From New York City:
- Interstate 80 to Exit 309, Rt. 209 north.
- Turn left onto Bushkill Falls Road at the light in Bushkill, PA.
From Central New Jersey:
- Interstate 78 into Rt. 33 north.
- Follow the directions from Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania: Bushkill Falls
Set in the Pocono Mountains, Bushkill Falls is a set of eight unique waterfalls. the tallest of which is over 100 feet, which are accessible through a series of trails. The water of the Little Bush Kill and Pond Run Creek descends the mountain, toward the Delaware River, forming Bushkill Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Bridesmaid Falls, Laurel Glen Falls, Pennell Falls, and three additional, unnamed falls.
We first visited Bushkill Falls about 15 years ago when our kids were young (as were we) and these falls left an impression. So, skip forward and we decided to return and see if it was as good as we remembered.
These falls are privately owned and well maintained. Charles E. Peters first opened Bushkill Falls to the public in 1904, with a single path and a swinging bridge over the head of the main falls. Bushkill Falls is still owned by the Peters family.
Getting to Bushkill Falls is not too difficult but it will require driving. The drive from New York City is about 90 minutes (80 plus miles) and from Philadelphia, it is a bit further with a drive time of around 2 hours (120 miles). Once you are there is plenty of parking, but it does get somewhat busy at weekends during the summer. We travelled there on a Saturday in July and got there mid-morning and getting a parking spot was easy enough.
The queues for tickets can get long, but you can buy the tickets online and skip the lines.
At the entrance to the Falls, there are some gift shops and restaurants. We skipped those and headed to the entrance.
The trails start a short distance from the entrance building. There are four trails from trails:
| Green Trail | View the Main Falls from the green trail, which takes about 15 minutes to walk. No climbing is involved, however, there are steps. |
| Yellow Trail | View the Main Falls, as well as Lower Gorge Falls, Laurel Glen and Upper Canyon, which takes 45 minutes to walk. |
| Blue Trail | View Pennell Falls from the blue trail, which takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to walk. |
| Red Trail | View Bridal Veil Falls from the Red trail. This trail is for the avid hiker in that it spans almost 2 miles, includes all eight falls, and takes over 2 hours to hike. |
A lot of the trails follow along boardwalks so you get close to the water and even cross over the top of falls. The boardwalks are quite narrow so in places, things can get a bit crowded especially at the weekend. Another thing is there are a lot of stairs to climb up and down, and these are quite steep in places. So, if you have trouble with stairs then this may not be the place for you.
The Red Trail is a circular walk, but this is currently damaged (check their website for the current status), so to get to the Bride and Bridal Veil falls you need to take the Blue Trail and get on the other end of the Red Trail.
So, was our revisit to Bushkill Falls a hit or a miss. I would say a hit and it is definitely worth the detour if you are heading through North Central Pennsylvania.
About Bushkill Falls
| Address: | Bushkill Falls Road, Bushkill, PA 18324 |
| Website: | www.visitbushkillfalls.com/ |
| Telephone: | T: 888.287.4545 |
| Hours: | |
| Fees | Weekdays: Adults $15, Seniors (62+) $14, Children (4-10) $9, Children (2 and under) are free Weekends: Adults $18, Seniors (62+) $17, Children (4-10) $9, Children (2 and under) are free |
Getting to Bushkill Falls
From Trenton, NJ
- Via NJ-31 N. to Exit 309 onto US-209 N. toward PA-447
- Take NJ-29 N. toward Lambertville
- Turn right onto Washington Crossing Pennington Rd.
- Turn left onto Bear Tavern Rd.
- At the end of the road turn left onto Route 31 N.
- Slight right onto US-202 toward Flemington
- At the roundabout, take second exit onto State Route 41
- At the end of the road turn left onto US Highway 46
- Turn Left to merge onto I-80 W.
- Exit 309 onto US-209 N. toward PA-447
- Turn left onto Bushkill Falls Road at the light in Bushkill, PA
From Philadelphia:
- Interstate 476 North to Exit 56
- Travel Rt. 22 east to Rt. 33.
- North on Rt. 33 to Interstate 80.
- East on I-80 to Exit 309. Rt. 209 north.
- Turn left onto Bushkill Falls Road at the light in Bushkill, PA.
Best time to visit Bushkill Falls
Pennsylvania’s weather is very similar to that of New York or New Jersey. It’s changeable, with moderate precipitation all year long, with some heat waves in the summer and cool weather in the winter and early spring. Snow is concentrated in the winter months.
Late-spring – May, June – or late-summer and early-fall – September, October – are excellent months for visiting Pennsylvania.
WHEN NOT TO GO TO PENNSYLVANIA
Avoid the winter months, when temperatures may reach very low levels.
Humidity and high temperatures may turn some July and August days rather uncomfortable, despite the moderating influence of the Lake Erie in the region.
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Where to stay near Bushkill Falls
1. POCONO VILLAS RESORT
Pocono Villas Resort features free WiFi and views of garden in East Stroudsburg. Boasting family rooms, this property also provides guests with a children’s playground. The hotel features an indoor pool, fitness centre and a 24-hour front desk.
The rooms at the hotel come with air conditioning, a seating area, a TV with cable channels, a kitchen, a dining area and a private bathroom with a hairdryer, a shower and free toiletries. At Pocono Villas Resort rooms are fitted with bed linen and towels.
The accommodation offers 3-star accommodation with a hot tub and sun terrace. You can play billiards, table tennis and darts at Pocono Villas Resort, and the area is popular for hiking and skiing.
2. FROGTOWN INN
3. THE PENN STROUD HOTEL
This historic hotel in downtown Stroudsberg originally opened its doors in 1833. In 2020 the hotel was purchased by new owners who spent millions of dollars to bring the hotel into the modern era.
The downtown location in Stroudsberg means you can take advantage of the local dining, shopping and entertainment.
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