Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in East Stroudsburg, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The corridor now home to the Sussex Branch Trail was originally the narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, which opened in 1851 to haul iron ore from mines in Andover to the Morris Canal....
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 Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) offers more than 19 miles of pathway on a developing loop through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, about 5 miles north of Trenton. The...
The Columbia Trail has the distinction of being named for a natural gas pipeline that runs beneath it for 15 miles in rural northern New Jersey. The crushed-stone trail rolls along the South Branch of...
The system of trails in Loantaka Brook Reservation are open to hikers, cyclists and equestrians, although the trails are marked as to which uses are permitted on each segment. Loantaka Brook...
The South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The paved pathway begins just north of Lehigh University...
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 just south of Tamaqua in eastern Pennsylvania....
The history of Perkiomen Trail railroad corridor extends more than 140 years. Founded shortly after the Civil War, the Perkiomen Railway Company started running from Oaks to Pennsburg in 1868. New...
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The Trolley Trail uses a former interurban line to link several communities north of Scranton. The trail comprises two disconnected sections that total 4.7 miles, although the nonprofit Countryside...
The 2.8-mile eastern phase of the Bedminster Hike and Bikeway allows pedestrians and cyclists to safely traverse part of Bedminster Township by crossing over I-287 and US 206/202 via a series of three...
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The Palmer Township Recreation Trail (a.k.a. the Towpath Bike Trail) is a terrific community asset for Palmer and Bethlehem township residents and a great destination for visitors as well. Three modes...
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...
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...
Saucon Rail Trail connects four communities: Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Upper Saucon Township, and Coopersburg. The trail has a slight 1% grade traveling from north to south and is easy for a...
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 West Essex Trail follows a short distance (just under 3 miles) of the former rail bed of the Caldwell Branch on the old Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. The trail runs between the EssexPassiac county...
This is the first phase of the proposed Lehigh & Hudson River Rail Trail. The second phase will connect Hillside Park to Kittatinny Valley State Park. It is hoped that there will be an eventual...
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
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 Randolph Trail system covers 16 miles of pathways through five parks, the Clyde Potts Reservoir watershed and 2,000 acres of pristine open space. The trails link schools and neighborhoods and also...
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 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 just south of Tamaqua in eastern Pennsylvania....
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...
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) offers more than 19 miles of pathway on a developing loop through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, about 5 miles north of Trenton. The...
This trail is located in the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation which is a unit of the Morris County Park Commission. The trail follows an abandoned railroad bed through hardwood forests, past ponds, swamps...
This trail is in an area rich in geological history. Zinc and Iron Ores were transported along this branch from mines in the area that operated for over 200 years. The trail is scenic with a slight...
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...
In the early 1830s the Morris Canal opened across northern New Jersey, from Phillipsburg on the Delaware River to Newark, and later to Jersey City on the Hudson River. It provided a thoroughfare for...
The City of Port Jervis is the latest community to save a portion of the former D&H Canal and turn it into a greenway for use by residents and visitors. A section of the canal, which is approximately...
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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...
In the mid 1800s Chester, New Jersey, was the home of the iron ore industry; railroads shipped the ore all over the county. With the end of the industry, however, the rail lines were abandoned, turned...
This trail goes through the Black River Wildlife Management area along streambeds and forest. Equestrians must have a NJ Wildlife Permit, which is available from NJ DEP for a fee. The trail follows...
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
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...
Spanning more than 70 miles, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail is the longest completed multiuse trail in the state and is described by many as the crown jewel of New Jersey trails. A...
The Great Valley Trail, built on the former Lehigh & New England Railroad, offers an unpaved, natural experience through quiet woodlands between the townships of Hampton and Frankford. Although...
This trail is much better suited to walking than to biking. It provides excellent access to the Pequest River which is stocked with trout. Not all of the bridges across the river have been decked and...
This pleasant, flat rail-trail parallels Capoolong Creek through the Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area for nearly 4 miles. The surface is varied, so the trail is best suited for hiking or...
The Columbia Trail has the distinction of being named for a natural gas pipeline that runs beneath it for 15 miles in rural northern New Jersey. The crushed-stone trail rolls along the South Branch of...
The Randolph Trail system covers 16 miles of pathways through five parks, the Clyde Potts Reservoir watershed and 2,000 acres of pristine open space. The trails link schools and neighborhoods and also...
The Paulinskill Valley Trail follows a creek by the same name through a section of rural New Jersey with a strong German influence. In fact, the word kill is Dutch for “riverbed or stream channel.”...
Spanning more than 70 miles, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail is the longest completed multiuse trail in the state and is described by many as the crown jewel of New Jersey trails. A...
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...
This pleasant, flat rail-trail parallels Capoolong Creek through the Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area for nearly 4 miles. The surface is varied, so the trail is best suited for hiking or...
The Trolley Trail uses a former interurban line to link several communities north of Scranton. The trail comprises two disconnected sections that total 4.7 miles, although the nonprofit Countryside...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous; please refer to the interactive maps on the websites in the Related Content section. The D&L Trail runs for more than 140 miles through...
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 just south of Tamaqua in eastern Pennsylvania....
The South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The paved pathway begins just north of Lehigh University...
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 2.8-mile eastern phase of the Bedminster Hike and Bikeway allows pedestrians and cyclists to safely traverse part of Bedminster Township by crossing over I-287 and US 206/202 via a series of three...
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...
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
This trail is much better suited to walking than to biking. It provides excellent access to the Pequest River which is stocked with trout. Not all of the bridges across the river have been decked and...
In the mid 1800s Chester, New Jersey, was the home of the iron ore industry; railroads shipped the ore all over the county. With the end of the industry, however, the rail lines were abandoned, turned...
The D & H Canal towpath is nestled within the 300-acre D & H Canal Park in the New York hamlet of Cuddebackville. The crushed-stone trail, stretching just over a half mile, is one section of a larger...
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) offers more than 19 miles of pathway on a developing loop through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, about 5 miles north of Trenton. 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...
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A short rail trail with two covered bridges occupying a portion of the former Mount Hope Mineral Railroad right-of-way in Wharton, NJ. In the future this trail will be linked with the Rockaway...
This trail is in an area rich in geological history. Zinc and Iron Ores were transported along this branch from mines in the area that operated for over 200 years. The trail is scenic with a slight...
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...
Canal trails are some of the best riding. They are long with few interruptions and non-stop water views. My friend and I rode the segment from Morrisville to New Hope. We parked in the parking lot for the Morrisville Little League on North Delmorr Avenue. The trail is at the end of Hillside Avenue, which is right across the street from the parking lot. It was really easy access. This segment passes several locks and the town of Yardley. There's a part of the trail that has the canal on the left and the Delaware River on the right. There are ducks, geese, herons, and turtles along the way. At New Hope, the trail goes onto the road for a small segment, which is where we stopped. If you continue past this point, the trail shortly comes to an end at the river. The surface is crushed stone for the most part and easily ridable with any kind of tire. This distance for this segment is 30 miles roundtrip.
I’ve run hundreds of miles here year around training for marathons. It’s perfect for that—lightly rolling terrain for the most part with a steep 8% grade hill for good measure. Note with a new nice and wide extension the trail now goes all the way around the lake and is about a 6-mile loop. Most of the old trail was recently repaved as well.
I love walking my dog on the trail in Jermyn, PA but I wish there were benches along the way. The dog likes to rest and so do I.
Wanted to let traillink users know that the bike train ride/shuttle on the Lehigh Gorge section of D&L 2019 schedule is set. 1 weekend a month May-Nov, Saturday and Sunday. For pricing, dates, times, etc. go to Pocono Biking.com website. Enjoy your ride.
Paul
A great day of x-c skiing on the D & L from Rockport north and back. Trail is in Great shape
This trail is difficult to rate because it's so different in many places and we only rode about a quarter of it. It is not a true rail trail. Parking on Cedar Knolls Rd. in Whippany, we rode west into Lewis Morris County Park. What makes it confusing are the many, poorly-marked offshoot trails. Also, it's confusing because it's many different types of riding in one trail. It goes from road riding, to light trail riding, to mountain biking. There are spots where the trail ends with no direction as to where to go. Once you get into Lewis Morris County Park, it becomes mountain biking, roots and all. I would not attempt this part of the trail with a road bike. I had my hybrid with no suspension and ended up walking quite a bit. In some spots, you ride on rocks. The surface is slightly icy in some spots. The area around Speedwell Lake is nice and has some ruins of old buildings in the parking lot. If I ride this trail again, I would start further west. Morristown National Historic Park is located along the trail, which is a destination for next time. To optimize this ride, research the different sections and pick the one that's right for you.
The only section I have not ridden on this trail is the 10 mile section from Mtn. Top south to White Haven but I'm told it's rough and single track - best for a mountain bike. There's a little strip mall at the trail head in White Haven, pizza, ice cream, drinks, bike rentals and restrooms all available. The 26 miles section from White Haven to Jim Thorpe is smooth, compact gravel with sections of shade, making it an enjoyable ride for any style bike. Quite scenic with numerous water falls. Restroom and water is available in Rockport, about the half-way point of this section. 1 star deduction for the following: tourist crowds on the weekends that don't know bike etiquette, it's a little rough for about the 1st mile south of White Haven and there's a soft spot or two as you approach Glen Onoko right after your cross over the railroad tracks. Follow the trail into Jim Thorpe, you have plenty of places to get something to eat and drink. The newly constructed bridge at the end of the parking lot will eventually connect the gap between JT and Lehighton. Once completed (2019, 2020?) you'll be able to bike about 3 1/2 miles of the eastern section of the trail, cross over the vehicle bridge in Weissport
and re-connect to the trail in Lehighton. Be careful of traffic on the bridge.
The 20 mile section from Lehighton to Northampton is similar to the White Haven to JT section, compact gravel, smooth, mostly shaded and perfect for any style bike. It's just about 10 miles to Slatington, which has a trailhead with restrooms and places to get drinks and eats. I recommend the hot dogs from the trailer in the parking lot. (The Slate Heritage Trail connects to the D&L in Slatington and offers an additional 6 mile round trip ride if so desired.) Continuing south the trail reaches Northampton. Take the left and ride across the bridge, then an immediate right and it's about 1 1/2 mile to a park and the end of this section.
NOTE: From Northampton and Allentown there's about a 7 mile gap that can be ridden on roads and streets also open to vehicle traffic. Use caution when riding on roads.
The trail starts again at Canal Park in Allentown and is now a towpath vs. a rail trail. The 18-20 mile section from Allentown to Easton can be bumpy, single track or tire tracks and there's one or two sections that can be very narrow. That said, I've had no issues riding this section with my hybrid bike. Predominantly shaded with a few places to stop and rest, but water and food may not be readily available without wandering off the path and into one of the towns along the way.
Once reaching Easton, the trail continues south along the Delaware for about 51-52 miles to Morrisville. Much of this section is a towpath, can be single track or tire tracks for much of the ride, but it's smoother than the towpath from Allentown to Easton. There's a couple of places along the way for refreshments and rest areas between Easton and Upper Black Eddy and be sure to make time to visit New Hope and Washington Crossing Park before finishing the ride in Morrisville.
The LHT is many trails in one. We rode from the parking area (98 Carson Rd. in Princeton) to Bristol Meyers Squibb in Hopewell. To create a loop, we took Elm Ridge Rd. to Carter Rd. and back to the trail at the Educational Testing Service, then back to the car. If you map to this parking area, your GPS takes you to the right location. (I've mapped many trail parking areas that aren't where they say they are. ) It's obvious that the community has put a lot into the development of this trail. I would give it a B+ for signage. There were only 2 or 3 spots where it wasn't quite clear. One major one is if you ride through Maidenhead Meadows Park, there's a point in the woods where you come to a T-intersection. There's no marking to indicate you go to the right. When you reach the road (Princeton Pike), take a left to ride along the road. There is a decent shoulder, which makes for safe road riding. Within about a half-mile, you'll see the Brearley House sign at Meadow Rd. This is a short, worthwhile side trip to see the 1761 home of a Constitution signer. This is where the D&R Canal trail is located. It's also a nice area for a short rest and snack. This trail has a mixture of settings - historical, woods, roads, neighborhoods (beautiful homes), and parks. Any type of bike can be ridden on most of this trail. The wooded areas had a lot of downed branches and leaves that might make them a little tricky with a road bike. Princeton is a great town for its architecture, shops, and restaurants.
We started at Glen Onoko parking lot, easy flat couple of miles back across the river to the Scenic Rail station and then a steep 200 ft climb up Packer Hill Ave to the start of the South trail. This trail is easy, has a hard packed surface and is suitable for most bikes able to handle the odd rock. The ride to the lake took us about 35 mins of gentle uphill (total of about 300 ft climb). The trail then crosses the road and starts climbing steeper all the way into Summit Hill (another about 45 mins and 400 ft of climbing). We stopped in town for a snack and beer, and on the return ride took the North trail (fork well marked). This trail is mostly also a good hard surface, with a couple of fallen small trees that need to crossed. Most of the trail is relatively flat, other than 2 steep sections near the end, the first a short drop where the "bridge to clouds" used to start, and then a longer (half a mile?) steep rocky switchback section starting at far end of original bridge location. Both these section are rideable by an experienced mountain biker, but could be a walk if nervous or if on any other type of bike. Speaking of walking there is a section a couple of miles from the end that you need to portage your bike across a narrow ledge. This is not a major challenge for most, but there is a bypass trail that can be used - we did not check it out but it is clearly not rideable due to growth on the trail. All told the return trip took us 70 mins, and that included a quick stop at the viewpoint.
This little trail is less than 4 miles long but is connected to the D&L which at the present time (fall 2018) allows roughly 10 miles north (to Lehighton) and maybe 10 miles south (to Cemeton). So if a longer ride is wanted there you go. The easiest way to access the trail is from the Slatington trail head on the D&L, proceed south a very short distance to the Heritage trail which is to the right and starts on a neighborhood roadway. There are ample signs pointing the way.
The Slate Heritage Trail is open the entire length as the turnpike bridge is complete. As others have mentioned the trail follows the creek. There are (I think) 3 through truss bridges and an old railroad trestle for your creek crossing pleasure. There is also a (very nice) reproduction 19th century covered bridge next to a covered picnic grove. Signs and markers along the way tell of the once booming slate industry complete with ruins of old slate workings. It is a very pleasant abet short trail.
The trail surface is a combination of paved and packed cinders. There are small elevation changes but overall a fairly easy trail to ride or jog.
I mentioned the much larger and much touted D&L Trail which intersects the Slate Heritage Trail. A few words here note I write as of Fall 2018:
As mentioned going north it is 10 miles to Lehighton, 15 if you continue along the Weissport section (Lehigh Canal). The D&L abruptly ends at the waste water treatment plant in Jim Thorpe, leaving the explorer really no viable option to continue north along the Lehigh Gorge section of the D&L. The Carbon County Commissioners have constructed a rather impressive bridge over the Lehigh River that will at some point in the future connect the Lehigh Canal to the Lehigh Gorge Trails adding another 35 miles of rail trail extending from Jim Thorpe to just south of Glenn Summit. However this bridge is closed until a half mile of the northern end of the Lehigh Canal trail is constructed which will not be completed until mid to late 2019 at the earliest (as of fall 2018). Check with the D&L if contemplating this trip.
Heading south on the D&L from Slatington, the trail is closed just south of Cemeton due to a road bridge replacement. This bridge will not be completed until Dec. 2020. At that point, a road bridge just upstream of the current project is due to start which will put another gap in the D&L that will last until late 2023. It is possible to detour the current gap and it might be possible to detour the future gap but make sure before you plan your vacation.
Happy Trails!
This trail is well-separated from the cars, so they're not a hazard, but there are a handful of crossings (with lights and pedestrian signals), which are annoying but easy and safe to do. This trail isn't in the woods (although the offshoots to Neshaminy Creek Trail are), so it's not somewhere to explore the beauty of nature, but it has two key virtues: (1) it is well-maintained asphalt with gentle turns and (2) the southern half is at a higher average elevation (200-250 feet) than the northern half.
Thus, heading south is a good workout with a lot of long-but-not-impossible climbs, while those same hills become long descents when heading north, a great place for people to develop confidence at higher speeds, using drop-bars, or practicing their lean for a high-speed turn. If you're just starting out cycling, or you're preparing for a 10- or 20-mile event, this is an excellent trail to develop your skills and improve your fitness.
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