Many of us are familiar with those iconic images of the famous Delaware Water Gap. Most of those images are from the perspective of facing west. Allow me to present this description of those images: Mount Minsi in Pennsylvania is on the left and Mount Tammany in New Jersey is on the right with the Delaware River running through and below them, hidden out of sight!

While those two mountains are the dominant and most familiar symbols of the Delaware Water Gap, let’s keep in mind that the Water Gap is actually about a three-mile long area. It runs from the I-80 toll bridge heading east to the point where the river passes beyond the eastern faces of both mountains.  A motorist driving from the west, heading east along I-80 gets a completely different view of the Water Gap. Their presentation comes as a more gradual, work your way through the gap presentation.

Fast Facts

• The Delaware Water Gap is about 980 feet across at river level and 4,600 feet wide at the top. 
• The Delaware River is 290 feet above sea level where it runs through the Gap.
• Mount Tammany’s summit is 1,540 feet.
• Mount Minsi’s is 1,461 feet.

Our photo of the week is taken from Bluff Road, an abandoned road that originated out of Dunnfield Creek and then cut back west along the New Jersey side overlooking the Delaware River and dropping down off the mountain onto Old Mine Road about a mile north of the toll bridge.  (Keep in mind that back at the turn of the 20th century there were hotels scattered along the River and some partially on the mountains on both sides of the river.) This view of the Gap reverses our usual one and shows Mount Tammany on the left and Mount Minsi on the right!

NOTE: These are photos from my archives. The trip I took back in March 2010 was not always following a clearly distinct old road.  It was obviously not traveled much at all!  The trip was also taken when there were no leaves, thus some nice panoramas.

The story below is from an email I sent describing my trip back then. ENJOY:

“Our hike took place Thursday, March 18, 2010, and it turned out to be one of those trips I had been meaning to take for a long time!  In all my travels and hikes through the Water Gap, I had always wondered about the various clearings I noticed atop the ridge along I-80 on the Jersey side between Mt. Tammany and the toll bridge.  Well, as Paul Harvey always said, “Let’s get the other side of the story” and see what it looks like, top looking down!  I must say I had a second pleasant surprise because with no leaves, I could observe the Water Gap from a completely different view!  When driving east through the gap it always appears that the mountain is right in front of you, you don’t get the same classic “Gap” effect, like you see as you are heading west!  Well todays trip is going to give you that classic “Gap” image while looking east, along with a lot of other nice yet different views of familiar places!  Let’s take a hike!

“We are starting out at the Dunnfield Creek parking area, the same area that weekend after weekend is always full of cars in the summer time, it even has some cars throughout the Winter as it is the Appalachian Trail which immediately leads to many of the other trails and sites in the Gap.  We will cross over creek at the bridge and follow the Appalachian Trail up along this beautiful glen. Look at the clarity of the water, then, I show what the creek looks like under higher waters, STILL CLEAR!!!  Remember, this is that New Jersey, but it is that beautiful other side of New Jersey!!  The AT splits off to the left and Dunnfield Creek and Blue Dot Trails begin and continue to follow along the creek.  We come to a small clearing within a very short distance, there we can look down at another bridge over the creek and a beautiful small waterfall with its pools of water.  We will now depart from the AT on an old road, which is now an unmarked trail.  This will double back south, climbing the ridge above the creek and AT, and will then follow along I80 and the Delaware River until we start our descent back down the west side of the mountain to Old Mine Road about a mile north of the I80 Toll Bridge.

“We will cross Old Mine Road (oldest improved road in the country) walk through the cut in the guard rail and we are now on Karamac Trail.  This was an old RR bed.  One of the photos is a closeup through the trees from atop the ridge showing large stone pillars going across the river, that was once a railroad bridge, that is on this trail but it is to the north of us.  We will follow this along the river back to where we join Old Mine Road, notice the cement RR post, JC 96, that means 96 miles to or from Jersey City.  We will be walking under the toll bridge (east bound has a sidewalk), that is the Appalachian Trail and the road through the Kittatinny Information Area is also the Appalachian Trail.  We will follow along that until we go back under I-80 and back into the parking area.  I will let the photos give you the details of what I described.” 

NOTE:  It has been many years since I’ve taken this trip and conditions may have changed. The middle of the unmarked road/trail, for a little while, you lose that classic, I am following a road through the woods.  I believe this could be a little disconcerting, especially when the leaves are blocking the mountains that give you a sense of where you are.  First, I would recommend this trip when there are no leaves, otherwise no views.  Second if you did do this trip, keep this in mind that even though you don’t see the actual path, if you look uphill or downhill, you notice rock ledges etc., where you can assume no road back then could go. Stay level in between those zones until you come to the edge of the ridge where you see the obvious road again.

NOTE:  If you have guests and want an easy yet interesting visit – the Water Gap is a great choice!  REMEMBER, let your guest get out of the car and walk a couple of feet, then remind them, they can say that they “walked” on the famous Appalachian Trail!!

Enjoy your Open Space

Charlie Fineran