The Upper Delaware River basin encompasses thousands of square miles in New York and Pennsylvania, with hundreds of miles of roads winding through forests, farmland, small towns and historic sites. It made for a great ride, so I fired up my Kawasaki Vulcan and set out to explore it.
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From West Milford, New Jersey, I rolled north on the gentle East Shore Road through state forestland and along the sparkling shores of Greenwood Lake. With the morning sun sparkling through the trees and the cool, fresh air invigorating me, I cycled through the Black Country in southern Orange County, New York, a beautiful stretch of farmland famous for its rich black soil.
Passing through Port Jervis, I passed the Hawk’s Nest section of Highway 97, designated as the 70-mile Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. This winding road cuts into the side of the mountain, providing great views of the Delaware River below.
See all Horsemanof the Northeastern United States ride a motorbike here.
Leaving the river behind near Pond Eddy, I climbed deeper into the river basin. I’m not religious in the traditional sense, but I love looking at unique churches. Two impressive structures grace the tree-lined Highway 41: Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church with its white facade and metal dome, and St. Peter’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. Rustic wooden Volodymyr.
From Glen Spey, I weave my way through a wooded road to Eldred, where I cross scenic Highway 55 to Lake Superior State Park, an ideal place for a relaxing swim or hike. From there, I made a pilgrimage to Bethel, site of the famous 1969 Woodstock music festival, where 400,000 people gathered for three days of peace and music.
No longer a rural field on Max Yasgur’s farm, it is now part of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. This concert venue’s museum honors the 1969 festival, and the original concert stage is preserved. A monument near the stage site commemorates the groups that performed there.
From Bethel, I headed northwest on country roads to the impressive Stone Arch Bridge Historic Park and then to Roscoe for lunch at the Roscoe Diner. Next, I crossed the Beaverkill River, a tributary of the Delaware River. Both the Beaverkill and Downsville covered bridges are located off Highway 206, and motorcycling past these wooden structures is a joy not to be missed.
Downsville is also home to the 15-mile-long, 5,700-acre Pepacton Reservoir on the East Branch of the Delaware River. Highway 30’s curves follow the shoreline of the reservoir and then the winding river. With the Vulcan purring and the afternoon sun reflecting off the water, I steered the SR-30 onto Highway 17. In Hancock, I dropped my base at the neat Hancock House hotel, home to a pub and The restaurant is on site, making it a great place to be. an ideal overnight stop for riders.
The next day, I started my Vulcan and enjoyed the fresh air and deep blue sky as I crossed the river into Pennsylvania. Highways 191, 247 and 370 cross farmland and forest. On SR-370, I spotted a bear crossing the road – not unusual in rural Pennsylvania.
Heading south on Highway 296 to Waymart is one of my favorite roads: flat with a mix of farmland and forest on either side. At Waymart, I crossed U.S. Highway 6 – known locally as PA Route 6 – which stretches into the northern part of the state and offers hundreds of miles of excellent riding opportunities.
At Hawley, I picked up a winding section of PA Highway 6 and then followed Highway 590 to Lackawaxen, where SR-590 begins to parallel the Lackawaxen River, another tributary of the Delaware. It was a beautiful day and I stopped to watch some people kayaking on the river.
Crossing the Lackawaxen River, I stopped to rest at the Delaware Aqueduct, also known as the Roebling Bridge, which was built in the mid-1800s and is the oldest remaining rope suspension bridge in the United States. Crossing the river here allows allowing you to continue north or south on the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway.
Motorcycle riding resources in New York and Pennsylvania
