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The hikes below are listed from easiest to most challenging.

Best Leaf-Peeping Hikes in the Delaware Water Gap

1. Raymondskill Falls Loop Trail – Milford, PA

This is an easy-to-modernly difficult scenic trail with lots of overlooks to allow you to stop and view the impressive Raymondskill Falls, the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania. This waterfall is technically only a few feet shorter than Niagara Falls if you were to add all the tiers together! The short, 0.6-mile hike is worth the effort. There are bathrooms in the upper parking lot.

2. Dingmans Falls – Dingmans Ferry, PA

This is one easy trail! Located just over the Pennsylvania border, follow the boardwalk the entire 1-mile hike, which is great for any family with young kids with a stroller, or if you have a family member who needs a wheelchair. You will pass two waterfalls, first Silverthread Falls and then Dingmans Falls. You can take the stairs up to view the waterfall from the top, or just head back on the boardwalk.

In July, you can see the rhododendrons blooming along the trail, which follows the creek. There is a visitor center that is open on weekends in the fall and has materials for your child to earn a Junior Ranger Badge, as well as a composting toilet in the parking lot. This is a popular trail, and the parking lot fills up quickly on weekends and throughout the summer.

Please be aware that there is construction going on during summer 2025, but the trail should be open by fall 2025. 

3. Van Campens Glen – Blairstown, NJ

Van Campens Glen offers a relatively challenging, rocky trail that is a 1.6-mile out-and-back. The trail cuts through a diverse and colorful forest, with a little history mixed in. The hike is gorgeous any time of year, but especially in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. On this hike, you will see several cascading waterfalls and traverse a wooden bridge.

The trailhead is near Millbrook Village, a recreation of a 19th-century rural community. Follow the yellow trail from the parking lot as far as you like, and then retrace your path back. Be careful if it is wet or icy, as the path could be slippery!

Kids find rocks more fun than challenging! Photo by author

4. Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond – Walpack Township, NJ

Families can enjoy two pond-side trails featuring phenomenal foliage. While this isn’t a very difficult trail, it is 3.5 miles long and has moderate uphill and downhill grades along with a section of potentially slippery rocks.

From the Crater Lake parking area on Skyline Drive, head clockwise around the water, and swing north, then northwest toward Hemlock Pond. Follow Hemlock Pond Trail in either direction; on the far side, you'll see a little trail that leads to an earthen dam and a rocky outcrop, which is a scenic spot for picnicking.

Afterward, head back to the Crater Lake Trail and finish the first loop back to the parking lot. These directions will help you navigate a few important turns.

5. Coppermine Trail – Blairstown, NJ

Billed as moderately difficult, Coppermine Trail’s 4-mile out-and-back is moderately challenging, so it's good for older kids and parents carrying youngsters in backpacks. You will walk along a creek and pass through a hemlock ravine, mixed hardwood forest, and two abandoned copper mines. Thick swaths of fern form a carpet beneath the brightly colored leaves that fall from the soaring trees. This walk ends near the Appalachian Mountain Club's Mohican Outdoor Center, where you can stay overnight if you're up for a weekend getaway. 

From the parking lot, follow the red-blazed markers that indicate you are on the Coppermine Trail. This trail gets its name from the area’s bygone era as a copper producer, so along the way, you'll pass a few sealed-off mine vents that are worth a quick look, but you are prohibited from going inside because the mines are a bat nesting habitat. Extend your hike by adding the Kaiser trail offshoot or part of the Appalachian Trail. 

6. Rattlesnake Swamp Trail Loop – Blairstown, NJ

At just under 5 miles, this loop has it all and is a fantastic spot to view fall foliage. Rattlesnake Swamp Trail is a challenging option, but it is worth it! You get amazing views from the Appalachian Trail, there is a pond, a fire tower kids will be thrilled with climbing, and you will be thrilled with the views.

Start at the Mohican Outdoor Center, where a short rail will connect you to the main Rattlesnake Swamp Trail. Turn left on the trail to get to Catfish Pond, where you can see beaver lodges. This trail ends at a fantastic viewpoint on the Appalachian Trail, which you can continue along to get to the Catfish Fire Tower, an awesome spot to soak up the beauty and enjoy a picnic. You may see rattlesnakes on this trail, but they are not more common than in most other hiking spots in NJ.

This post was originally published in September 2013.