LEHIGH VALLEY TRAILS
From hiking and birding to horseback riding and mountain biking, Lehigh Valley is a thrill-seeker’s choice, rooted in the Great Appalachian Valley. Surrounding Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton are miles of off-the-beaten-path adventures crossing railroads, rivers, and canals. Board Pennsylvania’s only mule-drawn canal boat. Be whisked away from the routines of everyday life, and step outside and discover, at your own pace, the natural landmarks that have attracted visitors to this region time and again.
OUTDOORS AT BEAR CREEK MOUNTAIN RESORT
- Address: 101 Doe Mountain Ln., Macungie, PA 18062
- Phone: (610) 682-7100
- Amenities
- Web: www.bcmountainresort.com
Details
Bear Creek Mountain Resort is open to the public for recreational (seasonal) activities, dining options and the award-winning spa. Day-trippers must purchase a Mountain Activity Pass.
A year-round resort set on 330-acres, just an hour from Philadelphia, 2 hours from New York City and 3.5 hours from Washington, D.C., offers boatloads of fun for all ages. From skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing in the winter and hiking, biking, fishing, boating, tennis, and geocaching during the spring through fall months, you’ll find plenty of options!
Outdoor Recreation: Spend the afternoon boating on a five-acre lake, whether its paddling around in a single or tandem kayak, on a stand-up paddle board or in a four-person paddle boat. In addition, over seven miles of wooded mountain biking and hiking trails encircle the resort. Hikers enjoy the local flora and fauna and mountain views while trekking along marked trails. View Mountain Biking and Hiking Trail Map.
Tennis: Enjoy a set or two of tennis on the lighted full-size tennis courts or practice your strokes on the adjacent hitting wall.
Basketball: Shoot some hoops or play a brisk game of one-on-one on the half court.
Volleyball, Badminton & Horseshoes: Gather your friends and family for an exciting game of volleyball, badminton or horseshoes at the base of the mountain.
Disc Golf: The first nine holes are a variety of uphill and downhill. Holes 10 and 11 are open and play over a large pond. The remainder of the back nine is mostly flat & heavily wooded with a creek coming into play on two holes.
Putting Green: Practice makes perfect, so don’t let your strokes suffer while you are away. You can practice your short game on the putting green located in the Mountain Courtyard.
Geocaching: Geocaching combines modern GPS technology with a traditional treasure-hunting game hidden throughout the property.
Blue Mountain Resort
- Address: 1660 Blue Mountain Dr., Palmerton, PA 18071
- Phone: (610) 826-7700
- Web: www.skibluemt.com
Details
Blue Mountain Resort is your premier outdoor adventure destination. Whether you’re looking for winter or summer fun, you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime. In the summer, challenge your friends and family to a game of Xtreme Outdoor Laser Tag, test your courage in the Summit Aerial Park, take a scenic lift ride, or give downhill mountain biking a try.
After working up an appetite, head to Slopeside Pub & Grill, where every table is a window seat! Open seven days a week all year long for both lunch and dinner, Slopeside Pub & Grill features daily specials, theme nights, and live entertainment. Looking for even more fun? Check out our Mountain Festivals like Wine Me Up, Beer Fest, and Winter Fest, to name a few! Redefine Adventure at Blue Mountain Resort!
High Ropes Course & Ziplines
Looking for summer or fall fun with a twist? Come check out the spectacular views at 1,345 feet, Blue Mountain Resort's Summit Aerial Park is a high ropes course featuring 46 elements and a total of 500 feet of thrilling zip line adventure. The aerial course has four levels of difficulty.
Each level — beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert — contains dozens of elements that will challenge you, build camaraderie, and self-confidence. It’s perfect for creating memories with family and friends, or for teambuilding with co-workers and clients. Learn more here about Blue Mountain’s high ropes courses.
Blue Mountain Bike Park
All you need are two wheels and a little fearlessness. Ride downhill on Pennsylvania’s highest vertical. With 21 trails, there’s always a new challenge whether you’re a hardcore mountain biking expert looking to improve your skills, or are just starting out with imaginary downhill training wheels. Plus, the high-speed Comet Quad Lift is spinning to get you back to the top so you can crush the mountain over and over! Find your trail.
Outdoor Laser Tag
Stop. Drop… and Shoot! Gather your friends, family, co-workers, or clients for an Outdoor Laser Tag party. Ideal for group outings, birthdays, reunions, school and team field trips, bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate teambuilding, and more. Click here for more details.
Disc Golf
Disc Golf is like regular golf, except it’s fun! Maybe that’s why it’s the fastest growing sport in the country. Blue Mountain boasts two 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course surrounded by the scenic views of the picturesque Little Gap Valley and Poconos Mountains. And, if someone yells FORE—duck! See course hours and information here.
Action Archery
Action Archery at Blue Mountain Resort will get your heart pumping and your shot on target. This is one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities, and it's fun for all ages and perfect for parties, gathering with a group of friends, or team building. More details can be found here.
Off Road Segway Tours!
Explore all the mountain has to offer while zipping along on two wheels. A trained tour guide will lead you on an unforgettable scenic journey, as you enjoy this unique adventure with your family, friends or group. More details on Segway tours are here.
Bushkill Falls
- Address: Bushkill Falls Rd., Rt. 209, Bushkill, PA 18324
- Phone: (570) 588-6682
- Web: www.visitbushkillfalls.com
Details
The "Niagara of Pennsylvania", Bushkill Falls is among the Keystone State's most famous scenic attractions. This unique series of eight waterfalls nestled deep in the wooded Pocono Mountains just outside Lehigh Valley, Pa. is accessible through an excellent network of hiking trails and bridges which afford fabulous views. Check out the Pennsylvania Wildlife Exhibit, Native American Exhibit, fish Twin Lakes, visit our variety of gift shops, stop at the Fudge Kitchen for delectible sweets in the Wagon Wheel Pavilion, take a paddle-boat ride, or enjoy a round of miniature golf. At Bushkill Falls there's plenty for the entire family to see and do!
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
- Address: 2750 Hugh Moore Park Rd., Easton, PA 18042
- Phone: (610) 923-3548
- Web: www.delawareandlehigh.org
Details
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L) is a multi-use trail spanning 165 miles running through Lehigh Valley. This historic transportation route crosses railroads, canals, rivers, and trails. The Lehigh Valley section of the trail is approximately 48 miles and spans the Central region.
Use this interactive map to plan your day on the trail, whether its biking, hiking, kayaking, or checking out art galleries and museums. Click here for upcoming events along the Trail.
The Central Region of the D&L
Travel the D&L Trail between Jim Thorpe and Easton and you’ll notice a distinct change in the land’s character. Mines, breakers, patch towns, and other signs of the coal industry are replaced by covered bridges, mid-18th-century German villages, elegant Victorian houses, and the rolling fields of Pennsylvania German farms.
Lehigh Valley produced the literal building blocks of our nation; slate, zinc, and limestone for cement were processed here, while iron and steel fueled local economies and impacted industrialization around the world.
Distinct industrial and cultural communities like Walnutport and Slatington resulted from the influx of laborers on the Lehigh Canal and railroads. A bit farther south, the region’s three largest cities – Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton – became the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution, due in part to the strategic significance of Lehigh and Delaware Canals.
Lehigh Valley’s unique combination of towns, cities, and farmland continues to shape the region. Today, the D&L Trail follows the canals in linking communities, economies, and landscapes of Lehigh Valley to its northern and southern counterparts.
National Canal Museum
The National Canal Museum is the only museum in the country dedicated to telling the story of America’s historic towpath canals. The museum features hands-on exhibits that educate and entertain parents and children alike. Visitors can practice harnessing a mule and learn how to steer a canal boat! View exhibitions about the men, women, and children who lived and worked on the canals, and discover how they used simple machines like levers and pulleys to make their job easier.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
- Address: 1700 Hawk Mountain Rd., Kempton, PA 19529
- Phone: (610) 756-6961
- Web: www.hawkmountain.org
Details
Lehigh Valley’s Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a wild bird sanctuary located along the Appalachian flyway. It’s an outdoor destination for hikers, birdwatchers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Hawk Mountain is a great place to learn about raptors and see them in person. Trails and lookouts offer beautiful scenery and access to nature every day of the year. RaptorPedia is an always-in-progress resource for learning about raptors at Hawk Mountain and around the world.
Hawk Mountain straddles the Kittatinny Ridge or Blue Mountain, a 300-mile-long, prominent ridge that extends from 60 miles north of New York City to 20 miles west of Chambersburg, PA. The Kittatinny is the southeasternmost “corduroy hill” in the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley Province of eastern Pennsylvania. Birds drifting south from Canada, New England and New York, slope soar the length of the ridge, saving energy on their journey south.
Visitors can also enjoy an 8-mile trail system, scenic overlooks, lush Native Plant Garden, weekend programs and a Visitor Center. Trails are rugged but a new Accessible Trail to the nearby South Lookout ensures access for all. Click here to download the official Trail Map. Browse upcoming events.
Tips for Hiking
- Trails are very rocky and thought to be unsuitable for children under 6.
- A walk to the North Lookout is suggested for the first-time visitor and any other inexperienced hikers. This walk will take at least an hour, usually longer, if you stop at overlooks along the way.
- Visitors who carry a pack-in, pack-out lunch and eat at North Lookout tend to have a full and enjoyable afternoon. If visiting in autumn, bring binoculars or plan to rent them at the Visitor Center.
- Hawk Mountain is typically 10 degrees cooler on top of the Mountain than in other areas, you’ll want to check the forecast with this in mind.
- Always overestimate the amount of time it may take you to complete your walk so you are finished well before dusk. Double the amount of time when hiking with children.
- Be aware of your noise level if traveling with a group so as not to disturb others or ruin an opportunity to spot wildlife.
Hours and Fees
Trails open dawn until dusk, daily. No winter maintenance provided. For visitor safety, all trails are closed on the first two days of Pennsylvania deer season. The Visitor Center is open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. except Sept. – Nov. it’s open daily 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Holiday hours are observed.
Hawk Mountain is not a state or federal park, but a non-profit with a raptor conservation mission. All trail fees support the raptor conservation mission, including critically needed scientific research, international training and public education programs, and helps to maintain the Sanctuary. Adults are $9; seniors $7 and children $5. No pets are allowed on the Sanctuary.
Four Seasons Four Experiences
Visitors can visit each season and experience a little different visit each time. Here are some tips on what makes each season, a little different.
Winter
- Find peace and solitude.
- Lowest visitation of the year.
- Have the Lookout all to yourself.
- Be cautious: Trails are not winter maintained.
- Consider cleats following ice storms.
Spring
- Wonderful time for hiking in cool, comfortable weather.
- Watch for returning songbirds and small mammals.
- Listen for tree frogs and spring peepers in the pond.
- Enjoy the changing blooms in the Native Plant Garden.
- Spring Hawk Count held April 1-May 15.
Summer
- Go hiking in the cooler mountaintop weather.
- Enjoy the peak of butterfly diversity (up to 40 species).
- Check out the pond for newts, frogs and painted turtles.
- Stop by the Visitor Center to see hummingbirds at the feeder stations.
Autumn
- Most popular time on the mountain.
- Don't miss the famous autumn migration.
- Peak of Broad-winged Hawk migration is mid-September.
- Greatest hawk diversity is during October.
- Fall color peaks during late October.
History
As the world's first refuge for birds of prey, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary has a dramatic history that started during the Great Depression with amateur ornithologist Richard Pough. In 1929, Pennsylvania's Game Commission placed a $5 price tag on the goshawk's head—a grand sum at the time. Two years later, while Pough was a recent college graduate living in Philadelphia, he became one of a growing number of conservationists opposed to the widespread movement to eradicate wildlife predators, including predatory birds.
Pough heard of the place locals called "Hawk Mountain" and decided to visit. There he saw gunners stationed, shooting hundreds of passing hawks for sport. He returned to gather the carcasses lying on the forest floor and take photographs. Pough's photographs were eventually seen by a New York conservation activist, Rosalie Edge.
In 1934, Mrs. Edge came to Hawk Mountain and leased 1,400 acres. She installed a warden on the property, a New England bird enthusiast named Maurice Broun, and Maurice's wife and bird conservation partner, Irma Broun. The shooting stopped immediately and the next year, Mrs. Edge opened the Sanctuary to the public as a place to see the beautiful but persecuted birds of prey. She purchased and deeded the 1,400 acres to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, incorporated in 1938 as a non-profit organization in Pennsylvania.
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
- Address: 400 Belfast Rd., Nazareth, PA 18064
- Phone: (610) 746-2801
- Web: www.dcnr.state.pa.us
Details
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center offers the visitor a pleasant mix of cultural and natural history. Located north of Nazareth in the Bushkill Creek Watershed, the center encompasses 1,168 acres of natural area that include three historic sites. The forests, fields, and streams of the center serve as an outdoor classroom for local schools and universities.
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center staff offer a variety of educational opportunities for the community, including natural history presentations and guided recreational activities for adults and families, summer day camps for children, teacher training workshops, and field experiences for school students.
Jacobsburg is one of six environmental education centers administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources under the Bureau of State Parks. Jacobsburg’s natural resources and beautiful scenery have become increasingly popular with outdoor recreation enthusiasts.
Ideas to Enjoy the Park
- Fisherman can take to the waters of the Bushkill Creek in pursuit of trout.
- Hunters may seek their quarry in the fields and forests.
- Over 18 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing opportunities.
- Bird watchers can enjoy a bird observation blind and butterfly garden.
- Pack a picnic for the picnic area along Belfast Road, available for use by visitors and school groups. An additional picnic area is located in front of the J. J. Henry House at 402 Henry Road.
Henrys Woods
Jacobsburg is also home to Henrys Woods, one of the remnant Old Growth forests in Eastern Pennsylvania. This ancient forest offers the nature lover and the school student unique opportunities for enjoyment and discovery.
Hours
The center is open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. Maps and informational brochures are available at a variety of parking areas as well as the office, which is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jacobsburg State Park
- Address: 400 Belfast Rd., Nazareth, PA 18064
- Phone: (610) 746-2801
- Web: www.dcnr.state.pa.us
Details
On the Northern edge of Lehigh Valley, Jacobsburg State Park's natural resources offer endless opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation.
Ideas to Enjoy the Park
- Fisherman can take to the waters of the Bushkill Creek in pursuit of trout.
- Hunters may seek their quarry in the fields and forests.
- More than 18 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing opportunities.
- Bird watchers can enjoy a bird observation blind and butterfly garden.
- Pack a picnic for the picnic area along Belfast Road, available for use by visitors and school groups. An additional picnic area is located in front of the J. J. Henry House at 402 Henry Road.
Jacobsburg is also home to Henry's Woods, one of the remnant Old Growth forests in Eastern Pennsylvania. This ancient forest offers the nature lover and the school student unique opportunities for enjoyment and discovery.
Pocono Biking
- Address: 1519 State Rt. 903, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
- Phone: 1-800-944-8392
- Web: www.PoconoBiking.com
Details
Popular with people of every fitness level, the designated Lehigh Gorge Rail-Trail is a gentle downhill, scenic, state park maintained path that follows the Lehigh River. Come for an hour or two, or a full day, 1/2 day, or an overnight stay in historic downtown Jim Thorpe.
Access points allow for one way rides of up to 36 miles…whatever fits your schedule. Review what section of the Trail you’d like to do first and then pick from the events below to take to the trail.
- Bike Train
- Big Day Out
- Waterfall Photo Bike Tour
- Pedals and Paddles
Make it a multi-day trip and add Skirmish Paintball and Pocono Whitewater on the famous Lehigh River. Explore everything that Pocono Biking has to offer at PoconoBiking.com!
Trexler Nature Preserve
- Address: 5150 Game Preserve Rd., Schnecksville, PA 18078
- Phone: (610) 871-1444
- Web: www.lehighcounty.org
Details
Trexler Nature Preserve, in Lehigh Valley, Pa, formerly known as The Trexler-Lehigh County Game Preserve, is an 1,108-acre public park that is a focal point for land conservation efforts within Lehigh County, as well to protect endangered bison and elk. It’s the access path to The Lehigh Valley Zoo.
The Preserve manages and protects natural resources and offers educational and passive recreational opportunities. The preserve offers more than 18 miles for various recreational activities including hiking, walking, jogging, mountain bike riding, snow shoeing, and cross country skiing. This 18-mile network of trails includes the 8.5 mile Trexler Border trail which is popular for horseback riding. The well-stocked Jordan Creek is also a popular spot for fishermen.
Visitors can glimpse the bison and elk in their natural habitat. The North, South, and Central ranges feature unique landscapes, from meadows and hills to hemlock forests and deep ravines.
Trails To Explore
- Tear Drop Trail, North Range | 2.0 miles, easy
- Hunsicker Trail, North Range | 0.6 mile, easy
- North Range Entrance Trail, North Range | 0.4 mile, easy
- Fireman's Trail, North Range | 1.5 miles, easy
- Buck Run Trail, North Range | 0.3 mile, easy
- Turkey Ridge Trail, North Range | 0.7 mile, moderate
- Covered Bridge Trail, Central Range | 1.2 miles, ADA approved, easy
- Observation Trail, Central Range | 0.3 mile, easy
- Trexler Nature Trail, Central Range | 0.5 mile, moderate
- Bird Watching Trail, Central Range | 0.5 mile, moderate
- Elk Viewing Trail, Central range | 1.5 miles, moderate
- Trexler Border Trail, North, Central, and South Ranges | 8.5 miles, hard
Trexler Nature Preserve Hours of Operation
The North and Central ranges are open daily from dawn to dusk. The Preserve is closed for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
RE/MAX real estate
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Phone: 610-770-9000
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