D & L Trail - Lehigh Canal North:
Pennsylvania
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Description:
Josiah White, a famous entrepreneur and innovator, built the Lehigh Canal to transport anthracite coal the 46 miles from Mauch Chunk to Easton. There, the coal barges entered the Delaware Canal to complete their journey to Philadelphia. An ambitious feat of engineering, the Lehigh Canal used 44 locks and 8 dams to conquer the 353-foot elevation change. Remnants of these locks and dams can still be seen from the trail. Today, the canal is part of a larger national park known as the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. The Lehigh Canal: North (D&L Trail) traces the canal route from Parryville about 8 miles north to Jim Thorpe. Other rail-trails in close proximity include the Switchback Railroad Trail and the Lehigh Gorge State Park Trail.

Starting from the small trail parking lot at the southern end of the trail in Parryville, you will find a narrow trail with a hard packed dirt surface. The trail runs next to active railroad tracks in Parryville for about 1.5 miles. After mile 1, stay on the right side of the trail (next to the canal) of a long commercial parking lot. Pick up the trail again at the northern end. From there the trail runs along the Lehigh River for another mile and then follows the active tracks as they bend away from the river and lead you under Route 209 into Weissport, where you will find another parking lot.

Once in Weissport, the trail improves dramatically. There is a pleasant signed trailhead with public parking and a picnic area. Be prepared for hoards of ducks to follow you if you stop for a picnic. The trail surface widens and is crushed stone from here on out. The ride is scenic with canal views on your right and built-in observation points at lock and dam crossings. The left-hand side of the trail affords views of the Lehigh River, and wildlife, such as beaver, mink, deer and waterfowl, are common sights along the canal and riverbanks. The last mile winds down as the trail turns west and ends at a commercial site just outside of Jim Thorpe. There is no trail parking at this northern trailhead.

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Parking & Trail Access:
To reach the Parryville trailhead, take Interstate 476 to Exit 74 to State Route 209. Follow 209 South to the traffic light just before the Lehigh River Bridge. Turn left here onto 248 South. Continue 1.7 miles to a trail parking lot on your right. Follow the dirt path south out of the parking lot and past the sign. Cross a small pedestrian bridge to get to the trailhead.

To reach the midpoint trailhead in Weissport, take Interstate 476 to Exit 74 to 209. Follow 209 South to the traffic light just before the Lehigh River Bridge. Turn right at the light onto Canal Street. Go 0.25 mile and turn left on Bridge Street when Canal Street dead-ends into it. The parking lot will be on your right immediately after you turn onto Bridge Street. This trail is wheelchair-accessible from Weissport northward

There is no access from the northern point.

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Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
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barely bikeable :(
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
quiet, pretty trail
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.
Nice Scenery
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.
October 10, 2009 View to south, toward Lehighton and Weissport from observation deck along trail.
Trail Facts
Trail End Points: Where the PA Turnpk crosses the river (Parryville) to Near the river bend east of Susquehanna St. (Jim Thorpe)
Counties: Carbon, Northampton
Trail Length: 7.7 miles
Trail Category: Rail-Trail
Trail Surfaces: Crushed Stone, Dirt
Trail Activities: Fishing, Wheelchair Accessible, Mountain Biking, Walking, Cross Country Skiing
TrailLink ID: 6032168

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