Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area was established on September 1, 1965 for public outdoor recreation use and for the preservation of scenic, scientific and recreation resources. The almost 70,000-acre National Park Service unit is located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania along approximately 40 miles of the Delaware River. The area is rich in both cultural and natural history; the ridges and river valleys contain streams, waterfalls, geologic features, a diversity of plants and wildlife, and traces of past occupants and cultures. The area also provides a wide range of recreational activities.

The Recreation Area is a distinctive combination of natural, cultural and recreational features that collectively offer outstanding opportunities for public use and enjoyment in an increasingly urbanized region. This portion of the river was designated as the Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational River under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1978. Water resource studies and monitoring in cooperation with the Delaware River Basin Commission show this reach of the river as having exceptional water quality. Unique geologic and natural features form some of the best-known scenic landscapes in the northeastern United States and illustrate the characteristic landforms and biotic areas of the Appalachian Mountains.