike, you can go up and down the Blue Dot trail, but you'll miss a good view on the Red Dot trail. The Red Dot trail has an amazing view of the Delaware Water Gap and Mt Minsi. As you go further up, you'll reach the high point. Going down the Blue Dot trail, you'll eventually come across beautiful waterfalls and hike right by the river. Absolutely gorgeous! Don't forget to bring plenty of water!

This is one of the better hikes you will enjoy, never a dull moment, you get lots of rock…read morescrambling on top of a view. I thought this trail would be overridden by tourists and post Covid new hikers but I was shocked it wasn't crowded - went on black friday, maybe everyone was shopping and it was a little chilly. After thorough research, best route up is by taking the red trail and taking the blue trail back. The red trail up to the top is all rock scrambling, constant climbing up rocks till you get to the top. The blue trail back is not as much scrambling and a gradual decline down rather than a straight up climb. I can't imagine taking the red trail down, it would take longer and is definitely harder. There are multiple parking lots so beware of where you park though the lots are close by walking distance. McDonald's is 7 minutes away without traffic so that can be a great incentive to come, grab grub right after. When I finished hike around 1, parking lot was quite full.