Welcome to the Monroe County's 190th Anniversary Series of Geocaches
This geocache is located in historic Delaware Water Gap. There was once an ancient American Sycamore that stood on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap, right along River Road (old Route 611) near the base of Mount Minsi, very close to the I-80 bridge and the Appalachian Trail footbridge.
This tree was widely known as the Delaware Water Gap Sycamore or sometimes the “Big Sycamore." It was estimated to be over 300 years old (some sources said 340–350 years) and was one of the largest and oldest sycamores in Pennsylvania. Its trunk was massive — more than 15 feet in diameter at the base and over 100 feet tall — and it had become a beloved landmark for hikers, kayakers, and drivers passing through the Gap.
Unfortunately, the tree had been in steep decline for several years due to disease, storm damage, and especially the effects of repeated flooding and invasive pests. By 2023–2024 it was deemed a serious safety hazard (large limbs were falling onto River Road and the bike/pedestrian path).
In late 2024, the National Park Service (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area) made the difficult decision to remove it. The tree was cut down section by section in November–December 2024. Many locals and visitors were heartbroken; it had been photographed and loved by generations.
Parts of the trunk were saved for educational displays and to count the rings accurately, and there are discussions about planting a new generation of sycamores in the area as a living memorial.
So yes — that iconic, centuries-old giant is gone now, but it’s still very much remembered.
However, there is a nearby Sycamore beauty (we'll be sure to get a photo with all her leaves when the time comes) where a cache is hidden nearby.
Placed with permission of land owner, David Kidwell. (Thanks, David!)
We're also bringing you here so you can appreciate the beauty and majesty of this very old sycamore tree nearby. Just how old is this fine specimen? You'll learn here how to determine the age of this sycamore tree without cutting it down or boring a hole in it in order to count the rings. No sirree... no need to cut this old lady down.
If you’ve ever seen a tall, majestic sycamore tree, you may have wondered just how long it had been standing there. Is there any way to know how old the tree is? Sycamore trees are large, long-lived deciduous trees that can be found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. There are various species of sycamore; some are well adapted to warmer regions, while others, like this one, thrive best in cooler climates. Sycamores can grow very large, sometimes up to 130 feet. Their trunk diameter can grow as wide as 5 to 10 feet, and the canopy can spread as wide as 40 feet. Sycamores have light green, 3- to 5-lobed leaves that turn bright colors in the fall. One of their most unique features is their thin, flaky, mottled-looking bark; it is often gray to white on young trees, but it will turn dark gray to red on older trees. They produce small flowers in the spring and need multiple trees to reproduce. In the summer and fall, they produce green seed balls that turn brown in the winter before falling and dispersing their seeds in the spring.
It’s generally impossible to determine the exact age of a live tree without cutting it down and counting the rings; that said, there are ways to get a pretty accurate estimate. This method is one you can use to age this sycamore tree. Using the formula, you must first determine the tree’s approximate diameter. Using a soft measuring tape, or the device we have hidden nearby, measure the tree’s circumference at 4-1/2 feet up the trunk.
It’s important to measure at 4-1/2 feet because this is considered “breast height,” and you are attempting to determine the tree’s “diameter at breast height (DBH).”
Once you have the circumference, divide it by pi (3.141592 hello captainmath!) and round your answer to the nearest inch.
Next, you’ll need to know the growth factor, which is 4 for this American Sycamore.
Multiply the DBH by this growth factor number to determine the tree’s approximate age.
Here's a handy little chart if you need help, but note that this example is for an oak tree.
