Find the top rated trails in Nanticoke, 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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The Slate Heritage Trail is built on the former Lehigh Valley Railroad, which opened in 1874 and transported slate products from quarries in northern Lehigh County to Slatington to connect with the...
There are two trails named the O&W: one in New York and this one in Pennsylvania. Although the trail stretches 32 miles (as shown on the map), only the first 8 miles of trail (from Simpson to...
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...
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 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 Bloomsburg Rail-Trail runs for a short distance along the former rail bed on the northwest side of town. Following the east bank of Fishing Creek, the trail stretches between Millville Road just...
The multi-use Lackawanna River Heritage Trail (LRHT) follows Pennsylvania's Lackawanna River and, when complete, will be more than 70 miles. The trail begins at the confluence of the Lackawanna and...
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The first section of the Trolley Trail, built along a former Northern Electric Railway right-of-way in northeastern Pennsylvania, will officially open October 10, 2014. This 3-mile segment runs...
As of autumn 2011, 9 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly...
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...
This trail is a combination of canal towpath and rail-trail. On the east side of the Lehigh River, the trail follows the earthen canal towpath. On the west side of the river, the trail follows a...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
The Ironton Rail-Trail is the quintessential example of how a former rail corridor can transform a community. This trail has it all for locals and visitors alike. If you are looking for beautiful...
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...
The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Gravity Railroad conducted a 3-mile test of the first steam locomotive in the U.S. in August 1829, which ran from the towns of Honesdale to Seeleyville, Pennsylvania, 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...
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 first section of the Trolley Trail, built along a former Northern Electric Railway right-of-way in northeastern Pennsylvania, will officially open October 10, 2014. This 3-mile segment runs...
There are two trails named the O&W: one in New York and this one in Pennsylvania. Although the trail stretches 32 miles (as shown on the map), only the first 8 miles of trail (from Simpson to...
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NOTE: This section of the Delaware and Lehigh (D & L) National Heritage Corridor is now open, but there is a short gap in the trail at Glen Summit pending private property access. Trail users are...
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...
This trail is a combination of canal towpath and rail-trail. On the east side of the Lehigh River, the trail follows the earthen canal towpath. On the west side of the river, the trail follows a...
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...
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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 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 Bloomsburg Rail-Trail runs for a short distance along the former rail bed on the northwest side of town. Following the east bank of Fishing Creek, the trail stretches between Millville Road just...
The Ironton Rail-Trail is the quintessential example of how a former rail corridor can transform a community. This trail has it all for locals and visitors alike. If you are looking for beautiful...
Lumber mills frequently set up tram cars running on a set of tracks to carry cut timbers from the steep hillsides. The Old Tram Trail is exactly that and has become a short bit of single track to...
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...
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 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...
Located at 2,100 feet and next to the Loyalsock State Forest in northeast Pennsylvania, this trail in the small town of Eagles Mere has a rich history. In 1892 the Eagles Mere eight-mile narrow gauge...
When it began operating, the Switchback Railroad was the second railroad in America and the first in Pennsylvania. Built to haul coal from the Summit Mine to the Lehigh Canal, the railroad evolved...
The Schuylkill Valley Heritage Trail passes through the rolling green hills of the Schuylkill River Valley, from just outside of Tamaqua to Middleport. The trail runs immediately adjacent to US...
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...
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...
Tracing about two miles of riverfront today, this trail eventually will form a 16-mile pathway along an active railway. Chain link fencing separates the tracks from the trail. In downtown Pittston,...
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 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 Slate Heritage Trail is built on the former Lehigh Valley Railroad, which opened in 1874 and transported slate products from quarries in northern Lehigh County to Slatington to connect with the...
Lumber mills frequently set up tram cars running on a set of tracks to carry cut timbers from the steep hillsides. The Old Tram Trail is exactly that and has become a short bit of single track to...
The first section of the Trolley Trail, built along a former Northern Electric Railway right-of-way in northeastern Pennsylvania, will officially open October 10, 2014. This 3-mile segment runs...
NOTE: This section of the Delaware and Lehigh (D & L) National Heritage Corridor is now open, but there is a short gap in the trail at Glen Summit pending private property access. Trail users are...
The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Gravity Railroad conducted a 3-mile test of the first steam locomotive in the U.S. in August 1829, which ran from the towns of Honesdale to Seeleyville, Pennsylvania, and...
Primarily a cross-country ski route, the 13.4-mile Sentiero DiShay Trail can also be enjoyed for hiking and mountain biking. The trail winds through a mixed forest of conifer and deciduous trees. The...
The multi-use Lackawanna River Heritage Trail (LRHT) follows Pennsylvania's Lackawanna River and, when complete, will be more than 70 miles. The trail begins at the confluence of the Lackawanna 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...
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...
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...
There are two trails named the O&W: one in New York and this one in Pennsylvania. Although the trail stretches 32 miles (as shown on the map), only the first 8 miles of trail (from Simpson to...
As of autumn 2011, 9 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly...
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...
I just looked at this section of the trail (Cementon – Northampton) on the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor website (http://delawareandlehigh.org/map/trail-section/cementon-northampton/).
The description has this to say about riding bikes through the Canal Street park:
"In the Borough of Northampton, walkers, runners, and now bikers are encouraged to use the paved D&L Trail through Canal Street Park. A decision was made during the summer of 2017 to allow cyclists through the park. As a cyclist, please use caution and be respectful to walkers and runners. Keep in mind that those on bikes MUST yield to those on foot. Stay in tune for additional signage and trail improvements through the park."
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.
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.
I cant believe I passed this trail by. This is a beautiful region. The forest road passes by 3 reservoirs. The trail is actually a forest road. There are parking areas at either end of the trail with very clean restrooms. There is even a restroom around the halfway point. There are also non-motorized boats allowed on 2 of the reservoirs and numerous trails in the surrounding area. There are picnic tables along the way, and the forest is quiet and peaceful. The road isn't flat, but not too strenuous either. I plan to go back in the fall. I'm certain the color will make this ride spectacular. I highly recommend this ride to everyone. It's a gem.
After many times of having to stop short of the turnpike, we were able to go the entire length of this trail on August 13, 2017. This is a nice shaded trail with only a few small hills. There are many benches along the way to stop and rest if needed.
I will start by saying this was our second R-T of the day. I usually would not submit a review on a trail that we only rode to the half-way point, but I have to make an exception this time. This trail is very poorly maintained, little more than a single track path in sections. Dirt, grass, weeds, stones ,etc. After 5+ miles we just found no reason to continue, as it just wasn't fun. Sorry, but even one star is generous. Pa. Tandem Team
Driving south from I 80 we parked at the north end of the trail. The parking area was not marked so we found a spot across the road near Old Valley School Road. When we started riding down the trail we did see space for a few cars along the first hundred yards or so. The trail along the busy Route 54 has constant traffic noise and the trail surface is a bit rough. Where the trail meets Meadow Lane the is a trail map so we were able to find where the trail continued, other than the map there were no signs pointing the way. After crossing the bridge on Montour Street there is a steep but short climb to the nice half of the trail. Gone is the traffic noise and the trail surface is for the most part much smoother.
After our recent rains, this trail has gotten soupy and hazardous in places. Be especially caution of these wet areas especially in the shaded areas on upper half of the trail. These spots could really benefit from an application of crushed stone. Otherwise this is a fun and friendly rail-trail.
This trail runs from Northampton along the Lehigh River to Slatington,10 miles, then continues to Lehighton for another ten miles. there are stores in Slatington and Lehighton for water, snacks, Gatorade etc. I'm looking to ride 60 miles Sunday and this trail is probably it. I'll be double covering some of the trail. Mostly shaded. I still recommend sunscreen. Great riding.
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