Lehigh Gorge State Park
Trail Description

Excerpted from
Mountain Bike!
Mid-Atlantic States
by Joe Surkiewicz

This ride emphasizes scenery, not bike-handling skills or endurance. As you ride north, check out the abandoned railroad tunnel adjacent to the first bridge crossing over the river. At many points along the way you can see the remains of the old canal that parallels the river. Look up and you'll be treated to the sight of waterfalls plunging into the river through siltstone and sandstone rock formations.

Finding the trail: Jim Thorpe, located between Allentown and Scranton, is about a 90-minute drive from Philadelphia. Take the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Exit 34 and follow US 209 south to Jim Thorpe. In town, turn right onto PA 903, which crosses the Lehigh River. Go three blocks to the stop sign, continue straight across PA 903, and go down the hill to Coalport Road and the park entrance. The trail starts on Coalport Road on the left at the Glen Onoko access area. Rest rooms are located along the trail at Glen Onoko and Rockport (about seven miles).

FFD Notes on the trail: While most folks start an out-and-back from Jim Thorpe, consider these options. Set up a shuttle by leaving a car in Rockport, about seven miles upriver. Or contact Blue Mountain Sports & Wear (800-599-4421), Jim Thorpe's mountain bike outfitter, for information on the shuttle service to Rockport and White Haven that lets you ride downhill to Jim Thorpe.