It all started back in 1941 when Ernie and Edna Olschewsky purchased riverfront property that included six canoes and a few rowboats. The boats were rented to fishermen fishing the big river-pool that formed at the foot of Mount Tammany. Mount Tammany is situated near the Kittatinny Range of the Appalachian Mountains and hence this beautiful piece of land was appropriately named “Kittatinny Beach”. An Indian word meaning “Endless Mountains.”
As you paddle down this scenic river, there are always endless breathtaking mountains ahead of you.
One day a guest asked Ernie if he would drive him upstream with a canoe so he could paddle back downstream.
On that day the river trip business was born!
Kittatinny Canoes was founded in 1941, at a place now known as Kittatinny Point Visitor’s Center. Kittatinny has grown into one of the largest fleets of canoes, rafts, kayaks, and tubes in the country!
The river trips today extend over 120 miles of the Delaware River, running through New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Two riverfront campgrounds, paintball facilities and zip lines are also part of the family business.
Dave and Ruth Jones continued the legacy started by their grandparents. The Jones’ passion remains the river, so much so that Kittatinny Canoes hosts an “Annual River Cleanup”. Ruth Jones, strongly believes you can’t keep taking away from a resource without giving something back. The river has provided a wonderful life for their family.
Kittatinny continues to preserve the Delaware River’s beauty by keeping it clean and pure for future paddlers.
