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Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, PA – Volunteer Vacation 2024

September 8 @ 5:00 pm - September 14 @ 10:00 am

Trip Navigation

Rolling hills, riverfront villages, and bald eagles perched on trees form a vibrant backdrop as the Delaware River snakes gracefully through the rural countryside. But the story of the Upper Delaware is more than just a collection of beautiful pictures. The clean water of the Delaware, the last major undammed river in the eastern United States, supports a healthy ecosystem and offers tranquility and excitement. Enjoy the area’s recreational opportunities while it supports a healthy ecosystem for wildlife and provides water for over 17 million people.

Volunteers will work on re-routing a half-mile portion of the Tusten Mountain trail, on the right entrance of the 3-mile loop. Re-routing will include removing a wooden bridge about half-mile in from the right entrance, covering up old trail, painting new trail markers on trees, adding  “A Volunteer Vacation restored this trail” sign, and constructing a new trail registration box. Volunteers will drive or carpool to the project site.

During this trip, Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River’s average high temperature is 72°, and average low temperature is 50°.

There is no experience needed to join a Volunteer Vacation! Your expert hosts will provide detailed instruction, tool demonstrations, and project oversight throughout the week. All you need is a willing attitude and to be in good physical condition to participate in moderate physical activity for approximately 6-8 hours a day with plenty of breaks, at your own pace. Find out more about what it’s like to join a Volunteer Vacation and other frequently asked questions here.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the Mohican and Munsee Lenape peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, their deep and sacred connection to these lands, and those who continue to steward these lands today. We offer this land acknowledgement as the first of many steps to stand as an ally and amplify Indigenous voices. We invite the American Hiking Society community to join us through continued efforts to support Indigenous communities and learn more about the history of the lands on which we live, work and recreate.

Click here for a PDF of trip details.

Register

Host

National Park Service

Accommodations

Car Camping Tent Sites

Hiking/Access

Volunteers will drive or carpool to the project site. Volunteers will be working on rerouting a portion of a three mile loop.

Project Rating

Easy

Minimum Volunteer Age

16

Maximum Group Size

6

Area and Attractions

The rural character of the Upper Delaware Valley landscape supports a wide variety of plant and animal species. Its biological diversity coupled with the low levels of pollution (air, water, noise, etc.) contribute to the high quality of life and scenic value of the Upper Delaware Valley, all within 150 miles of over 35,000,000 people. As part of the Atlantic Flyway, the corridor hosts large numbers of waterfowl and waterbirds in the wooded riverside habitats. Approximately 200 species of birds have been identified within the corridor, including the bald eagle, which winters and nests in the Delaware watershed. According to wildlife biologists, the highest concentration of eagle wintering areas in New York is found in this watershed. One of the sites, Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct, carried the Delaware and Hudson Canal over the Delaware River. As the oldest wire cable suspension structure in the U.S. with its historic elements intact, it is a testament to the engineering genius of John A. Roebling, a German immigrant to the United States who also designed the Brooklyn Bridge. Prolific author Zane Grey, known as "the father of the western novel”, was inspired to launch his early writing career on the banks of the Upper Delaware River. Zane was eager to escape the bustling New York City to canoe and fish along the Delaware. Today his former residence is now a self-guided museum owned by the National Park Service.

Accommodations Description

Volunteers will sleep in a large bunk room complete with two full bathrooms, a kitchen, and running water. Volunteers need to bring their own camping gear, sleeping bags or linens, towels, and personal toiletries.

Travel

Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania is the closest major airport. Airport pick up and drop off is not available for volunteers, however carpooling and rideshare can be arranged upon confirmation of the trip.Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is about a 2 hour drive from Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Location

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Tusten Mountain Trail, Beach Lake, PA 18405 United States + Google Map
Website:
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