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Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Delaware Water Gap area peaks around October 24, with the best viewing from roughly October 23 to October 31.
- Typical peak
- October 24
- Best viewing
- Oct 23 – Oct 31
- Color starts
- Around Oct 12
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 6
- Elevation
- 400 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 24. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Delaware Water Gap on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Delaware Water Gap
The Delaware River cuts through Kittatinny Ridge here, between Mount Tammany on the New Jersey side and Mount Minsi on the Pennsylvania side. The steep Red Dot Trail climbs Mount Tammany to rock ledges with views straight down into the gap, and the Point of Gap overlook on Route 611 looks across at Tammany’s cliffs from the Pennsylvania side. The surrounding Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area protects about 40 miles of the river valley.
Scenic drive
US 209 runs north along the Pennsylvania side of the river through the national recreation area, past wooded ridges and old farm fields, to Dingmans Falls, where a boardwalk leads through hemlocks to the falls, and on toward Raymondskill Falls and the town of Milford. On the New Jersey side, Old Mine Road follows the river through quieter woods and fields.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher or farther north
Woodstock, NY (91 miles away, farther north) typically peaks about 6 days earlier, and Hunter (Catskills), NY (98 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 11 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head farther south
New York City, NY (62 miles away) typically peaks about 7 days later, and Philadelphia, PA (70 miles away, farther south) typically peaks about 6 days later.
Nearby destinations
- Jim Thorpe, PATypical peak Oct 24, about the same time. 32 miles away.
- New York City, NYTypical peak Oct 31, 7 days later. 62 miles away.
- Bear Mountain, NYTypical peak Oct 23, about the same time. 64 miles away.
- Philadelphia, PATypical peak Oct 31, 6 days later. 70 miles away.
- Woodstock, NYTypical peak Oct 18, 6 days earlier. 91 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Delaware Water Gap?
In a typical year, fall color in the Delaware Water Gap area peaks around October 24, with the best viewing from roughly October 23 to October 31. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Delaware Water Gap?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 12, and most leaves are down by about November 6.
What trees color up around Delaware Water Gap?
The main fall color in this area comes from sugar maple, red maple, northern red oak, and shagbark hickory. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.