Delaware Water Gap Trolley

While there are some items of interest on The Delaware Water Gap Trolley tour, they are few and those that should be seen more closely can not. Others should simply be removed completely from the tour.

Among the various jobs I’ve taken to earn some extra spending money was one as a trolley driver/tour guide for the Water Gap Trolley. Though I liked the owner as an amiable person, I had great difficulty in finding enthusiasm for a job that left paying customers feeling disappointed and not getting their monies worth. The Delaware Water Gap Trolley hasn’t changed in decades and needs a major improvement in the route and the “tour.” The oldest driver, a mustached gentleman who also doubles as the trolley mechanic has the personality of a slug and you can only hope that you don’t get him as your driver… get ready to yawn, as he does nothing to make the ride fun. You need a sense of humor to keep the passengers entertained.

Let’s start with tour. Using the dubious catch phrase, “The Eighth Scenic Wonder of the World”, it is offered 7 days per week, rain or shine, from April through November at a price of $9.50 for adults and $4.50 for children to take the 1 hour ride. For those who pick a day that is rainy, cold, hot, foggy, or just generally not perfect weather, you will likely be miserable, or be unable to see what little you could on a good day. The motorized, reproduction trolleys have no air conditioning and the seats are not cushioned. Due to liability concerns there are only a couple of stops which allows you a few minutes to disembark, in order to look at a sight across the Delaware River.

The trolley advertising speaks of seeing the sights of the “Historic Delaware Water Gap.” The majority of the tour had me mentioning fishing in a local river, pointing out places such as, “Where Mr. Green Jeans (from Capt. Kangaroo, for those of us ancient enough to remember) used to live”, or “Where Jackie Gleason could have possibly imbibed” (no evidence to that – just a possibility). Most of the homes of the few celebrities from decades ago are so obscured by forest growth and so distant, it is hardly worth mentioning. The famous are long dead and all but forgotten in these modern times and anyone under 60 isn’t likely to give a damn, or even know most of the celebrities mentioned.

Then there is the obligatory mentioning of businesses that sponsors the Delaware Water Gap Trolley Tour through advertising, being sure to point them out to paying customers and coming up with some obscure reason for doing so. There is also the drive-by of “The Niagra Falls of the Poconos.” Nothing more than a small stream flowing down a short rock face and you see little of it as you drive past. Like most tourist areas, someone creates a business with a catch phrase that only provides disappointment when you pay to enter.

As the trolley continues on it’s route, stops are made at a few interesting spots, but even those are restrictive when on the tour. The passengers either can not disembark to see the mentioned sight, or are so obscured by vegetation growth it isn’t worth taking a picture.

Stupid items are mentioned, such as where a hotel used to sit on the edge of the river, alongside the road. The hotel burned down 80 years ago and there is absolutely nothing left to see of it, but the trolley stops and it is mentioned and talked about at length (as many things are, that don’t need mentioning).

I made stops and told customers to look at something, but nothing was there to see. How embarrassing it was to be constantly saying, “This is where something was” or, “That is where a flood occurred.” Does anyone really care to hear a full 5 minutes about a flood that happened in the 1955? No, they don’t. The flood happened along the river and 32 people died. End of story. Many who rode on the trolley I drove were often heard saying, “Why is he stopping here? There is nothing to look at!” I honestly couldn’t blame them for being disappointed and upset.

Be aware that bathrooms at the Water Gap Trolley grounds are small port-a-potties out back, with no running water there to wash your hands after you finish your business. Though there is a gift shop, like all tourist traps it contains overpriced junk that can be found elsewhere for less. About the best thing on the tour is the fact that it ends with an offer to play unlimited miniature golf for $2.00, with the possibility of winning an ice cream if you get a hole-in-one on the final hole. Personally, I think this should be included for free. The kids might actually enjoy the experience if the miniature golf were free and the parents might actually feel less taken. Though, don’t forget the same people who can’t wash their hands after using the port-a-potties were playing with those same putters before you.

There are only 3 things on the entire tour you might find interesting and knowing them here will save you some much needed cash. Locations of these 3 sights can be found on the map at the end of this article.

1. The Shawnee Church at The Delaware Water Gap.

Graves from the Colonial times were never moved and the headstones were incorporated into the foundation of the church when it expanded it’s size. One of the oldest cemeteries in the area, the head stones embedded in the back wall isn’t something you find every day and finding headstones that date to pre-Revolutionary War times makes for interesting reading.

2. The Cooling Cave at The Delaware Water Gap.

Though the tour likes to have people believe the Native Americans used it for refrigerating meat (doubtful) this cave located on the mountain side of RT.611N, just out of town, is easily seen and is only about 20 yards from the road and accessible from a side cutout along the road that allows a few cars an area to pull off. On a hot day the cool air exiting the cave can be felt down to the road and is caused by the water cooling the rocks in the mountain and the cooler air traveling along internal cracks until it exits the cave. Only about 20 feet in depth, you can walk in and look about. Air temperature from the cave is 50 degrees, even in the hottest summer months.

3. Indian Profile at The Delaware Water Gap.

Stop at the viewing area on 611N, just as you are passing through the Delaware Water Gap, and look across the road toward the edge of the rock face on the mountain, across the river. During a good year of green growth and on a good day, while using your imagination, the profile of an Indian chief, complete with headgear can be seen. Though erosion and a bit of rockfall has caused the loss of prominent features, the profile can still be seen in good weather conditions. Most often, however, the guides are instructed to pass around a photocopy of an old postcard to show customers how the profile used to appear, because without proper conditions it can be extremely difficult to see the profile. Many never do see it, even in the best conditions.

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