The clearest risk at Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River isn't on the water — it's in Sullivan County's crime rate, which registered 400.6 violent incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, a figure well above national averages. Paired with 16 recorded thunderstorm wind events, riverside campsites can shift from calm to hazardous quickly once storms roll through the valley.
Book sites inside the national park boundary rather than nearby county campgrounds, since NPS-managed areas carry their own ranger presence and better lighting infrastructure. For the wind threat, skip free-standing dome tents in favor of low-profile, staked designs, and position your setup away from tall riverside trees that become projectiles in thunderstorm gusts. Check the NWS forecast for Port Jervis before each afternoon on the water, as storm cells in this river corridor build fast and leave little warning time.
Top recorded hazards in Sullivan County
County dataFrom NOAA Storm Events (2024). Counts of recorded incidents — not all occurred at this park.
- Thunderstorm Wind 16
- Hail 1
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About Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Canoe through rapids and quiet pools as the Delaware River winds its way through a valley of swiftly changing scenery or fish amid rolling hills and riverfront villages in one of the finest fishing rivers in the northeastern United States. The clean water of the Delaware, the last major undammed river in the eastern United States, supports a healthy ecosystem and offers tranquility and excitement.
Weather
Spring: Temperatures usually range from lows of 26°F to highs of 80°F with average rainfall of 5 inches. Summer: Temperatures usually range from lows of 55°F to highs of 85°F with average rainfall of 4 inches. Fall: Temperatures usually range from lows of 30°F to highs of 83°F. Fall foliage is at its peak sometime in October as daily mountain temperatures vary frequently and influence the change. Winter: Temperatures usually range from lows of 15°F to highs of 49°F.