Born out of a disastrous flood and one of the first large environmental protests in the US, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area now provides a 70,000-acre connection to the natural world to four million visitors a year. This unit of the National Park Service preserves historical sites that predate English settlement in the New World and evidence of Native Americans going back 13,000 years. Established in 1965, Delaware Water Gap NRA also incorporates 40 miles of the Middle Delaware National and Scenic Recreation River, 28 miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a state forest, and state wildlife management areas. Its many natural features include the highest waterfalls in two states, plus a geological feature once recognized as a scenic Wonder of the World. See why Cond Nast Traveler named the Delaware Water Gap the most beautiful place in Pennsylvania.By Michael P. GadomskiMichael P. Gadomski, a third-generation Pennsylvania native, is an internationally published photographer and writer, in addition to having spent a career as a state park ranger. He has spent decades exploring the Delaware Water Gap NRAs natural and human history.124 photos124 photos