Liberty Bell Trail (Coopersburg)

Pennsylvania

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Officials in Coopersburg, a small town in southern Lehigh County, have constructed a small rail trail along a segment of the old Liberty Bell trolley line that passes through the borough.

The Liberty Bell Trolley line once extended from Norristown north to Bethlehem, connecting numerous towns in Southeast PA to both the Philadelphia and Allentown-Bethlehem metro areas during the early and mid-20th century. Although it was abandoned and dismantled in the 50's, much of the route was converted to right of ways for powerlines and remains intact to this day. Plans are under way to build a multi-use greenway along this line in Bucks and Montgomery counties from Quakertown south to Norristown, joining the Saucon Rail Trail to the Schuylkill River Trail. Segments of this trail in Hatfield and Lansdale are already completed and other municipalities plan to begin work on their sections in the near future.

There are currently no plans to connect the trail in Coopersburg to the one further south. This link will instead be made via the nearby Saucon Rail Trail, which, as of 2020, is currently being extended south to Quakertown.

Located on the west end of town, the Coopersburg segment of the Liberty Bell Trolley Trail extends from a small trailhead at the end of Liberty Street south through open spaces behind nearby residential communities, passing wetlands and forests. The trail crosses Locust and Tilghman streets, both low volume residential streets, before ending at Linden Street on the south side of town. The trail has a smooth, crushed stone surface and no significant grades, making it perfect for bicycles and foot traffic.

In addition to giving the west side neighborhoods their own rail trail, the open space that the Liberty Bell Trolley Trail passes through is an oasis for local wildlife and keeps kids off the streets. Despite being a stand alone project, the close proximity to the Saucon Rail Trail, located across town, provides an indirect link to the nearby Allentown-Bethlehem metro area and northern Bucks County.

Parking and Trail Access

Parking is available at trailheads off Liberty Street at the north terminus and Linden Street at the south end, as well as along local streets.