The first of what organizers hope will be an annual Lackawaxen River Sojourn is expected to take place this year over two days on Columbus Day weekend, sending paddlers from Honesdale to Hawley in Wayne County, and along part of the river in Pike County to Lackawaxen.
Grant Genzlinger, one of the prime movers with the Lackawaxen River Trails group, discussed the proposal at the Hawley Parks & Recreation Commission meeting on March 26. He broached the idea of allowing sojourners to camp overnight at Bingham Park, where their canoes and kayaks will take them at the end of Day One.
Genzlinger said the Lackawaxen River event will be like the Delaware River Sojourn. That event takes paddlers down most of the main stem of the Delaware and is set for June 14 to 22 this year. Participants have several places to camp and participate in special events.
"It's a fall event because we have the Jaycees' Canoe Classic in the spring. We are trying to get people on the river.” He said that the Lackawaxen River Trails will be the host, but the American Canoe Association provides the insurance.
The itinerary details are still preliminary, Genzlinger stressed.
As proposed, he said the participants will first launch Saturday, Oct. 12, from Sycamore Point, a Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission improved access expected to be readied this year at the former Industrial Point in Honesdale. This is where the Lackawaxen River bends, meeting the Dyberry Creek on the other side under the granite gaze of Irving Cliff.
They will paddle to the river access at White Mills, where they will get out for a safety course. As envisioned, they will then walk across the bridge to visit the Dorflinger Factory Museum. From there they plan to paddle to the access at Bingham Park, Hawley.
On Oct. 13, as proposed, they will be transported to the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen village. This is close to the historic Roebling Bridge. The paddlers will then be transported back up part of the Lackawaxen River and paddle down the rapids back to Lackawaxen village where the river meets the Delaware River.
Genzlinger said they hope the Lackawaxen River Sojourn will grow over time and will probably be relatively small at first. The larger, well-established Delaware River event attracts 60-80 people, he said, estimating that about half of them camp.
He asked that they be able to camp at a designated spot in Bingham Park, which also has restroom facilities.
"I'm all for it, it's a matter of dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's," said Elaine Herzog, Hawley councilor and Parks & Rec member. The solicitor would need to be consulted, though she did not believe it would be prohibited. She reminded that overnight camping was allowed when a Native American powwow was held in the park in 1994.
"That idea is to build and get people on the water, just like in the spring with the Canoe Classic which is really popular," Genzlinger said. "We need something in the fall."
He stated he would follow up with information for the borough solicitor, for consideration by the full council. Parks & Rec agreed to recommend the event to the council, which meets April 17.
The Lackawaxen River Trails group actively promotes a combined hiking and paddling trail system along the river corridor in Wayne and Pike counties.
The river access was opened in Hawley in 2020. Another is expected to open in Honesdale in 2024, followed by a fourth one at Indian Orchard. The White Mills access, opened in 2023, is the first to have handicapped accessibility.
Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.
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