Delaware Water Gap

National Recreation Area

Pennsylvania & New Jersey

Photo of the river twisting in a tight "S" curve through Kittatinny Ridge

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania & New Jersey

Have you ever pondered the power of water?

Delaware Water Gap is one of the best places to see this force at work. Millions of years ago this was a level plain; erosion and gradual uplift of the land formed the ridges and valleys we see today. In this respect the process is not unusual. What is distinctive about this gap is the beauty of the landscape. Here the river twists in a tight "S" curve through Kittatinny Ridge.

The result is breathtaking, so much so that this area became a resort in the 19th century. Large hotels sprang up and catered to a clientele of businessmen and their families. People remarked on the healthy quality of the air and coolness of the breezes while cities simmered in the summer heat. Today most of the large hotels are gone and people usually come here for a day or two rather than a month or more. But the air is just as invigorating and the views as spectacular as they ever were. And the National Park Service is here to help make your time in the park as enjoyable as possible.

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The General park map handed out at the visitor center is available on the park's map webpage.

For information about topographic maps, geologic maps, and geologic data sets, please see the geologic maps page.

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A geology photo album for this park can be found here.

For information on other photo collections featuring National Park geology, please see the Image Sources page.

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Currently, we do not have a listing for a park-specific geoscience book. The park's geology may be described in regional or state geology texts.

Please visit the Geology Books and Media webpage for additional sources such as text books, theme books, CD ROMs, and technical reports.

Parks and Plates: The Geology of Our National Parks, Monuments & Seashores.
Lillie, Robert J., 2005.
W.W. Norton and Company.
ISBN 0-393-92407-6
9" x 10.75", paperback, 550 pages, full color throughout

The spectacular geology in our national parks provides the answers to many questions about the Earth. The answers can be appreciated through plate tectonics, an exciting way to understand the ongoing natural processes that sculpt our landscape. Parks and Plates is a visual and scientific voyage of discovery!

Ordering from your National Park Cooperative Associations' bookstores helps to support programs in the parks. Please visit the bookstore locator for park books and much more.

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Information about the park's research program is available on the park's research webpage.

For information about permits that are required for conducting geologic research activities in National Parks, see the Permits Information page.

The NPS maintains a searchable data base of research needs that have been identified by parks.

A bibliography of geologic references is being prepared for each park through the Geologic Resources Evaluation Program (GRE). Please see the GRE website for more information and contacts.

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