Scenic Back Roads Tour
The Settlers Inn founders Grant and Jeanne Genzlinger have compiled this scenic Poconos driving tour for adventurous guests seeking a day of back roads meandering aside the riffles and rapids of the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers, past PA historic sites, eagle nests, great fishing spots and an eclectic selection of Poconos shops.
If you like to wander at your own pace and enjoy the serendipitous encounters to be found along the way, this loop of just over 50 miles is the cruise you’ve been craving. In the winter, you just may spot bald eagles somewhere along your journey. Hawley is a great place to spot the majestic birds in the colder months. Read more about bald eagles and find information on guided excursions at the Eagle Institute Website.
Pick up a brochure at our front desk to find out more about the Wild and Scenic Upper Delaware River and its surrounds and get on the road to a day trip filled with adventure and awesome views!
Directions:
- Turn left out of the Inn’s driveway and make an immediate right onto Route 590 East.
- Follow 590 East about 3 miles to Kimbles where you will bear right at the “Y” in the road near Forest Volunteer Fire Department.
- After about a mile stay to the left at another “Y” near Martins Road. You will see the Mount Moriah Cemetery on your right just past the “Y.”
- Follow this road, known to locals as “The Towpath,” along the beautiful and historic Lackawaxen River.
- After about 8.5 miles, proceed straight at the stop sign near the Rowland Corners General Store.
- After approximately 3.5 miles, cross the Zane Grey Bridge over the Lackawaxen River and make the first left onto Scenic Drive where you will soon see the confluence of the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers. There is a public access point onto the Delaware on your left, public parking on your right and the Zane Grey Museum, former home of the legendary western novelist best known for Riders of the Purple Sage. The museum’s hours are posted out front, and during warmer seasons tours are available. Boaters often leave a second vehicle at the Zane Grey public parking area and float to it from the Ten Mile River access, which you will pass on Route 97 in New York.
- After the Zane Grey Museum continue along the winding Scenic Drive past the Lackawaxen and Union Cemetery on your right, which holds the tomb of an unknown soldier killed in the Revolutionary War Battle of Minisink on July 22, 1779.
- At the stop sign, bear left toward the Roebling Bridge, named in honor of its engineer John A. Roebling, most famous for his work on the Brooklyn Bridge. On the PA and NY sides of the bridge there are public parking areas where you can stop a while to tour the bridge, and at its mid-point stand in two states at once. The Eagle Institute’s Field Office, near the PA entrance to the bridge, is open to the public on weekends from January through April with information on eagle viewing and guided tours.
- Across the Roebling Bridge, in NY, turn left onto the Route 97 Scenic Byway.
- Follow 97 North about 10 miles to the hamlet of Narrowsburg. At the blinking light on Route 97 turn left onto Bridge Street. Proceed through the intersection of Bridge Street and Erie Avenue and turn left onto Main Street just before the Narrowsburg Bridge. You will see signs for a public parking lot on your left, and on your right a lookout deck with a spectacular view of the Big Eddy, the deepest section of the Delaware River. Visitors often catch a glimpse of bald eagles soaring over the Eddy.
- Narrowsburg’s Main Street features antique and specialty shops, restaurants and cafes, and the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance.
- To continue the driving tour, cross the Narrowsburg Bridge into PA and follow Route 652 West about 10 miles to its intersection with Route 6.
- Turn left onto Route 6 East and follow it about 5 miles to The Settlers Inn.
- Upon your return to The Inn, stop by the bar for a relaxing drink to top off the day’s activities or join us for dinner on the deck (during summer) or in the dining room. Your table is waiting!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
Grant and Jeanne