Parks Services relays update on Childs Park restoration work

There’s good news for fans of the George W. Childs Park in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. According to a statement by the National Park Service, contractors are making progress on the final stage of restoration work, which is expected to continue through the fall. The site remains closed to visitors but is tentatively scheduled to re-open in the spring or summer of 2024, per NPS.

The popular site, which includes multiple waterfalls, has been closed since March 2018, when winter storms Quinn and Riley caused damage to utility lines, roads, trails, and structures, primarily due to falling trees.

“At Childs Park, the wind, ice, and snow uprooted trees which caused entire hillsides to slide downhill, taking the trails with them. Trees crushed trail bridges, choked Dingmans Creek and the waterfalls, and caused heavy damage to CCC-era historic buildings and other built structures at the site including stairs, railings, and observation platforms,” the NPS explained in its statement.

“A great deal of work has gone into this important restoration project over the past few years, both on the ground and behind the scenes. Clean up of the site alone was extensive,” explained Bill Tagye, chief of Facility Management, and project manager for the restoration work. “Workers have made good progress on the remaining tasks this summer and are on schedule. When the site re-opens, the trail will be a little different than people remember it in some places, but it will be just as beautiful as it was before, and it will also be more accessible and more sustainable.”

The final restoration work, which began at the end of May of this year, includes:

• Paving a portion of the existing trail and minimizing the slope from the parking area to the Woolen Mill sign exhibit to improve accessibility and drainage

• Installing a new accessible section of trail from the first bridge to the historic handpump shelter

• Removing an unsustainable stretch of trail between the second and third bridge on the west side of Dingmans Creek

• Repairing damage or replacing components of the trail, bridges, picnic sites, boardwalk, stairs, overlook areas, interpretive exhibits, and trail guardrails throughout the site

• Installing a trail and stair retaining system near the fourth bridge.

For more information on Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, call 570-426-2452; visit nps.gov/dewa, or follow Facebook.com/DelWaterGapNPS.