This week we are at the Nay Aug Gorge, the centerpiece of a 73-acre public park that is a great place for a Nature Break, offering a treehouse and a waterfall.
Our first destination upon arrival is the David Wenzel Treehouse, a beautiful structure that provides impressive views of the gorge from an elevation of 150 feet. It’s a unique way to experience the gorge. The treehouse was built in 2007 around a large tree that provided structural support. When the tree began decaying, it was reinforced with a steel superstructure, and reopened in 2019.
The treehouse is designed to be fully handicapped accessible, with a wide ramp. The treehouse is named for David Wenzel, a veteran and advocate for the disabled who served as Mayor of Scranton from 1986 to 1990.
After enjoying the views from the treehouse, we set off down the Davis Trail to Nay Aug Falls. You reach the falls by a rocky downhill path, with a fence on the creek side of the trail.
Nay Aug is a Lenape phrase meaning “noisy water” or “roaring brook.” And that’s certainly what you find as the trail reaches the falls.
The gorge is an amazing place, initially carved by glaciers. The Roaring Brook flows through the gorge and across the falls, which are about 20 feet in height. We viewed the falls from the Western side of the Roaring Brook, but the Davis Trail also offers access and views on the Eastern side of the brook.
The cliffs and ledges around the falls are gorgeous, but they are also dangerous. It is illegal to swim or dive here, and there have been numerous fatalities in recent years. Please enjoy the beauty of the falls and the gorge, but be safe on your Nature Breaks!
There’s lots to do at Nay Aug Park, which offers playgrounds and lovely grove of trees honoring Scranton’s mayors. The Everhart Museum features dinosaurs and wildlife, and highlight artists from Scranton. There’s also exhibits noting the legacy of the coal industry in the Northeastern Pennsylvania economy.
