The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is a

unit Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...

of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

designated under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. It stretches along of the Delaware River between

Hancock, New York Hancock is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The town contains a village, also named Hancock. The town is in the southwest part of the county. The population was 3,224 at the 2010 census. The town is the largest by area in Dela ...

, and Sparrowbush, New York. It includes parts of Delaware County,

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

, and Sullivan County in New York, as well as Pike County and Wayne County in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. Most of the land in this unit is privately owned; the federal government only owns about . The site includes and protects Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct and the Zane Grey Museum. Within the park are the remains of the Delaware and Hudson Canal. This canal operated from 1828 to 1898 carrying anthracite coal and other regional products to the Hudson River where the products were shipped to various markets including New York City. The Delaware and Hudson Canal Company is considered one of the first private million dollar companies in the United States. Some of the remains of the canal are a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

Land Protection

More than 14,000 acres within the watershed of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River are protected by

conservation easement In the United States, a conservation easement (also called conservation covenant, conservation restriction or conservation servitude) is a power invested in a qualified private land conservation organization (often called a "land trust") or gover ...

s enacted by willing private property owners and held by the Delaware Highlands Conservancy

land trust Land trusts are nonprofit organizations which own and manage land, and sometimes waters. There are three common types of land trust, distinguished from one another by the ways in which they are legally structured and by the purposes for which th ...

, which was founded by Barbara Yeaman in 1994.

Activities

*Recreation on the Delaware River – The shoreline of the river is mostly privately owned, but the waterway is open to public use, from numerous public access sites. Recreational opportunities include boating, fishing, and wildlife watching. While swimming is available, the river is swift and the rocks are slippery making it dangerous.Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, New York/Pennsylvania; National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior; Washington, D.C.; 2002 * Delaware and Hudson Canal – Between 1825 and 1829, the Delaware and Hudson Canal was a water route from the anthracite coal mines of

to the markets on the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...

. The U.S. Department of the Interior has designated the Delaware and Hudson Canal a National Historic Landmark and an NHL bronze plaque has been placed on the aqueduct. * Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct - Believed to be the oldest suspension bridge in the United States, retaining its original elements. * Zane Grey Museum –

Zane Grey Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and dentist. He is known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American fronti ...

(1872 – 1939) moved to Lackawaxen in 1905. From his home on the Upper Delaware, Zane began his writing career, becoming known as the “Father of the Western Novel”.Upper Delaware, Zane Grey Museum; Site Bulletin; National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior; Beach Lake, Pennsylvania; February 28, 2006 *Bird Watching – The Upper Delaware is a good location for

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

watching. The clean running water provides food and the tall trees along the shoreline, offer perching and nesting sites. The river way is the largest wintering site of Bald Eagles in the northeast. East of Pond Eddy a wheelchair accessible bird blind, Eagle Observation Area, along New York 97. * Hawk’s Nest - The Hawk's Nest is a scenic location outside

Port Jervis, New York Port Jervis is a city located at the confluence of the Neversink and Delaware rivers in western Orange County, New York, United States, north of the Delaware Water Gap. Its population was 8,775 at the 2020 census. The communities of Deerpark, ...

high above the Delaware River on New York State Route 97. Its name is derived from the

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predat ...

that nest in the area. The location is also known for its winding roads and scenic overlooks in the Delaware River Valley.

References

External links

National Park Service: Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
{{authority control Delaware River National Park Service areas in New York (state) National Park Service areas in Pennsylvania National Park Service Wild and Scenic Rivers Geography of Delaware County, New York Geography of Orange County, New York Geography of Sullivan County, New York Geography of Pike County, Pennsylvania Geography of Wayne County, Pennsylvania Protected areas established in 1978