The trail loop is great. My wife and I love the heritage of the area. Mostly paved and easy to ride. We usually do the trail twice, forward and backwards. There is a water fountain at the main trailhead,and there are parks along the way. Great ride for a family for there are parks along the way where the kids can play, my grandson loves it.

An excellent rail trail that incorporates the history of the path into it. There is a railroad crossing sign that says "Ironton Rail Trail" as well as various other signs. In the future, a caboose will be restored and added along the trail as well. It passes along old cement stacks and has ample parking near them thanks to the community park and pool.

An excellent place to run or ride, the paved loop provides some minor inclines, but isn't too steep to handle. Unlike a lot of boring, straight rail trails, this loop is curved as it passes through the neighborhoods. There are also kiosks located all along the trail which provide maps. This project has been done right!

My friend and I did the entire trail from the Quarry St. spur, round the loop and back to Quarry St. trail head. It was a hot day but there was plenty of shade and interesting sights. It's a great ride for families and kids. No steep slopes and mostly paved around the loop. It's crushed stone along the spur but very tightly compacted and easy riding. All the street crossings are well marked with cute rail road crossibng signs. VERY COOL! We will do this trail again and recommend it to our friends.

My wife and I biked the whole trail (spur and loop) yesterday. It was sunny and quite warm, but most of the route is shaded, making for a very pleasant ride. It's a very gentle grade throughout. My only wish would be for a water source somewhere along the spur; it appears that's on the wish list for the western (Portland & Quarry Sts) trailhead. But nonetheless it's a great ride.

I took my 10 and 12 year old boys on the trail loop today. It is really nice! Paved with benches and plenty of shade on the journey around. The parks and streams make for nice breaks along the way. I highly recommend to families who want a safe bike trail for kids to ride.

We parked at the red barn and then road the loop with our 5 year old who just learned to ride without training wheels. It was a great, easy ride.

Our family rode the Ironton Rail Trail today. We did the 6 mile loop and about 1.5 miles of the spur. It was very nicely maintained. There were only 2 short areas of incline and the rest was fairly flat. Our two kids, ages 7 and 9, did well on it. About 2/3 through there is a nice little playground where we stopped at for a bit. We will be back to do it again.

I'm not really sure where my feelings are at this point. I say this because I was just down there scoping out fishing holes but I BROKE THE LAW because I was trespassing. Down by the Legion in Coplay are a ton of no trespassing signs off the trail. I dont really know anything about property lines and who owns this land even though I thought it was public and free. If my comment is offensive or ignorant I appologize.

I guess were not allowed to go into the woods and ruins anymore. Were just allowed to look at them from the safety of the trail I guess. They did the same thing in the Catty woods. What are they going to do about it? Next time I go down there, I might just make it my civic duty to tear down each and every sign I find. Woodlands should remain public. If youre down there partying drinking and messing around and get hurt, that should be on you. Once its owned I'm guessing someones going to have to be liable for that hence the no trespassing signs I guess.

Thanks for taking away another free outside activity that doesnt involve a membership. Let's see how long it is before they take out the frisbee golf spots in Jordan. Last time I checked, it's still free to enjoy nature. Theres no money to make on the woods so why let people in right? The signs might as well say "Why arent you at Wal-Mart boosting capitalism?!" Youre not keeping me out of the woods. I'm not going to adhere to their bureaucratic "straight and narrow" line that is the IRT. I'm going to enjoy fishing in the woods and no ones going to stop me without a fight.

My wife and I arrived around noon at the trailhead. There is a huge gas station/convenience store just before, stock up on food and water. We did the loop first, then the "tail", then the loop one more time. It was a real pleasure - easy going, lots to see. and just a nice way to spend a day. For the more adventurous, you can cross the 9th street bridge, then go left to get down to the river below. Just below the park there is a dirt bike track that tracks the river (park does not permit bikes) - we went down say 0.5 miles then turned around (too narrow for wife). Posted a bunch of photos.

This trail brings back a lot of childhood memories of visiting my mum's family in Hokendauqua and Coplay.

You are invited to attend the IRT Historical Hike on Sat. March 13, 2010, and / or October 9, 2010 at 10 am. The hike is 7 miles. Allow 3 hours to view no less than 23 historical sites and landmarks. The IRT traverses the sites of the first anthracite fired iron co. and the first portland cement co., contributing to the Industrial Revolution. Take Rt145 MacArthur Rd in Whitehall to Chestnut St. Turn West onto Chestnut St across Rt145 from the Scheetz Gas Station. Go 1/4 mile and turn left at the one way sign before the Red Barn to the parking lot. Visit www.irontonrailtrail.org for all 2010 events plus many pictures. Check out the IRT 9th Annual 10K Run / Walk scheduled for May 16, 2010 and the Trolley Tour scheduled for October 16, 2010.

Four of our original dogs took turns walking the trail.My wife would wait in the car while I would take them.One after another.All four of our dogs have passed on but when I walk my new dog the good memories come back.It is a great trail system.For the record. I always cleaned up after our dogs.

I am grateful that the RTC has preserved the Ironton heritage for others to learn. My great grandfather was a superintendent of this short line railway and in visiting various museums, shows, antique shops, etc, I could never find anything in writing about the Ironton, in fact, the only thin I have ever seen as a chils as a mural on a all of the wall on a building in Hokendauqua (hope I spell it correctly). I plan to come over from Barnegat, NJ and ride the trail with my daughter soon; and take a lot of pictures for my mother (who grew up in Hokendauqua).

Just got back from doing a few loops. This is one of my favorite trails so far (though I have been on under 10) :-) It was well maintained, peaceful and offered great scenery along the ride. One thing I really liked were the little touches, such as a bench on top of a train axle, RR signs with Ironton Rail Trail on it. There were even a few tidbits put out by residents for trail riders to enjoy. Paved the majority of the way...there might be few areas of packed small gravel, but they are super. Lots of road crossings along the way, but they are generally not very busy roads, so no worries there.

The ride in from Quarry St. was the roughest part, and that wasn't bad at all. The gravel was big and a bit loose, but it was still a good ride. There was an old passenger car on the route in, as well as a few abandoned buildings I wouldn't mind exploring. I can't wait to go back.

I'm a manager at the local Giant Food Store in Coplay, PA. I often see our younger employees going down into the trail to hang out at, what they call, 'The Ruins', a series of old abandoned buildings off the IRT(Ironton Rail Trail).
They tell me they have names for each set of ruins. The church, alamo, hells pit, the maze and the gallows are some of their slang used hehe. Theyre a bit off the trail, but you can see the church from the trail, and from there you can follow many many more trails to see the rest. As a kid growing up these buildings have been there, its nice to see my kids' generations going there too and learning about our history.

Nice paved trail, at least on the loop. Plenty of maps available and marked well, so you can tell where you are. There is one section that has a hill that would be difficult for casual riders. I would suggest going counter clockwise around the loop so that you are going down hill for that portion if you want to avoid that. Lots of friendly people. I will definetly do this trail again.

My husband and I were very much surprised to find such a nice trail so close to our home in Carbon County; a short drive away. The trail was a nice loop, steeped in history and well maintained. We especially enjoyed exploring the Whitehall Parkway, riding the awesome singletrack and wide paths in that area, just off the trail. It was interesting to "feel" like we were out in the wilderness with all of the hustle and bustle of MacArthur Rd. just a around the corner...amazing! Don't miss this ride.

"I thought this trail was a great trail in that you can park your car at any trailhead, and ride the loop to get back to it. I am looking forward to when this trail connects with the Lehigh Canal Trail to make for an even more exciting ride. It is a great trail for taking a young family. I liked the easy access to the parks as it gives ample opportunity for rest stops for the youngsters. Thanks for putting this trail together."

"I am a leisure rider. I ride about 15 miles 4 times a week on a trail that is relatively flat with a few hills . This trail was perfect. It was a perfect day the weather , the trail and the ride. Thanks to all the people who have worked hard to make such a nice trail. "

Thanks go to all who made this project a huge success. The additional paving of the loop makes the entire loop easy to use for the entire family. What a great place to live and play!

"I walked the Ironton Rail Trail for the first time in 2005... upon an accident! I had twisted my ankle while walking down Ruch Street in Coplay and saw a huge rock. I rested nearby and then saw all these signs for this trail. I had heard about it and never found it... until now! A week later, ankle healed, I walked the whole six mile loop. I loved the whole walk! So peaceful, only one or two hills for bikers to contend with. It's a terrfic place for nature walkers and historians as they will pass by the Coplay Kilns."

"I work at the mall just ten minutes from the most beautiful trail I have ever seen! A not-so-hilly, shaded path that's great for biking, as long as it doesn't rain. Historians will love the Coplay Kilns off of Second Street near Saylor Park. Two thumbs up!"

"You are invited to attend the IRT Historical Hike on Sat. Oct 15, 2005 at 10 am. The hike is 7 miles. Allow 3 hours to view no less than 23 historical sites and landmarks. The IRT traverses the sites of the first anthracite fired iron co. and the first portland cement co., contributing to the Industrial Revolution. Take Rt145 MacArthur Rd in Whitehall to Chestnut St. Turn West onto Chestnut St across Rt145 from the Scheetz Gas Station. Go 1/4 mile and turn left at the one way sign before the Red Barn to the parking lot."

"You are invited to join me for an historical hike of the Ironton Rail-Trail. The hike is a 7-mile loop around several communities. The IRT traverses the sites of the first iron company and Portland cement company at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Allow 2.5 hours at a leisurely pace with occasional stops to view no less than 23 historical buildings, sites, and landmarks. Meet at the Whitehall Parkway Red Barn on Chestnut St.

For directions, go to IrontonRailTrail.org."

"As with all of my trail reviews, please allow me to set the stage. It's August 22, 2004 and according to the local radio, it's about 8:30am, 55 degrees, and sunny. I've never ridden this trail before, but will again when I get some friends together. I parked my truck behind the red barn listed as ""I"" or ""S2"" depending on the map, and entered the trail at that point.. The trail surface is packed, crushed stone, with a short section that is paved. The beginning part of my ride seems ok so far, just cruising along the shady trail, not really knowing where I was going. Oops, I forgot to pick up a map. At the first of several road crossings I grabbed a map from a very nice station marker (local Eagle Scout project). I'm a bit confused now. The marker has an engraved letter on it that doesn't match the provided map. At what appears to be the end of the trail, I see a runner and ask him to explain where I'm located. He says, ""You're at the end of the spur part."" This is not where I thought I was, I went the wrong way. So I'm headed back toward the barn. Now I'm going in the right direction. At marker ""A"" or ""L2"" the trail splits, so I choose to go to the right and follow the creek. After a while the trail becomes paved (yuck) for about 3/4 mile. I go through several residential areas. ok, the trail goes behind the back yards of the houses. This trail is a history lesson for most the distance. There are also many paths that divert from the trail. I meet a guy from Mississippi (and his puppy), we take on the side trails and it leads us to a flooded quarry. What a view! We head back to the barn, where we both started, say good bye, and part ways.

A short side note, the marking on the location stations does not agree with the map that each station provides. The best map can be printed from the trail's web site


Ride on, and remember, leave only tire tracks."

"This trail has come a long way in the past couple of years. It is maintained routinely by volunteers and is mostly shaded (as opposed to the last reviewer's statement).

The surface is finely crushed gravel, but very stable for bikes. It provides views into the past history of the area. Add on the extension into Egypt and it is a nice loop for an hour ride."

"We rode this trail today. We parked behind the barn on Chestnut Street and within a half mile we had lost the trail to thick dusty dirt. After lifting our bikes across fallen trees & riding a short distance in the dust we found the trail again. Most of the surface is gravel that is partially packed. At points I felt like I was really fighting the surface. The trail goes through a lot of residential areas. There is a lot of sun on the trail, so don't take it on a hot day expecting mostly shade. It was an O.K. trail, but we drove an hour to get to it and there are much better choices."

"We recently rode the entire length except the area under construction at Rte 145, so we couldn't access the western part of the trail. The trail has a very good crushed stone/recycled asphalt base. A short distance is paved. The unpaved section should be covered with stone dust as this would make it a very smooth ride without needing asphalt. I prefer natural surface vs. paved surface. However, our bikes had shocks to mute the bumps. It was a nice loop going through parks and nature, but part of the trail was behind neighborhood housing. Historic cement kilns worth viewing. Nice ride."

"I live right off the trail and could not believe how picturesque the trail is. In the spring/early summer purple and white phloxx line the part of the trail in N. Whitehall that I live near. Tons of history too with the Iron works, cement buildings, Saylor Cement Park in Coplay, site of Fort Deshler near fork at Rt. 145, and the historic Troxell-Steckel House."

"I've been running on the Ironton Rail-Trail the last 5 years. There have been considerable improvements each year including a beautiful bridge over a busy street. You don't even realize that you are running right next to residential areas with all the trees, shade and scenery along the Delaware River."

We took part in the 10K trail race on May 5. It was extremely well organized and was a great introduction to the trail which is an excellent local resource that we will surely come back to. Well done to the race organizer and Trail maintenance folks.

The trail is almost entirely flat and very smooth.

Irondogs

I ran this trail first week of November on a blustery day. Very well maintained and the changing leaves were awesome to run through. The people in the area who have not gone on this trail are missing out.