Suburban Girl has been sitting on the soccer sidelines for too long:
Fall season, spring season, year after year.
Now that Soccer Boy is heading off to college,
it's time for Suburban Girl to
to shed a few pounds
and up the cardio.
Suburban Girl and Mr. Engineer used
to hike and bike quite frequently.
Then came the little ankle biters
and we tried to make hikers and bikers out of them too.
Not successfully.
(Ask me about the Mountain Fairy sometime.)
This fall there will be no soccer games to attend.
So it is back to the trails for us.
The first bike trip we've taken together in a while is a keeper.
I love a bike trip that involves a destination,
something to do,
some good scenes.
interesting rest stops.
This trip had it all.
I am going to document it for others
because there is little directional signage.
Easton to Bethlehem via the DandL Trail, Lehigh Canal South
Round trip 30 miles
Delaware Canal State Park
We drove about an hour to Easton, PA in Northampton County
to the Delaware Canal State Park
at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers.
210 S. Delaware Drive, Easton, PA 18042
There is free parking here.
From the lot, facing the rivers and Phillipsburg,
take the trail to the LEFT along the Lehigh River.
Stay on the paved trail.
S. 25th Street Bridge
When you get to the bridge at
2.3 mi,
cross over it and pick up the trail across the street.
At
2.9mi pass through Riverview Park.
(If there is a ball game the restrooms and snack bar may be open.)
Riverview Park
At
3.3mi you'll see the Chain Dam to the left.
Chain Dam
At
5mi when you see a boat ramp on the left
keep to the gravel road - the trail looked pretty rough.
Boat Launch
The gravel road will end at a T and STOP sign at Hope Road.
Hope Road
Turn left, go under the arched bridge and approach the yacht club gate.
Arched Bridge
At
7.4mi facing the front of the gate, the trail continues to your right.
Yacht Club
Trail at Yacht Club
This gravel trail will take through the Freemansburg canal area at
8.6mi.
This is a great rest stop with picnic tables.
Locktender's House at Lock #44
From Freemansburg continue on the trail bearing left.
At
12.5mi pass under Minsi Trail Bridge
which is accessible via steps if you are so inclined.
Gravel Trail
Keep on the gravel trail to Sand Island Park.
At
13.6mi, Sand Island Park, cross the second pedestrian bridge on your left
and turn RIGHT onto River St.
Turn RIGHT onto Main St.
This takes you to Old Bethlehem towards your left
which offers plenty to do.
Or, you can continue on to the the Bethlehem Steel Stacks
by turning RIGHT onto W. Lehigh St.
turn RIGHT at
14.1mi and cross the bridge over the river.
Turn LEFT onto Columbia St.
LEFT onto Polk
RIGHT onto 1st or 2nd.
Either street will take you to the steel stacks at
~15mi.
There are food and restrooms here.
The Steel Stacks
What is cool about this destination
is the old steel stacks
which can be viewed up close
by the Hoover Mason Trestle, a walkway.
After taking in the steel stacks,
we returned the way we came.
I'll post about the Hoover Mason Trestle and Steel Stacks shortly.
Suburban Girl recommends this trail because
it is mostly level,
it runs along a river and/or canal,
you'll pass by occasional ruins,
the trail is mostly shaded,
there is wildlife to see,
Riverview Park and Freemansburg provide rest areas,
there is plenty to do at your destination.
All images by Rebecca Haegele have been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Click on any image to go to its gallery for purchasing information.
