The Poconos are full of waterfalls, from the eight-fall gorge at Bushkill Falls to Raymondskill Falls, the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania. Most are short walks; a few take a couple of hours.
Two well-known falls are closed right now: Dingmans Falls (bridge and trail work, no reopening date) and the Glen Onoko Falls trail near Jim Thorpe (rebuilding). Check the park's page before you go, and wear real shoes: waterfall trails are often wet, steep and stepped.
Bushkill Falls (Bushkill)
- Eight waterfalls in a wooded gorge, privately owned with an admission fee. The Green Trail to the Main Falls takes about 15 minutes; the Red Trail passes all eight falls in a little over 2 hours. Closed December through March.
Sources: Bushkill Falls: trails
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
- Raymondskill Falls: the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania, on a short (0.3-mile) but steep trail. No pets, food or alcohol; the upper lot closes early January to mid-April.
- Hackers Falls: 1.4 miles out and back, moderate. No swimming, wading or climbing within 50 feet of the falls.
- Tumbling Waters, at the Pocono Environmental Education Center: a 2.8-mile moderate loop with stairs down to the falls.
- George W. Childs Park: three waterfalls, with an accessible path to the first two Factory Falls platforms. No pets.
- Lower Hornbecks Creek: about a mile each way to a waterfall, family friendly, from a trailhead on Route 209.
- Dingmans Falls and Silverthread Falls: closed for a bridge replacement and trail rehabilitation, with no reopening date posted.
- On spring-to-fall weekends, the Raymondskill and Hackers Falls lots are usually full by 9 AM.
Sources: NPS: Raymondskill Creek Trail · NPS: Hackers Trail · NPS: Tumbling Waters Trail · NPS: current conditions
Hawk Falls (Hickory Run State Park)
- A 0.6-mile walk through a tunnel of rhododendron to a 25-foot waterfall, a short drive from Lake Harmony and Blakeslee. No swimming or picnicking at the falls, and it's often icy in winter. Entry is free.
Glen Onoko Falls (Lehigh Gorge, near Jim Thorpe)
The Glen Onoko Falls trail is closed while it's rebuilt. The rest of Lehigh Gorge State Park, including the Lehigh Gorge Trail, is open.
