Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
National Recreation AreaNew Jersey, Pennsylvania
Best month to visit
October
64°F / 41°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Delaware Water Gap in October
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.7× the average month) and January is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 4.0M
- 2025
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 1.7× avg
- Quietest month
- Jan
- 0.5× avg
- 10-yr trend
- rising
- +18.1%
More photos of Delaware Water Gap
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Delaware Water Gap by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 43 Poor | 37°F / 17°F | 9.4 h |
| February | Quiet | 45 Fair | 40°F / 19°F | 10.4 h |
| March | Quiet | 56 Fair | 48°F / 28°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Quiet | 63 Good | 61°F / 38°F | 13.1 h |
| May | Average | 67 Good | 70°F / 48°F | 14.3 h |
| June | Busy | 76 Excellent | 80°F / 57°F | 14.9 h |
| July | Very busy | 52 Fair | 84°F / 62°F | 14.7 h |
| August | Busy | 57 Fair | 83°F / 60°F | 13.6 h |
| September | Busy | 63 Good | 75°F / 52°F | 12.3 h |
| Octoberour pick | Average | 55 Fair | 64°F / 41°F | 10.9 h |
| November | Quiet | 49 Fair | 52°F / 32°F | 9.6 h |
| December | Quiet | 46 Fair | 41°F / 24°F | 9.0 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00286177, ~11 mi away).
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About visiting Delaware Water Gap
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in NJ, PA and one of the busier parks in the system, drawing about 4.0 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 18.1%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.7× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.5× — a 3-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 38% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 73°F in July down to about 27°F in January, with the wettest stretch in January. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is October: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.0 hours in midwinter to 14.9 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $10, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Situated within the most densely populated region of the United States, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides a unique opportunity to experience tranquil landscapes, rich human history, and striking scenery along 40 miles of the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi. The park offers year-round recreation including hiking, paddling, fishing, and hunting.
Weather & conditions
Spring: Temperatures usually range from lows of 26 F to highs of 80 F with average rainfall of 5 inches. Summer: Temperatures usually range from lows of 55 F to highs of 85 F with average rainfall of 4 inches. Fall: Temperatures usually range from lows of 30 F to highs of 83F. Fall foliage is at its peak sometime in October as daily mountain temperatures vary frequently and influence the change. Winter: Temperatures usually range from lows of 15 F to highs of 49 F.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Delaware Water Gap
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area — live availability and prices to plan your trip. October is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Delaware Water Gap
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated October 2026The closest airport to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), about 53 mi (1 hr 21 min drive) away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE)Best for flights | 53 mi | 1 hr 21 min | Allegiant Air, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Stewart International Airport (SWF) | 60 mi | 1 hr 24 min | Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines, jetBlue |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) | 66 mi | 1 hr 35 min | Allegiant Air, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) | 73 mi | 1 hr 48 min | Air Canada, Air India, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines |
| LaGuardia Airport (LGA) | 88 mi | 2 hr 9 min | Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, China Eastern, Copa Airlines, Delta |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) — about 1 hr 21 min from the park.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $10, typically valid for several days.
What takes a reservation at Delaware Water Gap
From National Park Service records read on October 11, 2026. Timed-entry and permit rules change from season to season; the official Delaware Water Gap page has this year's.
Campgrounds with reservable sites
- Dingmans Campground: 136 reservable sites, 136 first-come, first-served
- Worthington State Forest Campground: 78 reservable sites
- River Camping: 62 reservable sites
- Mohican Outdoor Center: 8 reservable sites, 7 first-come, first-served
- Rivers Bend Group Campground: 5 reservable sites
- Valley View Group Campground: 5 reservable sites
Activities the park marks as needing a reservation
Frequently Asked Questions
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The park is busiest in July (about 1.7× the average month) and quietest in January.
July is the busiest month at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, running roughly 1.7 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, at about 0.5× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area recorded about 3,986,709 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+18.1%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area averages about 73°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) is the closest airport to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, about 53 mi (1 hr 21 min drive) away.
There is no airport inside Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Fly into Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) and drive the rest of the way — about 1 hr 21 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Delaware Water Gap
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Second Pond water qualityGrade — · 4 mi · PA
- Lehman Lake water qualityGrade — · 5 mi · PA
- Lake Maskenozha water qualityGrade — · 5 mi · PA
- Wild Acres Lake water qualityGrade — · 6 mi · PA
- Hidden Lake water qualityGrade — · 7 mi · PA
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.