New York is filled with many great Revolutionary War sites. Some of these are well known while others, like Fort Stanwix, Fort Montgomery, and Stony Point Battlefield, are a bit under the radar. Minisink Battleground Park along the Delaware River in Sullivan County is definitely among the latter.
The Battle of Minisink was the only major skirmish of the Revolutionary War in the northern Delaware Valley. Fought on July 22, 1779, the skirmish was between a hastily assembled local militia and a group of Tories and Iriquois fighting for the British.
The Battle of Minisink was fought in response to a series of raids along the Delaware River in both New York and Pennsylvania by British forces.
The battle ended up becoming a slaughter as 48 colonists were killed in the fighting and gave the British a decisive victory in the woods above the Delaware River.
Today, the Battle of Minisink is nearly forgotten, but a small Sullivan County park has been set up on the land and offers the chance to learn more about this period of Revolutionary War history.
Minisink Battleground Park is located near Barryville, New York, on a hillside above the Delaware River and the historically important Roebling’s Delaware Aquaduct. It is also only a short drive from the popular Fort Delaware Museum.
While there is a pavilion at the park, there are no other traditional park amenities to be found here. There is however some signage that tells the story of the Battle of Minisink and hiking trails that lead you around the site.
Start your visit at the small building next to the parking area that is labeled the “Visitor’s Center.” Despite the name, this three-sided building simply features a bit of signage about the battlefield and the area. While the information is well done, the name is definitely a bit misleading.
There aren’t any maps at Minisink Battleground Park, but this website has one that shows a few of the battlefield highlights and the trails that lead between them. It’s a bit hard to tell scale on this map, but all of the spots are quite close to each other, and you can hike to the main highlights and read all the signs in around 30 minutes.
I started my visit by hiking up to the Minisink Monument. This is a stone marker that commemorates the colonists that were killed during the Battle of Minisink in July 1779.
After taking a moment to pay my respects, I continued a short distance on the Battleground Trail to Hospital Rock and Sentinal Rock.
These two large rock outcroppings aren’t far from each other and were important points during the battle. Signs offer a bit of information about the battle and why these spots are notable.
From these rocks, I made my way back down the hill and towards Indian Rock and the quarry, two more points of interest in the story of the Battle of Minisink.
Along the way, I made note of just how beautiful this woodland was. It’s amazing to think that more than 50 people were killed in such a peaceful and beautiful setting during the Revolutionary War.
Truthfully, there isn’t much at Minisink Battleground Park.
If you are visiting expecting high-end interpretive exhibits, guided tours, and recreated structures, you will likely leave disappointed. However, if you take the time to hike through the park, read the well-done signage, and spend a few moments thinking about the events that occurred here, this is definitely an interesting spot to visit while exploring Sullivan County, New York.
Minisink Battleground Park can be found at the following address: 58 County Road 168 Barryville, NY 12719. The park is open from dawn to dusk from May through October.
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out our top things to do in Port Jervis, the Tri-States Monument, and Livingston Manor Covered Bridge.
I just read in another post that the dead were left there for 43 years until finally being recovered and buried
Thanks for providing this information. I was not aware of this engagement but now I am and will look into it further.