Tumbling Waters Falls in the Poconos

Tumbling Waters Falls at Pocono Mountains It seems one need not venture deep into Nature to find waterfalls in the Delaware Water Gap, a region of wondrous natural beauty in the northern part of Pennsylvania. It is simply brimming at the seams, so to speak, with waterfalls. Variously referred to (at least by me) as the Poconos, the Pocono Mountains, Dingmans Ferry, or simply that place “not far from picturesque Milford”, the Delaware Water Gap–with “water gap” being defined as a gap in a mountain range formed by water (like a river) flowing through it, and “Delaware” being (I think) the Delaware River that flows into the Atlantic in the State of Delaware–is home to several waterfalls many of which are popular while some seem to have been lost to the casual tourist. Tumbling Waters is one of the latter. Perhaps the reason for that is it takes a long, 3-mile hike to experience just one waterfall at Tumbling Waters. If the visitor simply wants a waterfall experience in the Poconos, options abound with a lot less effort, more touristy vibes, and therefore more bang for the buck. The three waterfalls at George W. Childs, for example, begin at only 0.2 mile from the trailhead. At Bushkill, the first and second of several waterfalls begin at only 0.1 mile. And Raymondskill Falls is only a 0.1-mile walk from the parking lot. There is no question a short walk in Nature accords one the moment needed to get away from the stresses of daily life. Like reading a book, engaging in a hobby, and listening to music, Nature provides a means of escape. So, with more inviting options, why would anyone visit something like Tumbling Waters? Change. A long walk in Nature gives one time to ponder on the profound (whatever that may be), reflect on one’s own faults and shortcomings, clear the mind, forge a path forward, and so on, and so on. A long walk in Nature can liberate the self from baggage weighing down on one’s mind and set a baseline from which one can spring forth and start afresh. And should a waterfall land in one’s path along the way, one could take that as culmination of one’s thoughts, dreams, and, yes, prayers and take that first bold step forward toward change knowing that as part of a greater whole one is never truly alone.