Waterfalls of Pennsylvania: A Guide to More Than 180 Falls in the Keystone State (Best Waterfalls by State)

Jim Cheney has been exploring Pennsylvania for more than five years and is the author of the popular travel site, UncoveringPA.com. Jim has visited every county in Pennsylvania and has hiked to hundreds of waterfalls throughout the state. Prior to starting his Pennsylvania explorations, he spent two and a half years living and traveling in Asia, where he also enjoyed visiting many beautiful waterfalls in exotic locales such as South Korea, Thailand, and Mongolia. He lives in Harrisburg with his wife and two children. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Slateford Creek Falls The three waterfalls on Slateford Creek are hidden gems of the Delaware Water Gap. Location: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Location: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Address/GPS for the Falls: 40°56'44.4"N, 75°07'20.9"W Address/GPS for the Falls: 40°56'44.4"N, 75°07'20.9"W Directions: Take exit 307 from Interstate 80. Take Route 611 South for 6.5 miles. Turn right onto National Park Drive. After 0.1 mile, park in a pull-off on the left side of the road before a 180-degree turn. For the uppermost falls, continue on the road for one mile and park in a pull-off just before the bridge. Directions: Take exit 307 from Interstate 80. Take Route 611 South for 6.5 miles. Turn right onto National Park Drive. After 0.1 mile, park in a pull-off on the left side of the road before a 180-degree turn. For the uppermost falls, continue on the road for one mile and park in a pull-off just before the bridge. Website: www.nps.gov/dewa Website: www.nps.gov/dewa Waterway: Slateford Creek Waterway: Slateford Creek Height: 50 feet Crest: 5 feet Height: 50 feet Crest: 5 feet Nearest Town: Stroudsburg Nearest Town: Stroudsburg Hike Difficulty: Moderate Hike Difficulty: Moderate Trail Quality: Unmarked, but well trodden Trail Quality: Unmarked, but well trodden Round-trip Distance: 1 mile Round-trip Distance: 1 mile Admission: No fee Admission: No fee Trip Report & Tips The three waterfalls on Slateford Creek are located just south of Stroudsburg in the southern reaches of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. While these are incredibly beautiful waterfalls, they aren’t nearly as well known as many of the other waterfalls in the area. While seeing these three waterfalls in one hike is possible, most opt to break it into two shorter and easier hikes. From an unmarked pull-off on National Park Drive, climb over the berm and you’ll see an obvious trail leading into the woods. The first waterfall on Slateford Creek will soon come into view far down in the gorge. It’s possible to descend down to stream level, but this is quite difficult and not recommended. This waterfall is three tiers and roughly 15 feet in combined height. Continuing along this unmarked but well-worn trail for another 5-7 minutes will bring you to the largest waterfall on Slateford Creek. This 50-foot waterfall falls in a narrow stream before fanning out at the base of the falls. The trail takes you right to the bottom of the falls, making it easy to really enjoy this beautiful spot. To see the third waterfall on the creek, you can try to pick your way up the hill and continue above the second waterfall. However, your better bet is to return to your car and drive a mile up the road to a second pull-off. From here, it’s a short 2-3 minute hike downhill to the base of the uppermost falls on Slateford Creek. This is a 20-foot drop that is located opposite a large, shallow pool. While here, notice the remnants of an old dam just downstream of the falls.