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Release Date: October 30, 2018
Contact(s): Kathleen Sandt, Public
Affairs Specialist
Kathleen_Sandt@nps.gov; (570)
426-2472
It’s No Trick! Dingmans Falls Re-opens
on October 31
Bushkill, PA- The employees at Delaware Water
Gap National Recreation Area are excited to announce that the Dingmans Falls
boardwalk trail will re-open to the public at 1 pm on Wednesday, October
31. The popular visitor destination and local favorite was hit hard by
damages from back-to-back winter storms in March 2018 and as a result was
closed for the spring and summer while work crews made repairs.
Superintendent Sula Jacobs, who has been on
the job at the park for just under two months, was briefed on the storm damages
and the work to be done before she accepted the position and seeing it through
is one of her top priorities. “When I got here, I toured the site and was
told that the trail would re-open in the spring,” said Jacobs. “I am
thrilled that our dedicated team- both on the ground and behind the scenes- was
able to get the work done sooner than expected and with no injuries or further
negative impacts to the environment. And we are all thrilled to be able to
welcome the public back to one of their favorite places, and one of
ours.” Dingmans Falls Visitor Center will re-open as usual in the
spring. The lower portion of Johnny Bee Road, the Dingmans Falls Access
Road, and the main parking area will remain open until the first significant
snowfall. Once the roads are closed for the winter, the trail will remain open
and accessible by foot.
The devastating storms uprooted and snapped
hundreds of trees along the access road, parking area, and trail. The
downed trees crushed, twisted, and lifted boardwalks, stairs, railings and
bridges and damaged structures on the grounds. Work completed at the site
includes:
· Repairs to the
boardwalk trail including replacement of approximately 130 feet of new
decking;
· repair and
replacement of two staircases leading to the upper observation area;
· repair and
replacement of 80 feet of railing including railing on 2 bridges;
· precision removal of
more than 500 trees from the site, including the access roads and parking lot;
· removal of 10 trees
from structures on the grounds;
· repair of restroom
roofs and vents.
“Dingmans Falls is one of the jewels of the
park, and of the region, and was a top priority for the park’s trail crew over
the past few months,” said William Tagye, Roads and Trails Supervisor for the
park. “In addition to repairing damages from the winter storms, the crew
has also made some other improvements along the trail that will allow visitors
to have a better and safer visit to the falls while making the trail itself
more sustainable into the future.” For example, new surface treatments
were used to provide better traction on areas of the boardwalk trail that tend
to get slippery in the damp shady environment and drainage improvements were
made in areas where water runoff or ponding on the trail was an issue.
While the majority of storm-damaged trails
and facilities have re-opened, there is still a lot of work to be done at the
few sites that remain closed. These areas sustained a great deal of
environmental and/or infrastructure damage and the work there is more
complex.
· Tree removal is
scheduled to begin shortly at George W. Childs Park where hundreds of trees
fell in tangled masses onto boardwalks, bridges, fences, historic structures,
and observation platforms. Sequoia Tree Service of Dingmans Ferry, PA was
awarded the contract for that phase of the project. Tree removal is
expected to be completed by the end of the year. Planning, design, and
environmental compliance work is also underway. At this time there is no
estimated opening date.
· Adams Creek will
remain closed indefinitely.
· Hornbecks
Creek/Indian Ladders Trail and Conashaugh Trail will remain closed until work
there can be completed.
· Work on a re-route
and repairs to the lower portion of the trail at Van Campens Glen in NJ is set
to begin during the summer of 2019.
For updates on trail openings and closures
visit our website at www.nps.gov/dewa;
call the information desk at (570) 426-2452, Monday through Friday (except
federal holidays) from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; or follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DelWaterGapNPS.
--
Kathleen Sandt
Public Affairs Specialist
National Park Service
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
(O) 570-426-2472
(C) 570-234-9144
“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, "What if I
had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?”
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