National Park Service lifts winter closures for DWG areas

On Monday, April 15, all park sites within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area that were closed for the winter official reopened for public use, the National Park Service announced.

This also means that parks where fees are collected, such as Smithfield Beach, Bushkill Boat Launch, Dingmans Boat Launch and Milford Beach, will being doing so once again. However, Turtle Beach in NJ will be closed for the 2024 season due to construction along Old Mine Road.

Regarding the fees, NPS fee program manager Elizabeth Winslow reminded folks that “what you pay here, will stay here,” meaning that most revenue generated from park fees is used to fund projects and services within the park, including facility and trail maintenance, restrooms, boat and canoe launches, and picnic areas.

Daily fees are $10 per vehicle (up to seven occupants) and $2 for additional passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Where fee attendants are not on duty, visitors should deposit the daily fee in the envelope provided, tear off the perforated receipt, put the envelope in the designated secured drop box, and place the receipt on the vehicle’s dashboard. Change for cash is not available at the fee booths.

Annual passes are $45 per vehicle. Discounts apply for multiple purchases from the same household. Visit nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/fees.htm for more information.

Winter Closures Lifted

The following areas that were closed for the winter are now open:

• River access points except Poxono Access in NJ which will remain closed due to construction on Old Mine Road

• The access roads to Dingmans Falls (open daily during daylight hours)

• The dirt section of Old Mine Road near Van Campen Inn

• Mountain Road in Walpack, NJ, will be open to vehicles between the Walpack Cemetery and the Haneys Mill Bridge. Mountain Road is closed to vehicles beyond the bridge and from the south end at Haneys Mill due to the closure for repairs on the state-owned section of the road. The bridge on Main Street in Walpack, between Walpack Center and Mountain Road, remains closed due to structural damage.

• Crater Lake, including Skyline Drive and the upper section of Blue Mountain Lakes Road, will re-open to vehicles daily until late-May when it will be closed to vehicles Friday evenings through Monday afternoons until mid-October. The road will remain closed to vehicles on federal holidays that fall on Mondays.

The following closures go into effect on May 1 and remain in effect until September 30 annually:

• Adams Creek Area and parking lots, including the drainage, from the Sproul Road and Long Meadow Road Parking Areas downstream to US Route 209

• White Pines McDade Trail parking area

• Raymondskill Creek drainage from the base of the lower falls, including the pool area, downstream to the confluence of the Delaware River, including the Schanno House (former) parking area and grounds on the west side of Route 209 at Raymondskill Creek. This closure does not include the McDade Recreational Trail or the Raymondskill Falls Trail.

River camping fees and reservations

Reservations are required for use of the primitive river campsites along the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River and are $16 per night. Group campgrounds also require a reservation and are $100 per night. Visit Recreation.gov to make a reservation and pay the applicable fees. Reservations and payments for these sites cannot be made in person or over the phone.

For more information on Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, call the information desk at 570-426-2452 or visit nps.gov/dewa.