Lehigh Valley Trail

Lehigh Valley Trail
Name	Lehigh Valley Trail
Length mi	14
Location	Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Designation	Rail-trail
Use	Hiking, cycling, horseback riding
Surface	Crushed stone, paved sections
Difficulty	Easy to moderate
Season	Year-round

Lehigh Valley Trail The Lehigh Valley Trail is a multi-use rail-trail corridor in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, linking urban centers, suburban communities, and rural landscapes. It connects historic industrial sites, parks, and transit hubs and serves as a linear greenway for Allentown, Pennsylvania, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Easton, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, and Northampton County. The trail follows former railroad rights-of-way associated with major carriers and regional lines, providing access to cultural institutions, conservation areas, and transportation networks.

Route and Description

The trail runs along the corridor that once carried freight and passenger trains operated by carriers such as Lehigh Valley Railroad, Central Railroad of New Jersey, Pennsylvania Railroad, Reading Company, and Conrail. Beginning near Allentown and extending toward Easton and Phillipsburg, the route passes through boroughs like Bethlehem and townships including Whitehall Township and South Whitehall Township. Key junctions and crossings include proximity to Interstate 78, U.S. Route 22, Pennsylvania Route 145, and historic canal sites related to the Lehigh Canal and Delaware Canal. The alignment connects to parklands such as Cedar Beach Park, Trexler Nature Preserve, and municipal greenways linked to Jacobsburg State Park and Nescopeck State Park. Surface conditions vary from crushed limestone and cinders to paved segments near urban centers and trailheads adjacent to rail stations like Allentown Transportation Center and intermodal facilities serving New Jersey Transit corridors.

History and Development

The corridor’s origins trace to 19th-century industrial expansion when the Lehigh Valley Railroad and competing companies built routes to serve anthracite coal fields, iron furnaces, and manufacturing centers tied to firms such as Bethlehem Steel Corporation and Lackawanna Steel. The corridor was influenced by regional developments including the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the rise of the Lehigh Valley ironworks and the decline of heavy industry in the late 20th century, culminating in consolidations like Conrail and divestments during Staggers Rail Act-era restructuring. Rail abandonment and rights-of-way acquisitions involved entities such as Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and nonprofit land trusts like Lehigh Valley Land Trust and municipal authorities including Lehigh County Authority. Conversion to a recreational corridor followed precedents set by national projects like the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy initiative and federal programs under the Transportation Enhancements Program and Land and Water Conservation Fund. Historic preservation efforts have highlighted structures associated with the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company and industrial archaeology around sites such as Snyder Avenue yards and former junctions tied to Easton and Amboy Railroad.

Facilities and Amenities

Trailheads provide parking, restrooms, and informational kiosks maintained by local governments such as City of Allentown and City of Bethlehem. Amenities include bike repair stations, water fountains, benches, and picnic areas sited near cultural institutions like National Museum of Industrial History, SteelStacks, and performing venues associated with Moravian College and Lehigh University. Interpretive signage covers topics related to Bethlehem Steel history, canal engineering by the Lehigh Navigation Company, and biographies of regional figures commemorated at nearby sites such as America On Wheels Museum and Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites. Connections to public transit provide multimodal access via Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority services and park-and-ride facilities near Route 145 interchanges.

Ecology and Environment

The trail corridor traverses riparian zones along tributaries feeding the Lehigh River and the Delaware River watershed, supporting habitat for species documented by organizations like Pennsylvania Game Commission and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Vegetation communities include successional woodlands, floodplain forests, and meadow habitats managed in cooperation with conservation partners such as The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Pennsylvania, and local chapters of Sierra Club and PennFuture. Wetland mitigation and stormwater best practices have been implemented consistent with guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Ecological features noted include populations of migratory birds monitored through birding networks associated with Cornell Lab of Ornithology, amphibian breeding sites, and native pollinator plantings promoted by university programs at Lehigh University and Muhlenberg College.

Recreation and Use

The trail supports activities including walking, running, cycling, cross-country skiing, and equestrian use in designated sections; organized events include charity rides, community runs associated with organizations like United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, and heritage tours coordinated with Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. It serves recreational users from neighboring metropolitan areas reachable via Interstate 78, Interstate 476, and Pennsylvania Turnpike connections and links to regional trail networks such as the D&L Trail and proposed extensions toward the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. Annual user counts, volunteer-led stewardship by groups like Lehigh Valley Trails Network, and programming with health partners such as Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke’s University Health Network support public engagement and active transportation goals.

Management and Maintenance

Management is a partnership among municipal agencies including Lehigh County, Northampton County, municipal parks departments, regional planning bodies such as the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and nonprofit stewards like the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Funding sources have included grants from federal programs administered by Federal Highway Administration, state grants via the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, philanthropic contributions from foundations such as the Kresge Foundation, and corporate sponsorships linked to regional employers like Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and PPL Corporation. Routine maintenance involves surface grading, invasive species control coordinated with Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council, bridge inspections compliant with Federal Railroad Administration standards where rail-adjacent structures remain, and volunteer cleanup events organized with civic groups such as Rotary International and Boy Scouts of America councils.

Category:Rail trails in Pennsylvania