People of all abilities can enjoy the Upper Delaware River.
NPS
Accessible features at Upper Delaware are currently limited. Many facilities in the park are primitive, unstaffed, and have limited accessibility. Phone reception is very limited. Depending on your carrier, you may not have phone service. If you have particular needs, or specific questions about facilities, please contact the park in advance of your visit.
Public River Accesses
Public river accesses vary in accessibility. Many do not have designated accessible parking; have gravel, dirt, and/or uneven surfaces; and/or require traversing down paths and inclines to reach the water. Some of the public accesses have seasonal portable restrooms. Many of these are accessible restrooms.
The sortable table below lists some basic features of the river accesses to help you decide which river access may be best for you. The default order is from northernmost to southernmost access.
Trails located in and around Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River are unpaved with uneven surfaces. On these trails, hikers should be mindful of wildlife, tree roots and branches, and drop offs. For your safety, always stay on the trail.
The sortable table below lists some basic features of trails to help you decide which trail may be best for you. Please see the Hiking page for a specific trail’s information. The default order is from northernmost to southernmost trail.
Accessibility features of trails at Upper Delaware.
There are two wooden boardwalk paths across the aqueduct, on each side of the bridge. Boardwalk planks may be uneven.
There are entry points for both boardwalks on both the Pennsylvania and New York sides of the aqueduct. Three of the four entry points are concrete ramps which connect the sidewalk to the boardwalks.
The southern entrance on the New York side has a set of stairs instead of a ramp, which passes by the Toll House. The ramps and stairs all have handrails.
Please be careful as in some places the concrete sidewalk and ramps are not even or level.
During snowy, rainy, and icy conditions, the boardwalk may be wet and slippery. Sometimes the aqueduct boardwalks may be closed due to inclement weather.
A set of steps leads from the street level to the door of the Toll House. There are five steps, a platform, and then another six steps. Unfortunately, no ramp, lift, or elevator is available. These steps are made of concrete and curves around the house. A handrail is available along the stairs.
After these stairs follow the path to the Toll House. From the sidewalk to the Toll House porch, there is a set of four wooden steps. There is a handrail available.
There are two parking lots adjacent to the aqueduct, one on each side of the river.
Pennsylvania side parking lot: This is a paved parking lot adjacent to the southern side of the aqueduct on the Pennsylvania side of the river, approximately 50 feet from the aqueduct. There is one designated accessible parking spot. A paved sidewalk curves around the parking lot and leads into an accessible ramp onto the aqueduct. There is also a set of six concrete steps that can take one directly from the parking lot to the aqueduct. A handrail is available. Please be mindful the sidewalks may be uneven.
New York side parking lot: This is a paved parking lot adjacent to the northern side of the aqueduct on the New York side of the river, approximately 50 feet from the aqueduct. There is one designated accessible parking spot. A paved sidewalk and ramp leads from parking lot to the aqueduct boardwalk. In order to reach the Toll House, one must either: 1) Go across a crosswalk and then up a set of uneven concrete steps to reach the Toll House, or 2) Go up the ramp and across the northern side of the aqueduct, go across a crosswalk, and then go up the ramp and across the southern side of the aqueduct to reach the Toll House. If one chooses to take the stairs, please note there are five steps, a platform, and then another six steps. A handrail is available. There are no traffic signals at the crosswalks.
Restrooms are available on the Pennsylvania side of the aqueduct, in the public parking lot.
Phone reception is very limited. Depending on your carrier, you may not have phone service.
There is no pay phone or Wi-Fi at this location.
Zane Grey Museum
Some of the exhibits in the museum space involve screens that show a slideshow of digital images related to the exhibit. Audio description for these images is available at each exhibit through a telephone-shaped listening device that can be held up to the ear and listened to.
Some of the Zane Grey novels sold at the bookstore in the museum are available in large-print versions.
During the winter season (weekends in January and February), a video on Eagles in the Upper Delaware River region plays in the museum. This video is captioned.
A short grass and stone path leads to a set of stairs, which in turn leads up to the front door of the museum. This involves thirteen stone steps from the ground level to a short path that leads to the porch steps, and another six wooden steps up the porch to the front door. Unfortunately, no ramp, lift, or elevator is available. A handrail is available. The stone steps are irregular in depth and height.
The back door of the museum requires fewer steps than the path to the front door. This involves five wooden steps from the ground level to a platform at the doorway into the back porch. A handrail is available. From this platform into the porch there is a shallow step up. Please notify staff if you wish to use the back door, as it is generally left locked.
There are no automatic doors. Doors are historic and have round handle knobs. Sometimes doors can stick slightly due to weather conditions.
The Zane Grey Museum has two parking lots adjacent to it, and another across the street at the Lackawaxen River Access.
Gravel parking lot: This is a gravel parking lot immediately adjacent to the stairs leading up to the front door of the museum. There are no designated accessible parking spots.
Paved parking lot: This is a very large, paved parking lot approximately 50 feet from the Zane Grey Museum. There are a couple designated accessible parking spots, which can also accommodate RVs and vehicles which are towing boats. Please note although the lot is paved, surface may still be uneven. There is no direct path from this parking lot to the museum. One can either walk on the unpaved road or cut through a shallow grassy ditch and the gravel parking area to reach the museum.
Lackawaxen River Access: This is a paved parking lot approximately 200 feet from the Zane Grey Museum. There is one designated accessible parking spot. A ramp slopes off from this lot into the river as a boat access. There is no gate or barrier separating this ramp from the rest of the parking lot. To get from the parking lot to the museum, one must walk through the parking lot, up the parking lot entrance ramp, and cross a road. There are no traffic signals, sidewalks, or pedestrian crosswalks between the parking lot and the museum.
If you are planning on participating in a formal program at Upper Delaware and you would like to request specific accommodations, please notify us at least 2 weeks ahead of time to discuss what accommodations may be possible.
This location has an AED.
No public restrooms, water, or pay phone are available in the building.
A seasonal portable toilet is located in the large, paved parking lot next to the museum.
A seasonal accessible portable toilet is located in the grassy backyard of the museum. There is no path to this restroom.
Wi-Fi is available, phone reception is very limited. Depending on your carrier, you may not have phone service.
Accessible Restrooms
Accessible portable seasonal restrooms are available at the following locations:
Please see our Pets page to learn about general animal policies and recommendations at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.
Service animals are not required to be on a leash if the leash negatively affects the service animal's ability to assist the individual with the service animal, or if the nature of the individual's disability is negatively affect by the use of a leash.
Brochures and Handouts
A braille copy of the park unigrid is available for use by request.
Digital versions of some of the site bulletins and handouts are available by request. Please see our brochures page for more information on what types of site bulletins and handouts are available.
Telecommunications Relay Service
A state-wide Telecommunications Relay Service is available for people with auditory or speech impairments.
