View of the Delaware River from Barryville.

Natural Attractions

The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway (NYS Route 97) offers some of the finest recreational opportunities in the northeastern United States. In particular, sightseeing, boating, camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, birdwatching, and cycling along state-established bike routes are popular activities in the river area.

The road’s 71-mile length provides out-standing views. Particularly impressive is the rock cut at the Hawks Nest in the Town of Deerpark, which features winding S-curves and panoramic vistas from river bluffs hundreds of feet high.

Many historic sites are easily visited from the Byway. Of note are the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen, PA, former home of the famous western novelist; Minisink Battleground, the site of a bloody 1779 Indian and Tory victory over Colonials; Roebling’s 1847 Delaware Aqueduct, the nation’s oldest existing wire suspension bridge built by Brooklyn Bridge designer John A. Roebling to accommodate the Delaware & Hudson Canal, remnants of which can still be seen; and Fort Delaware in Narrowsburg, a living re-enactment of regional frontier life.

Upper Delaware communities offer year-round sporting activities, fairs, festivals, parades, ethnic celebrations, and arts programs to appeal to people of all ages. Browse museums, go antiquing, observe the Upper Delaware’s bald eagles and other birds and wildlife, hike, and take historic walking tours. The valley boasts many fine restaurants, specialty shops, and choices of lodging. A listing of visitor-oriented businesses located within the river corridor .