All parks › Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
- Private vehicle entrance
- $10[1]
- Busiest month (2025)
- July[2]
- Recreation visits, 2025
- 3,986,709[3]
- Campgrounds
- 9[4]
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a unit of the National Park System in New Jersey and Pennsylvania[5]. NPS lists a $10 private vehicle entrance fee for beaches and boat launches[1].
Entrance fees and passes
Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.
America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.
| Pass | Who can get it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Pass[7] | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual Pass[7] | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual Pass[7] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime Pass[7] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $80 |
| Military Annual Pass[7] | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime Pass[7] | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass[7] | US citizens and residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass[7] | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass[7] | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
When to visit and hours
NPS lists park roads as open 24 hours a day, while most day-use areas, including picnic areas and Millbrook Village, are open from sunrise to sunset[8]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 554,253 recreation visits[2]. December was the quietest month with 123,322 visits[2]. NPS notes that fall colors peak at some point in October[9]. NPS lists summer lows near 55 F and highs near 85 F[9]. Winter lows are near 15 F and highs near 49 F[9].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 183,863 |
| February | 202,443 |
| March | 217,229 |
| April | 297,378 |
| May | 374,772 |
| June | 377,195 |
| July | 554,253 |
| August | 540,889 |
| September | 501,464 |
| October | 351,752 |
| November | 262,149 |
| December | 123,322 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list 9 campgrounds for the park[4]. Dingmans Campground is the largest listed, with 136 sites[4]. NPS lists nightly individual-site fees of $16[4]. Check Recreation.gov or the park page for current booking details.
- Dingmans Campground, 136 sites[4]
- Middle Delaware National Scenic & Recreational River Primitive Campsites, 68 sites
- Mohican Outdoor Center, 16 sites
- Alosa Campsites, 6 sites
- Rivers Bend Group Campground, 5 sites
- Valley View Group Campground, 5 sites
- Rivers Bend Group Campground, 5 sites
- Valley View Group Campground, 5 sites
- Worthington State Forest Campground
Pets and dogs
Under the national park pet rule, pets must be kept crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or less in places where they are allowed[10]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on designated swimming beaches, with service animals excepted, and each park can close more areas to pets[10]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 6 of its listed things to do here, including Millbrook Village and the Cliff Trail hike[11].
Before you go
- The $10 private vehicle fee is listed by NPS for beaches and boat launches and covers one vehicle with up to 7 people[1].
- NPS lists an Annual Entrance - Park pass at $45, sold at park visitor centers and at staffed fee booths on three beaches, Milford, Smithfield and Turtle[6].
- NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass of the America the Beautiful series at $80[7].
- NPS lists two visitor centers, Bushkill Meeting Center and Kittatinny Point Visitor Center[12].
- Fees and hours change, so confirm on the official NPS park page before your trip[1][8].
Questions people ask
- How much is the entrance fee?
- NPS lists a Private Vehicle entrance fee of $10 for beaches and boat launches[1]. NPS also lists an Annual Entrance - Park pass at $45[6].
- When is the busiest month?
- In 2025 the busiest month was July with 554,253 recreation visits[2]. The quietest month was December with 123,322[2].
Facts and sources
- Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $10. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 4,340,902, 2022: 4,380,225, 2023: 4,207,541, 2024: 4,079,763, 2025: 3,986,709. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (list on this page). National Park Service
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Recreation Area) in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. National Park Service
- Annual Entrance - Park: $45. National Park Service
- America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
- Operating hours, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area: Park roads are open 24-hours a day. Most day-use areas within the park are open sunrise to sunset (such as trailhead parking lots, Millbrook Village, and all picnic areas). National Park Service
- NPS weather and seasons overview for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 6 things to do at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area: Hike the Cliff Trail, Millbrook Village, Easy Hike Along Hornbecks Creek, Biking on the McDade Recreational Trail, Snowshoe and Cross-country Ski on the McDade Trail, Tour Old Mine... National Park Service
- Visitor centers listed by NPS: 2 (Bushkill Meeting Center, Kittatinny Point Visitor Center). National Park Service