D & L Trail - Delaware Canal Towpath:
Pennsylvania
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Description:
The Delaware Canal Towpath, which extends from Bristol to Easton, is the only continuous intact canal remaining from the historic canal-building era of the early and mid-1800s. Through its connection with the Lehigh Navigation Canal at Easton, the Delaware Canal helped to develop the anthracite coal industry in the Upper Lehigh Valley. In 1940 the canal system became a state park, and in 1988 Congress officially recognized the system's importance to the economic evolution of America by establishing the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

Today the 60-mile Delaware Canal Towpath, once trod by teams of mules pulling cargo-laden boats, is one of four named trails that make up the 165-mile D&L Trail, the backbone of the National Heritage Corridor and the longest publicly owned trail remaining in the state. Other trails contained in the D&L are: the Lehigh Gorge State Park Trail, the Lehigh Canal North, and Lehigh Canal South.
Flood damage in 2004 and 2006 closed entire sections of the trail, but in July 2010, after millions of dollars in repair work, the entire trail has been reopened. Most of the repair focused on the locks and canal itself. The trail surface remains bumpy from exposed tree roots; users should expect rough conditions.

A variety of looping routes can be followed using any of the five bridges that cross into New Jersey and connect to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park on the Jersey side of the river. Trail users can easily access both sides of the river to explore quaint towns and in-land trails to take in scenic river views. Connecting bridges are in the Pennsylvania towns of Uhlerstown, Lumberville, Center Bridge, Washington Crossing and Morrisville.

NOTE: The trail is prone to flood damage in places and has suffered in recent years. Check with local authorities before heading out.

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Parking & Trail Access:
To reach the Washington Crossing trailhead from I-95, take Exit 51 to New Hope. Stay left and merge onto Taylorsville Road. Travel 3 miles to Taylorsville and turn right onto PA 532. Turn left on River Road (State Route 32) and park in the lot on the left.

There are numerous other access points along the 60-mile length of Delaware Canal State Park, which parallels Pennsylvania Routes 611 and 32. For more information, visit the Delaware Canal State Park website by clicking on the link to the right under "Related Links."

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Reviews: [6 trail ratings]
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Nice ride if you avoid the damaged sections
By dhoerl in July, 2011
I rode the trail from Easton to Lumberville on July 9th. The section from Easton to Wy Hit Tuk Park Trailhead is in horrible condition, and in one section the trail is completely washed out and cannot be crossed even on foot - so take the road (S Delaware Drive). From Wy Hit Tuk Park south the trail is in pretty good shape. Just before Lumberville there is 100 feet or so of washout, but you can walk your bike across it no problem. If you see my post from May, the trail from Lumberville to Centerville was already in bad condition and may now be even worse. Do what I did and take the footbridge over to the D&R Canal Path in Jersey. Other than these sections the ride was nice with very pretty and varying scenery.

New Yorkers note: there is a bus from Manhattan to Easton (Susquehanna Trailways) that arrives in Easton at 10AM (I took it from Somerville NJ). You can ride the trail 50 miles south to Trenton, and take a NJ transit train back to Manhattan (I took it to New Brunswick). [The bus goes to Jim Thorpe so could make a day of it there too!]
Sadly lots of flood damage in Winter of 2010-2011
By dhoerl in May, 2011
You can read my review from October last year, where the trail was a wonder to ride. Well, lots of flood damage over the winter and Spring. My wife and I rode from the Bulls Island bridge a bit North, then south to New Hope. Some sections you had to walk the bike the surface was so bad.

No idea of condition north of Bulls Island or South of New Hope.

Based on what I saw, there really is no way to get the PA side to last - its just too low. They would have to so much work to protect the path that I imagine they never can do it.

I fell so lucky to have seen the path at its very best last October.

Bristol to Morrisville
By fire12rescue in April, 2011
Well 4/13/2011 was the first time i went on the towpath i started in edgley and went to bristol a good 3 milies i liked it but pros with theis trail its not hard to ride at all the cons gota cross roads i had to cross rt 313 on my way to bristol then on my way to morrisville i crossed it 2 times on the way back to edgley then by home depot again so far i like the trail im planning this summer to do the full 60 miles and back so 120 miles i think it be fun as long as the trails are repaired ill do it but if not then ill wait till next year then so as of now
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