Delaware Water Gap tubing in NJ is the ideal activity to partake in during the summer! It’s perfect for getting a fresh cool dip during warm weather. And who knew you could it in your backyard?
We’ve been tubing on the Delaware Water Gap for the last couple of years. However, there are definitely some critical tips and pointers you need to know before you hop onto your tube and go on your river tubing adventure.
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Where To Start And End Your Delaware Water Gap Tubing Adventure
It is so important to make sure you start your tubing on the Delaware up river so that you can (obviously…) float downriver! Depending on how many people in your group are going on the float, make sure you leave at least one car where you’ll start your float and another where you’ll end your float. If you forget this step, you’re going to wind up at your destination without a car…and you’re going to have to make a HUGE hike to where you parked. That’s a mistake you’re not going to want to make!
This is the location of where we start our Tubing on the Delaware Water Gap in NJ: Poxono Boat Launch: Old Mine Rd, Hardwick, NJ 07825
These are the coordinates to where we end our Tubing on the Delaware Water Gap in NJ: Karamac Trail: Columbia, NJ 07832
You’ll know when you’re getting towards the end of your float when you spot a huge stone structure in the middle of a river. You’ll also notice a cliff straight in front of that. Those two structures actually used to be a bridge! Anyways, you’re going to want to get out of the river at that second stone structure while tubing!
SUGGESTION
If you want to guarantee your float won’t be long, think about shortening the distance between your start and endpoints. For example, if you start and end from the coordinates that I’ve provided you, the float can be anywhere between 5-8 hours, and that’s including people walking in the water to pull tubes!
HIDE YOUR KEYS!
We generally leave all of our towels and essentials that we’ll want after the float inside of the car at our end destination. Make sure that whoever leaves their car at the final destination puts their keys in a safe place! We’d recommend Freegrace Waterproof Drybag. The bag comes in an assortment of colors and sizes. The product I have linked also comes with a bonus waist pouch and bag case for your phone. With a dry bag, you’d be able to safely have your phone, wallet, and, most importantly, keys with you throughout the float!
How Long Is The Float ACTUALLY Going To Take?
Every year we make the same mistake: We overestimate the river’s current and it winds up taking us over 5 hours to complete our float. And, that’s with a bunch of our friends pulling the entire group of rafts! You’ll need to take into account that the river’s current may not be in your favor when you go, so plan accordingly. In other words, don’t plan it on a day that you have other stuff going on – floating down the Delaware Water Gap in NJ is a full-time kind of commitment!
Now The Fun Part: What You’re Going To Need
As I’ve said, river tubing down the Delaware Water Gap is a full-day commitment, so it’s so important to make sure you have everything on board your raft set-up!
1. The Most Obvious: TUBES
You can’t go river tubing down the Delaware Water Gap without tubes, obviously! Make sure each person in your group has their own tube. We’d also recommend getting tubes that are made for river rafting that can be found on Amazon. If you choose to get a pool float, expect it to pop as the river can get shallow in certain areas and a rock could easily puncture a hole into your float.
Also, bring some extra tubes! We like to bring extra tubes in case one of the tubes break and for cooler(s). This brings us to the next item on the list…
2. Can’t Go River Tubing Without A Cooler
Coolers are a great way to organize your drinks and snacks when river tubing down the Delaware Water Gap. We usually put our Yeti cooler in a tube so that it can join us on our float! Waterproof and floating coolers also work equally as effective.
3. You’re Gonna Need Some Drinks & Food To Put Into That Cooler
Tubing down the Delaware Water Gap takes a long time! You’re going to need to pack lots of drinks to stay hydrated. You may also want to bring some food in case you get hungry. You’re on the river and there won’t be anywhere to stop, so don’t forget those items!
4. Bring Life Jackets!
If you’re planning to go river tubing down the Delaware Water Gap in NJ, it’s the law to have life jackets for every person in your float. We didn’t know about this strict rule until our most recent adventure. It’s an $80 ticket that you and your friends are going to want to avoid. Life jackets are usually about $20 each, or you can buy a 4 pack for about $50-$60. Luckily, we had a state park ranger give us the information in time for us to go out and buy some life jackets at a local Walmart!
5. Water Shoes Are Super Functional
If you get stuck like we always seem to, and are forced to pull your raft group, you’re going to want to bring some shoes. David generally just wears an old pair of sneakers, but I’m a bit more into water shoes. They’re waterproof so they don’t make your feet feel all gross like normal shoes would throughout the float. I actually just bought a pair of water shoes off Amazon for our most recent trip!
6. Don’t Go Onto The Delaware River Without Sunscreen
If you burn easily like me, you’re going to want sunscreen. Since you’ll be river tubing down the Delaware Water Gap all day, you’re going to want to consistently be applying sunscreen every hour or risk turning into a lobster at the end of the day!
Our personal favorite sunscreen to use is the brand Sun Bum. You can either buy it as a spray-on at SPF 50 or as a lotion at SPF 50. We love the smell of it! I know Amazon also has a great deal where they include the spray bottle and a face stick for cheap!
7. Stay A Little Shady With Sunglasses And A Hat
You’ll want sunglasses and a hat if you’re looking for some extra shade. They’ll keep the sun away from your face during your Delaware Water Gap tubing adventure.
