Day trip from Jersey · The Poconos
Things to Do in the Poconos: Waterfalls, Lakes and Mountain Towns Across the Water Gap
Things to do in the Poconos, just across the Delaware from NJ: Mount Minsi, Bushkill Falls, Grey Towers, Lake Wallenpaupack, Hawley, Stroudsburg, skiing.
By Tessa Moretti, our virtual host
Researched and edited by the Chefbouyon team
Updated · 13 min read
Quick picks
- For a classic hikeMount Minsi (Appalachian Trail)The Appalachian Trail climbs Mount Minsi straight from the borough of Delaware Water Gap.Directions
- For waterfallsBushkill FallsA private park with a series of eight waterfalls, trails at several skill levels and paddle boats.Directions
- For history loversGrey Towers National Historic SiteGifford Pinchot's 1886 home in Milford, run by the U.S. Forest Service, with holiday open houses from November 27, 2026.Directions
- For a lake dayLake WallenpaupackAbout 5,700 acres of water with 52 miles of shoreline, open to the public for recreation.Directions
- For a night outDeer Head InnIt calls itself the oldest continuously running jazz club in the country.Directions
If you live in Northwest Jersey, the Poconos are practically the neighbors. The Delaware Water Gap, where the river slices between two ridges, sits right across the water from Warren County. Cross on I-80 and you're in Pennsylvania's mountains before your coffee cools. That's what makes this the easiest mountain escape for anyone in Sussex, Warren or Morris County.
This guide to things to do in the Poconos is built for a day trip or a slow weekend. Think waterfalls, an old jazz club, a Gilded Age mansion run by the Forest Service, a lake with a drowned village under it and a bluestone silk mill. In winter, add the ski hills. The official tourism bureau says the region covers about 2,400 square miles across Monroe, Pike, Wayne and Carbon counties. So pick one corner per trip, not the whole map.
Bring layers. Mountain weather changes its mind fast, and so will you once you see the views.
How I picked these
These picks come from research, not road trips: the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, Pennsylvania's state parks department, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau and each place's own website. Each one was confirmed active in 2025–2026. I've mixed outdoors and history, and I've grouped the places by area so you can plan a sensible loop. Places with current closures are flagged, because nothing ruins a day like a gate across a trail.
The Water Gap: start where New Jersey ends
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area protects 40 miles of what the park calls the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi, on both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania sides. Mount Tammany is the Jersey ridge. Its Pennsylvania twin is Mount Minsi, and the little borough at its foot is the perfect first stop.
Mount Minsi (Appalachian Trail)
Known for The Pennsylvania ridge of the Water Gap, climbed by the Appalachian Trail from the borough, with old-growth oak forest.
Lake Lenape parking area, Mountain Road, Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Mount Minsi is the Pennsylvania wall of the Water Gap, and the Appalachian Trail climbs it straight out of town. The National Park Service rates the 1.8-mile stretch between Mount Minsi and the borough of Delaware Water Gap as moderate, and the 2.4 miles beyond the summit to Totts Gap as easy to moderate. Park rangers have led hikes from the Mt. Minsi Trailhead in the Lake Lenape parking area, off Mountain Road, to Lookout Rock, a round trip of about three miles over moderately rugged ground.
The park also notes that Mount Minsi has old-growth oak forest, best seen from the AT as it runs along the ridgetop before dropping into the Gap. Look across the river and you're looking at New Jersey.
Two things to know. First, the NPS says lots at the most popular trailheads, Mount Minsi among them, are usually full by 9 am on spring-to-fall weekends, so go early or go on a weekday. Second, the park closed the cliffs between the Point of Gap and Arrow Island parking areas from April until late summer 2026 to protect nesting peregrine falcons. Check the park's alerts page for the current status.
Who'll love it: hikers who want a real climb, and anyone collecting AT miles. For the Jersey side, see my best hikes in New Jersey.
Deer Head Inn
Known for Calls itself the oldest continuously running jazz club in the country.
5 Main Street, Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Down in the borough, at 5 Main Street, the Deer Head Inn calls itself "the oldest continuously running jazz club in the country" and the "Home of Jazz in the Pocono Mountains." The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau notes it sits right beside the Appalachian Trail, so hikers can walk off the mountain and practically into the music room.
The inn posts monthly music calendars on its website, with schedules already up for November and December 2026. It also serves dinner, with a dinner menu, drink menu and specials. Music charges are paid at the door, and there's no online ticketing.
Who'll love it: couples, jazz fans and anyone who wants their mountain day to end with a tune. The tourism bureau's list of borough stops also includes the Antoine Dutot Museum & Gallery and the historic Castle Inn, so there's a little history to wander between hike and supper.
Waterfalls and woods in the national park
Pennsylvania's tallest waterfalls are in this park, along the Pike County stretch of Route 209. A note before you plan: the National Park Service says the Dingmans Falls access road, visitor center and trail are closed for bridge replacement and trail rehabilitation, with all traffic prohibited, pedestrians included. Dingmans Falls and narrow Silver Thread Falls share a boardwalk that the park describes as wheelchair and stroller accessible. When it reopens, it's a lovely easy stop. For now, head a few miles north.
Raymondskill Falls
Known for The tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania, viewed from two platforms on a steep one-third-mile trail.
Raymondskill Road, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, near Milford, PA 18337
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Raymondskill Falls is, per the National Park Service, the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania. The park says that if you add up the heights of all its cascades, it comes in only a few feet shorter than Niagara Falls.
The trail is short but honest. It's about a third of a mile of earthen path dropping into a hemlock ravine, with two wooden viewing platforms over the top and middle of the cascades. The NPS warns that it's steep and uneven, with roots, rocks and slick spots, and that leaving the trail isn't allowed. Pets aren't permitted on this trail (trained service dogs excepted), and swimming is prohibited. The park also closes the Raymondskill Creek drainage below the lower falls from May 1 to September 30 each year, though the falls trail itself isn't part of that closure.
Who'll love it: waterfall chasers with good shoes. It's a few minutes south of Milford, so pair it with Grey Towers below.
Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC)
Known for The National Park Service's education partner, with free hiking trails open year-round.
538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
The Pocono Environmental Education Center, known as PEEC, is the National Park Service's education partner inside the recreation area, at 538 Emery Road in Dingmans Ferry. It hosts school groups and retreats, but it also opens its trails to everyone: PEEC says its hiking trails are free and available year-round.
Its weekend public programs are a nice reason to visit with kids. The Ecozone Discovery Room opens on November 7, 2026, with no registration needed, and PEEC is running a Thanksgiving pie sale this month, too. There's also a Pocono Fiber Arts Retreat on its calendar.
Who'll love it: families, birders and anyone who wants a quieter forest walk than the famous trailheads. PEEC's calendar changes through the seasons, so check it before you drive up.
Bushkill Falls: the classic Pocono waterfall park
Bushkill Falls
Known for A private park with a series of eight waterfalls, trails at multiple skill levels, paddle boats and gemstone mining.
138 Bushkill Falls Road, Bushkill, PA 18324
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Bushkill Falls, at 138 Bushkill Falls Road in Bushkill, is the region's best-known private waterfall park. Its website describes "a unique series of eight waterfalls," linked by trails at multiple skill levels, so you can choose a short loop or a longer one.
There's more than water here. The park lists gemstone mining, fishing along the Twin Lakes shoreline, paddle boats, exhibits, a mining-company maze, a playground, picnic areas and a pavilion. It also hosts a Pocono Wildlife Rehab program. A gift shop and snack spots round it out.
Bushkill Falls is a seasonal park. Its site says it's open for the season, but it doesn't post a closing date on the homepage, so check its hours page before a late-fall trip.
Who'll love it: families, first-time visitors and anyone who wants big waterfalls with railings and snacks. It's a short drive from the Delaware Water Gap along the river, which makes an easy half-day pairing with Mount Minsi.
Stroudsburg: Main Street in the heart of the Poconos
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau calls Stroudsburg the "heart of the Poconos." It's the county seat of Monroe County, right off I-80, and was named for Revolutionary War colonel Jacob Stroud. It was incorporated in 1815, and it's the birthplace of the J.J. Newberry department stores.
Main Street is the draw: a walkable downtown of boutiques and galleries, with clothing, jewelry and home décor shops. The Monroe County Historical Association runs the Stroud Mansion, once home to Jacob's son Daniel, as a museum and library, and offers guided downtown walking tours on select dates from spring through fall. At Christmas, Main Street shines with a light display from Netflix's "Here for the Holidays" project, which picked Stroudsburg as one of six towns in 2020. For more holiday ideas, see my Christmas lights guide.
Downtown festivals include StroudFest and WinterFest, and the Sherman Theater helps produce some of the town's family events. There's metered street parking downtown.
Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm
Known for A living history museum preserving 19th-century Pennsylvania German farm life, with Old Time Christmas in December.
347 Quiet Valley Road, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Just outside town, at 347 Quiet Valley Road, Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm is a living history museum that preserves the 19th-century farm life of Pennsylvania Germans. It runs hands-on workshops and special programs through the year.
The holiday calendar is the sweet spot. Old Time Christmas runs on two weekends, starting December 5 and December 12, 2026. There's a Friends of Quiet Valley holiday workshop on November 7 and a wreath-making workshop on November 29. The farm's website also lists a Harvest Festival among its traditions.
Who'll love it: families, history buffs and anyone who'd like to see how a farm got through a mountain winter before electricity. It pairs nicely with a Main Street afternoon.
Milford: a Pinchot town at the north gate
Milford, the county seat of Pike County, was founded in 1796 and laid out on a grid inspired by Philadelphia's streets, per the tourism bureau. It was a popular summer retreat through the 1800s and 1900s, and it's the north gate to the national recreation area. In town, the Columns Museum holds the famous "Lincoln Flag," and Forest Hall, commissioned by James Pinchot in 1863 and designed by Calvert Vaux, now holds shops and an arts incubator.
Grey Towers National Historic Site
Known for Gifford Pinchot's home, designed by Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1886, with the famous Finger Bowl dining table.
151 Grey Towers Drive, Milford, PA 18337
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Grey Towers, at 151 Grey Towers Drive, was the home of Gifford Pinchot, founder and first chief of the U.S. Forest Service and twice elected governor of Pennsylvania. The Forest Service says the mansion was designed in 1884 by family friend Richard Morris Hunt and largely completed in 1886 for Gifford's father, James Pinchot. The family gave Grey Towers and about 102 acres to the Forest Service in 1963, the year President John F. Kennedy dedicated it as a National Historic Site.
Don't miss the Finger Bowl, a raised water-filled table where, according to the Grey Towers Heritage Association, food floated across on wooden bowls and balsa rafts during conversations about politics and conservation. It's wonderfully eccentric.
The grounds are open year-round for self-guided walks, including a Forest Discovery Trail. The first floor of the mansion opens for ticketed tours in season. Holiday open houses resume on Friday, November 27, 2026, and run through December 28, with the site closed for tours on Christmas Day.
Who'll love it: history lovers and garden people. Pair it with Raymondskill Falls for a full Pike County day.
Promised Land State Park: lakes on the plateau
Promised Land State Park
Known for A 3,000-acre plateau park with two lakes, opened in 1905 as Pennsylvania's fourth state park, with CCC-built campgrounds and cabins.
100 Lower Lake Road, Greentown, PA 18426
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Promised Land State Park, at 100 Lower Lake Road in Greentown, covers about 3,000 acres on the Pocono Plateau, about 1,800 feet above sea level. It's surrounded by about 12,464 acres of Delaware State Forest, so the woods go on and on. There are two lakes, several small streams and miles of hiking trails.
The history is good here. Pennsylvania bought the land from 1902 to 1904 and opened Promised Land in 1905 as its fourth state park. From 1933 to 1941, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp worked here, building Pickerel Point campground, the Bear Wallow cabins, most of North Shore Road and Egypt Meadow Dam, and planting more than a million trees. The park holds a CCC festival each August.
Today it's a four-season park: fishing, boating, swimming, camping, rustic cabins, biking, horseback riding and winter recreation. The state warns that cell service is unreliable, so download the park map before you go.
Who'll love it: campers, paddlers and anyone who wants a quiet lake in the woods.
Hawley and Lake Wallenpaupack
Hawley sits at the northeastern tip of Lake Wallenpaupack, in Wayne County, on historic Route 6. Settlers used Paupack Falls for mills from the 1790s, the Delaware and Hudson Canal and a coal railroad brought growth, and the lake brought tourists in the 1920s. Downtown has the Ritz Company Playhouse, a live theater the tourism bureau says has operated for more than 40 years, and Bingham Park, with a Friday farmers market from May through October.
Lake Wallenpaupack
Known for A 5,700-acre reservoir created in 1926, with 52 miles of shoreline open to the public for recreation.
Lake Wallenpaupack, near Hawley, PA
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Lake Wallenpaupack is one of Pennsylvania's largest reservoirs, at about 5,700 acres, roughly 13 miles long, with 52 miles of shoreline. The Pennsylvania Power and Light Company created it in 1926 by damming the Wallenpaupack River near Hawley. Brookfield Renewable owns it now, and it's a working hydroelectric project open to the public for recreation.
Here's the detail I love. The village of Wilsonville was flooded when the lake was made, and the tourism bureau says some stone walls and foundations remain underwater near the Wilsonville Recreation Area.
In summer, it's boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming and fishing, with a public beach in Palmyra Township and a tackle loaner program at the visitors center. On land, there's the Wallenpaupack Lake Trail and the 550-acre Lacawac Sanctuary. Winter brings ice fishing, ice skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Who'll love it: anyone who wants a lake weekend. Pair it with the Silk Mill for lunch.
The Hawley Silk Mill
Known for The former Bellemonte Silk Mill, an 1880 bluestone mill now home to shops, dining, a fitness center and Lackawanna College.
8 Silk Mill Drive, Hawley, PA 18428
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
The Hawley Silk Mill, on Silk Mill Drive, began life as the Bellemonte Silk Mill. Its own history says it was built in 1880 by Dexter, Lambert & Co., with a Greek cross design and open floors, and rebuilt to its original dimensions after an 1894 fire. Locals consider it one of the world's largest bluestone buildings. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
Since 2011 it has been a lifestyle center. The tourism bureau lists art galleries, dining, a fitness center and a campus of Lackawanna College inside. Outside, America250PA dedicated a bronze Semiquincentennial Bell here in October 2024, to honor the immigrant women who built Pennsylvania, ahead of the nation's 250th birthday in 2026.
Who'll love it: architecture fans, browsers and anyone who likes a building with a past. It's a few minutes from the lake.
Dorflinger Glass Museum & Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary
Known for One of the nation's largest collections of Dorflinger glass, made 1852–1921, beside a nearly 600-acre sanctuary with about five miles of trails.
55 Suydam Drive, White Mills, PA 18473
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
A short drive north of Hawley, in the hamlet of White Mills, the Dorflinger Glass Museum displays fine cut, etched, engraved, gilded and enameled crystal made in Christian Dorflinger's factories between 1852 and 1921. The nonprofit Dorflinger-Suydam says it holds one of the nation's largest collections of Dorflinger glass. Its gift shop sells glass, jewelry and handcrafted ornaments, mostly made by U.S. artists and studios.
The museum is open on November weekends through the 15th, plus November 27 and 28, so check the website before you go. The grounds are open on their own schedule: the nearly 600-acre Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary has protected this land since 1980 and offers about five miles of nature trails (closed November 29 to December 13). In July and August, the Wildflower Concert Series, running since 1983, brings music to a natural amphitheater in the pines.
Who'll love it: anyone who likes sparkle, gift shoppers and birders.
Winter in the Poconos: ski hills and snow tubing
Camelback Resort
Known for Skiing and 40+ snow tubing lanes in winter, plus the year-round Aquatopia indoor waterpark.
193 Resort Drive, Tannersville, PA 18372
Checked against official sources Nov 2026
Camelback Resort, at 193 Resort Drive in Tannersville, is the big name for winter. It's selling 2026–27 season passes now, and it lists more than 40 snow tubing lanes. When the weather is miserable, its Aquatopia indoor waterpark is open year-round and kept at 84 degrees, which is a very good trick in January.
Who'll love it: families, first-time skiers and tubers. Check the resort's snow report for opening day.
Camelback isn't alone. Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton lists an anticipated opening day of November 27, 2026, and runs scenic lift rides and a Summit Adventure Park in the warmer months. Jack Frost and Big Boulder, two mountains run by Vail Resorts, are hiring for the 2026–27 winter and say lift tickets will be limited, so buy ahead. Shawnee Mountain, near East Stroudsburg and the Water Gap, posts its season updates on its own website. Opening days depend on snowmaking weather, so check each mountain's conditions page.
Jim Thorpe, the Victorian side trip
Down in Carbon County, Jim Thorpe is a whole day of its own: a steep Victorian town in a river gorge, with a mansion museum and rail-trail biking. I've given it a separate guide, things to do in Jim Thorpe, so you can plan it properly.
Getting there
From New Jersey: I-80 crosses the Delaware River at the Water Gap, so the borough of Delaware Water Gap and Stroudsburg are the first Pennsylvania towns you meet heading west. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau says Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap are about 65 miles from New York City, right off I-80. Milford, Hawley and Honesdale are reached off I-84 and historic Route 6. Driving times from your part of New Jersey will vary, so check your map app before you leave.
Parking: The national park's most popular trailheads fill early on spring-to-fall weekends. Arrive before 9 am, or plan for weekdays. Stroudsburg has metered street parking downtown.
Cell service: It gets patchy in the state parks and forests. Download maps for Promised Land and the recreation area before you go.
When to go
Fall is the headline season: foliage on the ridges, crisp air for hiking and Bushkill Falls still open. Winter is for the ski hills, Camelback's indoor waterpark, Grey Towers' holiday open houses and Quiet Valley's Old Time Christmas. Spring brings high water at the waterfalls, though the park's seasonal creek closures start May 1. Summer is lake season at Wallenpaupack and Promised Land, plus Dorflinger's Wildflower concerts.
Whenever you go, check the national park's alerts page first. Closures change, and Dingmans Falls is a reminder of why.
For more getaway ideas, see my weekend getaways in New Jersey and romantic getaways, or cross back over the river to Lambertville.
Every place in this guide, on the map
- Mount Minsi (Appalachian Trail)Lake Lenape parking area, Mountain Road, Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
- Deer Head Inn5 Main Street, Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
- Raymondskill FallsRaymondskill Road, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, near Milford, PA 18337
- Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC)538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328
- Bushkill Falls138 Bushkill Falls Road, Bushkill, PA 18324
- Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm347 Quiet Valley Road, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
- Grey Towers National Historic Site151 Grey Towers Drive, Milford, PA 18337
- Promised Land State Park100 Lower Lake Road, Greentown, PA 18426
- Lake WallenpaupackLake Wallenpaupack, near Hawley, PA
- The Hawley Silk Mill8 Silk Mill Drive, Hawley, PA 18428
- Dorflinger Glass Museum & Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary55 Suydam Drive, White Mills, PA 18473
- Camelback Resort193 Resort Drive, Tannersville, PA 18372
Questions people ask
How far are the Poconos from New Jersey?
Very close. The Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap sits directly across the river from Warren County, and I-80 runs straight through the Gap. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau says Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap are about 65 miles from New York City, right off I-80, with Milford and Hawley reached off I-84 and Route 6.
Is Dingmans Falls open?
Not as of the National Park Service's current conditions page. It says the Dingmans Falls access road, visitor center and trail are closed for bridge replacement and trail rehabilitation, and that all traffic, including pedestrians, is prohibited during construction. Check the park's alerts page before you go. Raymondskill Falls, the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania, is a short drive north.
What counties are in the Poconos?
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, the region's official tourism office, covers four counties in northeastern Pennsylvania: Monroe, Pike, Wayne and Carbon. Together they cover about 2,400 square miles of mountains, lakes, waterfalls and river towns, from Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap in the south to Hawley and Lake Wallenpaupack in the north.
What is there to do in the Poconos in winter?
Skiing and snow tubing at Camelback, Blue Mountain, Shawnee Mountain, Jack Frost and Big Boulder, plus Camelback's indoor waterpark, Aquatopia, which is open year-round. Quiet Valley's Old Time Christmas runs December 5 and 12, 2026, Grey Towers holds holiday open houses, and Lake Wallenpaupack has ice fishing and skating when conditions allow.
Can you hike the Appalachian Trail in the Poconos?
Yes. The Appalachian Trail runs through the borough of Delaware Water Gap and up Mount Minsi. The National Park Service rates the 1.8-mile stretch from Mount Minsi down to Delaware Water Gap as moderate. Trailhead parking for Mount Minsi is at the Lake Lenape parking area off Mountain Road, and it often fills early on spring-to-fall weekends.
Spot something out of date, or know a place we should add? Tell us. Corrections are read first.
Make a day of it
