THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
Starting Friday, September 4 and continuing throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend, the National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will implement a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over impaired driver checkpoint and high-visibility enforcement campaign.
Official NPS source
Starting the night of July 3, 2026, the Milford Star will shine again from its perch on top of Milford Knob in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Official NPS sourceThe Old Mine Road, a scenic and historic 375-year-old route on the New Jersey side of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, will undergo significant repairs starting on April 6.
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will implement typical winter service levels. During annual low staff seasons, the park takes this action to ensure visitor safety. Information on sites that will remain open, receive no winter maintenance, or close until spring outlined.
Official NPS sourceA new National Park Service report shows that 4.1 million visitors to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in 2024 spent $164 million in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $211 million.
Official NPS sourceNational Park Service rangers and emergency responders recovered a body of a NJ man near Kittatinny Point on Tuesday, September 3rd.
Official NPS sourceA raccoon tested positive for rabies last week after being reported for strange behavior near the Smithfield Beach commercial launch. The park urges visitors who have had physical contact with wildlife to notify park staff and seek medical attention immediately.
Official NPS sourceOn Wednesday afternoon, National Park Service rangers from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and rescue teams from Bushkill Fire, Warren County EMS and New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau responded to a call involving a capsized kayaker, where they recovered the body of a 54-year-old Blakeslee, PA man.
Official NPS source
Employees at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are working hard to prepare facilities ready for a busy summer season. The 70,000-acre national park unit in PA and NJ and was the 20th most-visited national park unit in the country in 2024 with over 4 million visits recorded.
Official NPS source
The River Runner Shuttle, which stops at river accesses within the park, will be available for visitor use on Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Official NPS sourceDue to rising water levels in the Delaware River, the National Park Service (NPS) at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area announced today that the river and all access points within the park will be closed until levels recede below 15’ at the Montague, NJ gauge.
Official NPS sourceWinter closures around the park will be lifted and the sites reopened. Fee sites start charging fees on Tuesday, April 15.
Official NPS source
A tractor trailer overturned on Route 209 through the park today, closing a section of road. Tractor trailers are prohibited on park roads.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service (NPS) at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is proposing several changes to the park’s fee system and is seeking public input on the proposal during a 30-day public comment period beginning December 16, 2024. The proposal includes an increase in fee amounts, a two-week extension of the fee season, changes to the annual pass purchases, and the addition of two new fee sites. The last fee increase was implemented in 2015. If approved the fee changes would go into effect in April 2025.
Official NPS source
Visitor services and maintenance operations are reduced during the winter months when staffing levels and visitation are at their lowest. Some roads and visitor use sites are closed and others will receive reduced maintenance.
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George W. Childs Park (Childs Park), in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, will re-open to the public at noon on October 2, 2024, following a short opening ceremony.
Official NPS source
The southern portion of Old Mine Road, between Worthington State Forest and Millbrook Village, on the New Jersey side of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is set to re-open on September 20 after receiving a major upgrade with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is sponsoring a student art contest in collaboration with Friends of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Peters Valley School of Craft, and Pocono Environmental Education Center to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025.
Official NPS sourceNational Park Service rangers and dive team members from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and rescue teams from Bushkill, Dingmans and Westfall Fire Departments, and Lehman Township EMS responded to a call from Pike County Dispatch regarding a drowning at Bushkill Access on the afternoon of August 26, 2024.
Official NPS sourceDue to rising water levels in the Delaware River the river and all access points within the park are closed until levels recede below 15’ at the Montague, NJ gauge.
Official NPS sourceNPS and local emergency services responded to and extinguished a small structural fire in the park.
Official NPS sourceAt around 7 pm this evening, NPS and volunteer search crews recovered the body of 24-year-old man from the river near Milford Beach.
Official NPS sourceNPS and volunteer crews engaged in a search for a missing man who was last seen swimming in the Delaware River at Milford Beach on Saturday afternoon around 3:15 pm.
Official NPS source
Science Summer Camp is a fun and family-friendly way to learn about natural resources in the park and surrounding areas. Avoid the summer "brain drain" and earn stamps by attending the six activities!
Official NPS source
Employees at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area have been busy gearing up and getting facilities ready for a busy summer season. Visitors should make sure they have up to date information on seasonal conditions before visiting the park.
Official NPS source
The River Runner returns for summer Saturdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Official NPS sourceSites are reopening and fee season begins for the 2024 season on Monday, April 15.
Official NPS source
Sections of Old Mine Road will be rehabilitated with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund.
Official NPS sourceA visitor at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area was bitten by a raccoon while hiking on the McDade Recreational Trail between Bushkill Access and the Valley View Campground on March 14. The racoon later tested positive for rabies.
Official NPS source
High winds, heavy rainfall, and snow melt may cause hazardous conditions including power outages, downed trees, and creek, stream, and roadway flooding. Excess caution is advised while traveling in the area.
Official NPS sourceHeavy rain and high winds overnight Sunday into Monday created hazardous conditions within the park. Roadway flooding from mountain runoff, downed trees, and high river levels have closed some areas.
Official NPS sourceVisitor services and maintenance operations will be reduced during the winter months when staffing levels and visitation are at their lowest. Routes providing critical access to and through the park will take priority. Some areas will receive no winter maintenance or be closed for the season.
Official NPS sourceMilford Beach will be closed to the public from sunrise to sunset on October 4, 2023, for a multi-agency, multi-hazard response exercise.
Official NPS sourceContractors are making progress on the final stage of restoration at George W. Childs Park. The site remains closed to visitors during construction but is tentatively scheduled for reopening in spring or summer of 2024.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service reminds all boaters and paddlers that due to high water over the next several days, wearing a properly fitted and fastened, United States Coast Guard-approved life jacket is required at all times while on the Delaware River. Swimming is also prohibited at park beaches due to hazardous conditions.
Official NPS sourceNew operators are looking forward to providing memorable camping experiences to new generations and to continuing long-standing traditions for returning guests.
Official NPS source
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area hosts Science Summer Camp, an educational summer program held on six consecutive Fridays in July and August. The program is free to attend.
Official NPS sourceThe body of Jose Madera Martinez, 19, of Paterson, New Jersey, was recovered by NPS search crews around 11:15 am on Sunday, July 16, from the waters of the Delaware River near Kittatinny Point within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Official NPS sourceNational Park Service rangers and Search and Rescue Team members from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River are engaged in a search for a missing swimmer who was reported to be struggling in the water while swimming in the Delaware River at Karamac at around 8 pm on Thursday evening.
Official NPS source
On Monday, July 17, the trail crew at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will begin the final stage of repairs to the Dingmans Falls boardwalk trail. During construction, the boardwalk trail will be closed on weekdays and an alternate route will be available for use.
Official NPS sourceThe public is invited to join Superintendent Sapp and members of the Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN) at the Lower Hornbecks Creek trailhead for a special initiation ceremony on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at 10 am.
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is transitioning to a cashless fee system at Smithfield, Milford, and Turtle Beaches. Fee collection booths at those three sites will only accept credit/debit card payments when employees are on duty.
Official NPS sourceThe final stage of restoration at George W. Childs Park in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area starts May 30 and is anticipated to continue through the fall. The site remains closed to visitors but will tentatively re-open in the spring or summer of 2024.
Official NPS sourceEmployees at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area have been busy gearing up and getting facilities ready for a busy summer season. The 70,000-acre national park unit in PA and NJ and was the 14th most-visited national park unit in the country in 2022 with 4.4 million visits recorded.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service, in partnership with Monroe County Transit Authority (MCTA), offers three different shuttle services to help reduce congestion in busy areas and help visitors, and their gear, get around. The shuttles operate within the park between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend.
Official NPS sourcePark Rangers at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area want to remind anyone thinking about a river trip during the week of May 1, 2023 that additional safety requirements are in effect.
Official NPS sourceDo you know a local educator who loves nature or history and is searching for a unique professional development opportunity this summer? If so, then Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area has the perfect position.
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area announced today that sites that were closed for the winter will officially re-open on Friday, April 14. Expanded amenity fees will go into effect on Monday, April 17 and will be collected until mid-October.
Official NPS sourceMost forests in eastern United States national parks are at risk due to browsing by overabundant white-tailed deer and crowding by invasive plants, according to a National Park Service (NPS) study published in the journal Ecological Applications.
Official NPS sourcePark Rangers at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area want to thank the public for the outpouring of tips related to the recent vandalism at George W. Childs Park in Delaware Township, PA. Those responsible for the graffiti on the Brooks Woolen Mill ruins and the original 1892 date stone have been identified, located, and charges are pending.
Official NPS sourcePark Rangers at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are seeking tips from the public about recent vandalism at George W. Childs Park in Delaware Township, Pennsylvania. Areas damaged include the historic Brooks Woolen Mill ruins and the original date stone.
Official NPS sourceUS Route 209 within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will be closed between Route 739 and Raymondskill Road from 8 am to 4 pm on Monday, February 27 so that contractors can safely conduct geotechnical test borings under the road.
Official NPS sourceMotorists can expect River Road within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to be closed on several evenings between now and mid-April to protect breeding amphibians.
Official NPS source
The park is currently recruiting lifeguards and lead lifeguards to staff park beaches during the 2023 summer season. Lifeguards will be stationed at one or more of the park’s three beaches, including Smithfield and Milford Beaches in PA and Turtle Beach in NJ. Applications are due by April 14, 2023.
Official NPS sourceLegislation allowing limited use of US Route 209 through Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area by some commercial vehicles was signed into law by President Biden as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, on December 29, 2022. Until the new law expires on September 30, 2026, eligible operators of local commercial vehicles with 4 or fewer axles may obtain a permit to use US Route 209 through the park.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) has issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to lease two historic properties in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) has issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to lease two historic properties in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides year-round recreational opportunities, however visitor services and maintenance operations are reduced during the winter months when staffing levels and visitation are at their lowest. This includes the closure of some roads and visitor use sites and reduced maintenance at others.
Official NPS sourceThe park intends to replace an existing salt storage shed with a safe, effective salt storage facility that prevents environmental impacts. The public can review the designs for the new facility and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office online during a 30-day review period from November 7 to December 6, 2022.
Official NPS source
National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Gay Vietzke has named Doyle Sapp as the next superintendent of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He has served there as acting superintendent since August, when he stood in for the departing Sula Jacobs.
Official NPS sourceThe restoration of 20 acres of wetlands and 800 feet of Van Campens Brook at the Watergate Recreation Site on the NJ side of the park was accomplished by removing dams and ponds and returning the area to its natural topography. The restoration re-established the natural flow of both surface water and groundwater, allowing wetlands to flourish and stream quality to improve.
Official NPS sourceA contract has been awarded for the next phase of restoration and construction work at George W. Childs Park (Childs Park). Work to repair storm damage will begin Fall 2022 with construction continuing through 2023.
Official NPS sourcePark rangers at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will conduct a sobriety check point on the Pennsylvania side of the park on Friday evening, September 2, in an effort reduce the number of impaired drivers on park roads and keep motorists safe.
Official NPS sourceUS Park Rangers at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are seeking information from the public to aid an ongoing investigation into recent vehicle break-ins within the park.
Official NPS sourceNPS Dive Team recovers body of teenage boy from Delaware River
Official NPS sourceDingmans Falls Trail repairs begin July 18. The Boardwalk trail will be closed weekdays with an alternate route available.
Official NPS sourceCrews Search Delaware River for missing swimmer.
Official NPS sourceStarting May 27, visitors who wish to use any of the 62 primitive river campsites along the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will have to make a reservation and pay a $16 per site/per night fee. The fee and reservation system has been successfully piloted at 6 river campsites on the Pennsylvania side of the park known as Alosa since 2015 and is now being expanded to include all river campsites in the park.
Official NPS source
The park is conducting a dye tracer study along US Route 209 near mile marker 17 beginning May 20 to determine the pathway water stakes underground. You may notice areas along the Delaware River near the study area where water has a temporary bright fluorescent yellow-green color. Although the dye used is highly visible, it is a commonly used, environmentally friendly, non-persistent, biodegradable, non-toxic dye that is often used in fish hatcheries. The color will disappear in a matter of hours to days as it dilutes and degrades.
Official NPS source2022 commercial vehicle permits for US Route 209 will be available for purchase by qualifying commercial vehicle operators beginning April 27, 2022.
Official NPS source
National Park Service Director Chuck Sams visited Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as part of a cross country tour during National Park Week.
Official NPS sourceSites that were closed for the winter will officially re-open on Friday, April 15, though some were opened earlier due to favorable conditions. Expanded amenity fees will go into effect on Monday, April 18 and will be collected until October 10.
Official NPS source
A 5-mile section of US Route 209 that was closed on March 17 will re-open on April 1 with two sections of single-lane traffic controlled by temporary traffic lights.
Official NPS sourceA section of US Route 209 between Raymondskill Road and Route 739 within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will be closed as of 8:30 am today due to a damaged culvert that has increased erosion of the slope between the road and Delaware River near Mile Marker 17.
Official NPS sourceExtensive repairs to a seven-mile section of US Route 209 within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will begin the week of March 7 and are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The work is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) and is part of an overall project estimated at over $21 million to completely rehabilitate 14 miles of the primary north-south artery and emergency access route through the park over the next two years.
Official NPS sourceMotorists can expect River Road within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to be closed on several evenings over the next 6 weeks to protect breeding amphibians. The trigger for the road closures will be forecasts calling for evening rain with mild temperatures.
Official NPS source
Great American Outdoors Act project to revitalize seven miles of US Route 209 will begin in the spring.
Official NPS source
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides year-round recreational opportunities, however visitor services and maintenance operations are reduced during the winter months when staffing levels and visitation are at their lowest. This includes the closure of some roads and visitor use sites.
Official NPS sourceNews Release: NPS Hosts River Ramble Fall Classic on November 14, 2021
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service project to repair several bridges and a culvert on US Route 209 in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is nearing completion and is expected to be wrapped up soon.
Official NPS source
Work is completed on the historic stone culvert on Mountain Road and on the Buttermilk Falls Trail. The road and trail will re-open on October 22, 2021.
Official NPS sourceDue to bridge construction along US Route 209, the McDade Trail will be closed from Bushkill Village to Bushkill Access until approximately the end of November as a safety measure for visitors.
Official NPS sourcePark rangers at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will conduct a sobriety check point on the Pennsylvania side of the park on Friday evening, August 13, in an effort reduce the number of impaired drivers on park roads and keep motorists safe.
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area released today a draft Historic Buildings Strategy (HBS) for a 30-day public review and comment period. Comments will be accepted from July 12 through August 10, 2021.
Official NPS sourceFind out where to go and what to do in the park in 2021.
Official NPS sourceBridge and culvert repair work on US Route 209 within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is anticipated to start on April 5, 2021.
Official NPS sourceDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area has begun construction work for the Watergate Wetlands Restoration Project. The project will restore wetlands, floodplains, and a stream at the Watergate Recreation Site in Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey by removing man-made dams and ponds, creating a wetland meadow complex in their place, and reestablishing the connection between Van Campens Brook and its floodplain.
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