Find the top rated trails in Jim Thorpe, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Envisioned as a multi-use trail that will eventually connect the Thun Trail section of the Schuylkill River Trail in Union Township in southeast Berks County to the towns of Elverson and St. Peters in...
J. Manley Robbins Trail is a short trail with a long history. Quite possibly it is the oldest documented rail-trail in the country. The trail leads through a beautiful deciduous forest high above the...
The Oxford Bikeway is a .9 mile long pave trail constructed on an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail can be accessed at three points. To the north the trail ends at Pequest Road, however there...
The Angelica Creek Trail, in Reading's suburbs, begins at a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, then goes south along the river a short distance before heading northwest toward Angelica...
Swatara Creek runs through the vast woodlands of Swatara State Park in eastern Pennsylvania. Bear Hole Trail traces the eastern side of the waterway, while the Swatara Rail-Trail runs along the other...
The Iroquois Trail is scenic and remote, stretching about 2 miles through Tunkhannock, a gateway community to the Endless Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. The rail-trail follows the route of...
The trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
This lovely, relatively flat dirt path runs through the Roaring Creek Tract of the Weiser State Forest. Here, the south tributary of Roaring Creek cuts through the forest, pooling into three large...
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The Patriots' Path covers roughly 35 miles of terrain and is open to mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and hiking. The multi-use trails links parks, open space, recreational...
The Luzerne County Levee Trail is a 12-mile paved path made up of 4 different reaches on either side of the Susquehanna River. A system of interconnected paved trails built atop the flood protection...
Tatamy Trail begins in West Easton and heads north to Tatamy Borough, primarily along a former railroad corridor. On its southern end, it meets the Palmer Township Recreation Trail, which connects the...
The Skippack Trail traverses a township of the same name in eastern Pennsylvania, about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Its western end connects to the Perkiomen Trail, a 19-mile north-south route...
A work in progress, the 2.5-mile Uwchlan Trail currently extends from the Struble Trail off the intersection of Dowlin Forge and Shelmire roads, north along the Shamona Creek and primarily following...
The JFK Walking Trail is a hidden gem created to be part of the Pottsville Community flagship recreation complex. The paved trail is located behind the tennis courts and pool. A stylish sign complete...
Part of Milford Township's growing network of greenways, the Unami Creek Trail extends from a parking lot off Kumry Road, winding northeast behind developments, to Allentown Road. Another branch of...
The discovery of anthracite coal in the Tremont area of Pennsylvania shaped commerce and development well into the 1800s. The Union Canal was constructed in the 1820s to connect the Schuylkill and...
From 1880 until well into the 20th century, Bangor and Portland Railway steam locomotives plied this corridor and others in the region, providing essential transportation services for the nearby...
The South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The trail parallels Daly Avenue/State...
The pleasant Monocacy Way takes walkers and cyclists on an adventure through the fascinating history of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The trail kicks off at Monocacy Creek Park, where you can see the a...
A little less than a mile long, the Barrel Run Trail is part of Milford Township's growing system of multi-use trails. The paved, asphalt trail begins at Woodview Drive, immediately west of...
The Forks Township Recreation Trail follows the an old right-of-way of the former Lehigh & New England Railroad. Starting at the trail's midpoint behind the Riverview Country Club in Easton, you'll...
Currently a 1.75-mile section of the trail is open from 8:00 am to dusk. The trail runs parallel to Rosedale Avenue in Laureldale Borough on the former corridor of the East Penn Branch Railroad. The...
The George B. Will Trail in Tiadaghton State Forest is named for an early 20th-century Pennsylvania forest ranger. The trail is popular with cross-country skiers and travels through a mixed-pine...
The Hunters Crossing and Brayton Garden trails form a paved, multi-use greenway that extends 2.7 miles from the Country Square Shopping Center in Quakertown to Dovecote Drive immediately south of...
The JFK Walking Trail is a hidden gem created to be part of the Pottsville Community flagship recreation complex. The paved trail is located behind the tennis courts and pool. A stylish sign complete...
For a dose of rural scenery, head to the northwest corner of New Jersey, where this 27-mile rail-trail cuts a nearly uninterrupted path along the banks of the Paulins Kill, a Delaware River tributary...
Forming the eastern side of a triangle with Elders Run Trail and the 130-mile Horseshoe Trail, the short, charming Middle Creek Trail is contained within wooded Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area...
Like so many trails in this area, the Great Hazleton Rails to Trails occupies the former corridor of a railroad line that supported the local coal mining industry. After a half century of disuse, the...
The Landsdown Trail runs 1.8 miles between Lower Landsdown Road and W. Main in Clinton. The trail passes among open fields, woodlands and wetlands and provides access to the South Branch of the...
When coal was discovered in Summit Hill in the late 1700s, a rush of development ensued in the Lehigh Valley. Josiah White and the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company constructed a series of dams and...
This lovely, relatively flat dirt path runs through the Roaring Creek Tract of the Weiser State Forest. Here, the south tributary of Roaring Creek cuts through the forest, pooling into three large...
The trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
The Back Mountain Trail, originally built by lumber and ice king Albert Lewis of Wyoming Valley 115 years ago, was acquired by the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1887. Lumber, ice, leather goods and...
The Luzerne County Levee Trail is a 12-mile paved path made up of 4 different reaches on either side of the Susquehanna River. A system of interconnected paved trails built atop the flood protection...
From 1880 until well into the 20th century, Bangor and Portland Railway steam locomotives plied this corridor and others in the region, providing essential transportation services for the nearby...
The Iroquois Trail is scenic and remote, stretching about 2 miles through Tunkhannock, a gateway community to the Endless Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. The rail-trail follows the route of...
The Oxford Bikeway is a .9 mile long pave trail constructed on an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail can be accessed at three points. To the north the trail ends at Pequest Road, however there...
The Karamac Trail is a short walking trail that starts under the Interstate 80 bridge on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. The trail follows an old railroad right-of-way; there is a railroad...
The Schuylkill River Trail is envisioned to begin in Philadelphia and stretch northwest from the city along the 128-mile river. As of 2015, 9.6 continuous miles of this “Phoenixville to Pottstown”...
The Exeter Scenic River Trail follows the north shore of the Schuylkill River. The tree-lined route provides views of the river and runs to the Klapperthal Trail at the base of Neversink Mountain.
Currently a 1.75-mile section of the trail is open from 8:00 am to dusk. The trail runs parallel to Rosedale Avenue in Laureldale Borough on the former corridor of the East Penn Branch Railroad. The...
The trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
The beautiful Lehigh and New England trail is a short, crushed stone trail that follows a section of the former Lehigh and New England Railroad corridor. A lush tree canopy separates the trail from...
The Oxford Bikeway is a .9 mile long pave trail constructed on an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail can be accessed at three points. To the north the trail ends at Pequest Road, however there...
The Exeter Scenic River Trail follows the north shore of the Schuylkill River. The tree-lined route provides views of the river and runs to the Klapperthal Trail at the base of Neversink Mountain.
Located in northern Manheim Township, the Brighton-Reidenbaugh Park Trail is a link in the suburban Lancaster County municipality's growing network of multi-use trails. The trail consists of 3...
The George B. Will Trail in Tiadaghton State Forest is named for an early 20th-century Pennsylvania forest ranger. The trail is popular with cross-country skiers and travels through a mixed-pine...
The Landsdown Trail runs 1.8 miles between Lower Landsdown Road and W. Main in Clinton. The trail passes among open fields, woodlands and wetlands and provides access to the South Branch of the...
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This section of the Delaware and Lehigh (D & L) National Heritage Corridor connects Slatington to Northampton. It is dedicated to the memory of Asher F. Boyer, an Eagle Scout who worked on a project...
The Blue Marsh Lake Multi-Use Trail loops around a manmade reservoir just outside of Reading in southeastern Pennsylvania. The trail has a mixture of surfaces (hard-packed dirt, grass, gravel and...
The Karamac Trail is a short walking trail that starts under the Interstate 80 bridge on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. The trail follows an old railroad right-of-way; there is a railroad...
This lovely, relatively flat dirt path runs through the Roaring Creek Tract of the Weiser State Forest. Here, the south tributary of Roaring Creek cuts through the forest, pooling into three large...
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...
The Peace Valley Park Hike & Bike Trail offers 4 miles of blacktop along the shores of Lake Galena, just north of Doylestown in eastern Pennsylvania. The scenic trail travels through woodlands and...
Forming the eastern side of a triangle with Elders Run Trail and the 130-mile Horseshoe Trail, the short, charming Middle Creek Trail is contained within wooded Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area...
Reading's Neversink Connector Trail is a short paved pathway that branches off the Thun Trail, a 18-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail. It begins near the Reading Area Community College and...
The Union Canal Trail parallels Tulpehocken Creek between Stonecliffe Action Park northwest of downtown Reading and Blue Marsh Lake. The original Union Canal ran 79.5 miles from the Schuylkill River...
The John Bartram Trail (a.k.a. Bartram Trail) is simply one section of the very involved Schuylkill River Trail, which is being developed in sections as funds and capacity permit. Currently 9.6 miles...
The Angelica Creek Trail, in Reading's suburbs, begins at a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, then goes south along the river a short distance before heading northwest toward Angelica...
The Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail is named after a former member of Congress from the area known for his dedication to public lands. The trail, located within the Delaware Water Gap National...
perfect day for a bike ride! took the shuttle from Jim Thorpe to white Haven then rode back. certainly the way to go. 25 miles back to Jim Thorpe. nice ride. has a slight downgrade back to town; but not so much that you don't have to pedal. Loved it. would do again but next time we hope to take the train. reserve early!!
During the summer of 2017, I ran and/or rode my mountain bike along the entire trail (including Bordentown) twice. While it's so surprise that Frenchtown to Washington Crossing is a favorite among many reviewers, don't neglect the beauty of the trail from New Brunswick to Trenton. The trail is in very good shape overall, with some spots being in better shape than
We love this trail. Beautiful, scenic, and secluded. Nice easy ride along the canal.
I park, on north 13th and rode my bike to the bridge by I think, 7th there was a curve rode to cross, I had to go back it looked danger, but the trail art trail, it self was great I enjoyed, it. hope to go back before it gets to cold.
I just rode this trail a few days ago. My plan was to ride from West Nanticoke (Garden Drive-in) to Berwick. Trail was well maintained up to Shickshinny, there is an area that runs under a bridge in Shickshinny that you would be better off jumping on Rt 11 for a 1/4 of mile, it is very swampy and grown in, I did enjoy riding through it , but I avoided it on the way back. After Shickshinny the trail extends to the River Wetlands across from the power plant near Berwick, this is the 1st marker and approximately 12 miles from the Garden Drive-in. There is another trail that picks up in this area, The River Trail, I continued on the River Trail for about two miles but it had many intersections and I was unsure of where it would ultimately lead to, I will explore this section again at a later time. All in all it was a good ride, if you do not want to have to negotiate any obstacles or ride along Rt 11 I would suggest sticking to the section between West Nanticoke and Shickshinny.
We parked at the Parryville access, which is right across 248 from River Walck Restaurant and in clear view of the highway. You have to be prepared to ignore non-trespassing signs to travel this section, starting with one posted on the railroad crossing you need to use to get into the parking area. The parking area is clearly marked as the official access parking and the start to the D&L Trail section (don't get use to these signs, there aren't many). The short section from the parking area to the turnpike overpass is quite pretty, with the river in view to the left and the canal on you right, the surface is mowed grass with many bumpy roots, and things deteriorate to loose gravel under the turnpike. Here, and in many other sections, the vegetation is leaning in from both sides, in need of a trim. There are a couple of picnic tables and at least one bench near the parking area. Heading further northward, just under the bridge you rejoin the cement company's private paved road and turn left, only to be faced by a tall fence and large sign prohibiting entry before checking in at the office (the only nearby building appears abandoned). No signs note the trail, but there is no other path to follow, the gate was open and industrial area nearly deserted, so we forged ahead. After a good distance on the concrete parking lot you pass one random D&L sign standing on the edge. After a bit further the parking lot narrows and offers you the choice of a rough gravel road straight ahead or a grassy path dipping toward the canal, which looked more promising. Sure enough, after a short, rough, grassy section next to a pretty scruffy section of canal (lots of debris in the water, and a distinct odor), this passes under a railway bridge as an narrow gravel path, and you climb up to a 2 lane railway access road (packed gravel/grassy) which continues all the way to Weisport. The canal is full of water for much of the remaining distance, and quite pretty. The train tracks are elevated between you and the river, so you don't see the river, and 248 rumbles along on the top of the bluff above the canal, so it isn't quiet; but other than needing a side trim, the trail is solid and easy to ride. Once you pass under the 209 bridge you can see the parking access. Take care crossing the surface road, as cars come whipping around the corner at high speed, and even if there was a marked crosswalk, which there isn't, painted lines aren't much protection. Riding south on the trail from the Weisport, access to the trail isn't much friendlier: signs at the mouth of the access area instruct you to dismount and walk your bikes. Do so (see above). Those are the last trail signs you will see heading this direction until the Turnpike overpass. Instead, there are many large NO TRESPASSING and NO PARKING signs, complements of the railway company, in what would otherwise appear to be a large, gravel parking area. Head south through it, finally staying to the left of the 209 overpass abutment, past one last NO TRESPASSING sign, and you will be on the trail. This website says the section is open, the signs in the southern end suggest it is open, but a walker or biker might well wonder if the cement company and the railway company agree.
If you want to picnic and/or take a short but pretty stroll, with views of the canal and the river, try the southern end by Parryville, turning back before the turnpike overpass. Coming from Weisport, walking or riding, you might want to plan on turning around at the lock where the railway access road ends.
I have biked, walked and xc-skied this trail many times in all seasons in all weather. yes, the Dauphin/Ellendale end is a bit rough but it offers some solitude and shady peace and quiet only a few miles from what has become the major trucking and warehouse hub of the northeast. Its 10 degrees cooler than the city and very quiet. Because of the shade and elevation, it stays snow covered and wet after surrounding areas have warmed up on the spring.The Stoneycreek is a great little trout stream if you're willing to slow down and be patient, and there are lots of quiet little spots to cool your feet on hot days. This place is a gem of wilderness surrounded by a noisy, busy world. Enjoy !
This is one of my least favorite trails that I have ridden around the area. The first mile is actually pretty nice, it is covered in the standard crushed stone that most Rail-Trails use. This section has a few small curves and a very slight grade, as well as numerous benches, memorials, and even some exercise equipment which is a nice touch if you are out walking or running on the trail.
Unfortunately, once you cross the Stockton Mountain Rd, the terrain abruptly switches to large red rocks, grass patches, and divots throughout for the next 1.7 miles before switching back to the crushed stone from the first section. Shortly before this switch back, there is a fairly steep hill that leads up to an admittedly nice view of the Dreck Creek Reservoir before continuing down another hill on the other side. It is a real shame that this section doesn't use the crushed stone as you can gain significant speed going down either side of this hill, but you unfortunately need to be cautious due to the terrain. This small peak also has multiple picnic tables.
The next section has some beautiful rock cut areas as well as a few areas with pretty nice views. Eventually you'll veer right, away from Beryllium Rd, through a curvy part of the trail that comes out to a bridge over train tracks. If you get really lucky you might get to watch the train cross beneath the bridge.
The final portions are the main reason I don't prefer this trail. After the bridge, there is a gradual climb up to the top of a desolate hill and then a steep and usually washed out drop on the other side which abruptly ends at the Beryllium Mine Access Rd (which is still used by heavy machinery, so DO NOT just blow through it). Across that road, is a few up and down areas with deep crushed stone, slowing your speed to a slog and providing potential risk to those on anything other than mountain bikes. After a while of this, the trail just sort of ends at a back road in Jeddo.
This trail is definitely worth doing once, and I can see the appeal if you live right in Hazleton, but there are certainly much nicer trails to devote your time to in NEPA. Cheers and enjoy the ride!
Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way first; as others have noted, the first 1.6 mile section heading North from White Haven until you cross Middleburg Rd is pretty terrible. If you have multiple cycles at your disposal, bring a mountain bike (or at the very least a mountain-leaning hybrid) just because of this section. It is extremely rocky, sandy, and damaged with ruts. Best to take this section slow than risk a fall and ruin the rest of this awesome trail.
Now, on to the good stuff! After you cross over (and south) on Middleburg Rd, you'll arrive on a section much like the rest of the Northern parts of the D&L Trail. The terrain is easily manageable with anything other than a road bike as it is crushed stone. The scenery has many interesting features as you travel North, including heavily wooded areas, more open pastures, a small bridge, multiple ponds, a large and beautiful lake with picnic tables and benches in increments along it's edge, and even a little bit of more winding sections near the Northern terminus.
The entire trail has about a 2% grade while traveling North, which is especially noticeable if you are used to most other Rail-Trails that tend to be entirely flat or less than 0.5% grade. This provides a nice challenge for the legs that you wouldn't get on the other sections of the D&L trail. The other side to this, is it provides an exhilarating return trip to White Haven, potentially cutting your return time in half from your trip to Mountain Top! Just remember to slow down and be careful through the final 1.6 miles on the approach to White Haven. Enjoy!
The directions to the trailhead at the spur (corner of Quarry and Portland) were very good. It was nice to ride the spur and the loop. Often we ride out and back; however, this trail offered a lot of variety in the scenery and riding the spur and loop gave us a good 10-mile workout. Even on a Sunday, the trail was not overly busy and we were able to ride side by side for much of the time.
There is a good amount of tree cover (which must be gorgeous in the Fall) and the trail is fairly level.
The only downside would be the road crossings. There are a few along busy routes but not so many that it detracted from a great trail.
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