Bushkill Falls, also known as the “Niagara of Pennsylvania” is a hidden gem nestled in the Poconos Mountians near the Delaware Water gap. It features several waterfalls along a series of hiking trails and a nature center. The drive to Bushkill takes you through varied scenery and quite a few winding roads, which is an added bonus for the driving enthusiast. One of our favorite parts though is the fact that the park is pet-friendly so you can bring your dog with you while you visit! It makes an excellent day trip for anyone visiting Pennsylvania or Eastern New Jersey and has something to offer every age group.
The drive up to Bushkill Falls is absolutely breathtaking. The winding mountain roads run through many wooded areas and there are many deer and other small animals that can be spotted along the way. The falls are located on private land in Pennsylvania’s Poconos Mountains. Bushkill Falls was first opened to the public in 1904 by Charles Peters and is still owned by the Peters family. It began with a single path and a swinging bridge over the head of the main falls and now features a series hiking trails and bridges that show off all 8 waterfalls in the area.
The shortest of the 4 trials takes you right up to the main falls and is about 15 minutes long. The entire route is paved and requires no climbing so it’s easily accessible to everyone.
After visiting the Main Falls we decided to strike out on the Red Trail in order to see all 8 waterfalls and the surrounding area. The total hiking time is about two hours and shows off all the best features in the area. It’s not a trail for everyone and you should be prepared for climbing quite a bit of stairs at the beginning of the trail.
The trail continues along the rivers and gives you an opportunity to take in many of the natural features of the area like the wildlife…
the flowers….
and the rivers!
Many hikers enjoy the long trail to Bridal Veil Falls. It runs along the Pond Run Stream and eventually flows into the Little Bushkill river. We really enjoyed the hike! It has something for all nature lovers.
All the hiking was fun and definitely worth it to see Bridal Veil Falls!
Overall we had a nice time at Bushkill and would definitely visit again.
