By wjlacey in June, 2011
We began at the trailhead in Weissport. Great trailhead with families of geese and ducks. We headed south towards Parryville on the somewhat overgrown, but passable, trail although we lost the trail on the far side of the commercial parking lot. We headed back north, through Weissport and beyond, towards Jim Thorpe, but there has been some major storm/flood damage. We had to portage bikes around one area with large boulders, rode through many rough sections, and had to completely stop just past the water treatment facility because the trail was washed away and under water (about the last 1 1/2-2 miles). While this trail would make a great walk...pretty scenery along the river, it was a little disappointing for a bike ride
By hopkindm in February, 2008
The trail access is easily found in Weissport per the description. There is another trail access at the very southern end of the trail in Parryville, on route 248. To get to it, you would basically follow the directions for Weissport, but take route 209 to route 248 and turn left. The parking lot is 1.7 miles down route 248, shortly after you pass under I-476, on your right. There is a sign for Lehigh Gorge State Park.
That said, the southern portion of this "North" trail is not nearly as nice as the northern portion, and it is not friendly to bikes much at all. From Parryville, it's a narrow "normal" trail, not rail-trail-like, and after a .5-1 mile you end up in the parking lot of major construction-type business. It's not clear where the trail is from that point if you are coming from the south. But you need to cut through the parking lot, staying to the right, following the canal, and then the trail picks up again with dirt/stone (if you are coming from the north, it is easier to find where the trail picks up after the business, just follow the canal). From there the trail gets better, with locks, and neat little storage rooms that you can investigate, carved out from the rock cliff.
North of Weissport, the trail gets really nice. The terrain is all crushed rock in many places, and each lock has a bridge over it, for further investigation. It heads into Lehigh Gorge, which is very pretty, and the river is on your left side, rushing past you. The trail ends shortly before Jim Thorpe, at what appears to be a water processing/filtration plant. Unfortunately there is no trail access north of Weissport.
By Andy B in August, 2003
This is a nice trail. It has a crushed stone surface that makes for a nice ride for all ages.