Discover Pike: Nature, Trails and History

The McDade Trail follows the Delaware River and offers opportunities for walks, hikes and bike rides year-round. Nearby, places such as the Zane Grey House and Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct represent different aspects of regional history. Information about hiking trails also varies considerably in length and difficulty.

Hiking on Individual Trails and in Larger Areas

The trails on the grounds of the Pocono Environmental Education Center are free and available year-round. Six loop trails start and end on campus. Those looking for a single loop with a clearly stated length can try the Little Falls Trail: It is 1.02 miles long and rated more difficult.

Promised Land State Park is in Pike County, 10 miles north of Canadensis on PA Route 390. Together with the adjacent Delaware State Forest, the park and forest offer about 50 miles of trails. This figure applies to both areas combined. Delaware State Forest in Pike County is characterized by remote glacial lakes and wetlands, which offer a rich variety of plant and animal life as well as scenic beauty.

On a larger scale, Pike County is home to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which extends along the Delaware River and covers more than 17,000 acres. The entire area has more than 150 miles of trails with varying difficulty levels. These figures describe different options: a single loop on the Little Falls Trail, the trails in Promised Land State Park and the adjacent forest combined, and the trails throughout the entire Recreation Area.

Along the Water and Through the Landscape

In summer, Pike County offers canoe trips on the Delaware River. A public river access point is located across from the Zane Grey House; from there, visitors can reach the river for boating and fishing. These two details offer different perspectives on the river: canoe trips are listed as a summer activity, while the access point across from the house provides opportunities for boating and fishing.

Another hiking option is the Red Trail at Bushkill Falls. The trail is almost 2 miles long and passes all eight waterfalls. Along with the shorter and longer trail distances, this makes it possible to choose between a single loop, a trail passing several waterfalls, and the more extensive trail networks in the parks and Recreation Area.

Places of Regional History

The Columns Museum is the repository for Pike County's artifacts and archives. The Zane Grey House was home to American author Zane Grey from 1905 to 1918. Self-guided museum exhibits are open to visitors seasonally, from Memorial Day weekend through the last weekend in September. Check seasonal access before your visit.

Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct is the oldest surviving wire-cable suspension bridge in the United States. The structure is designated a National Historic Landmark and a National Civil Engineering Landmark. Visitors can walk across the aqueduct, following the historic route used by canal boatmen and their mules more than a century ago. Here, the present-day opportunity to cross the bridge meets its history as a route for canal traffic.

The Walking Tours of Historic Milford are self-guided tours through a historic district whose history dates back to 1733. Upper Mill adds another dimension to the region's history: It is a restored, water-powered mill originally built in the early 19th century. Grey Towers in Milford was home to Gifford Pinchot. Each place offers its own point of reference for the region's history, from a historic district to a mill to a former residence.

Discover more destinations: Matamoras, South Sterling, Bushkill, Tafton, Dauphin, Monroe, Lycoming County, Somerset County.

For the main travel overview: Pennsylvania.