About forty minutes north of Allentown, the landscape changes. The strip malls and subdivisions give way to forest. The road narrows. And then the gorge opens up, a steep walled canyon carved by the Lehigh River over millennia, thick with hemlock and oak, alive with the sound of rushing water.
Lehigh Gorge State Park covers more than six thousand acres and contains some of the most dramatic scenery in eastern Pennsylvania. If you live in the Lehigh Valley and you haven't explored it, you're missing one of the best things about living here.
The Lehigh Gorge Trail
The main trail runs twenty six miles from White Haven in the north to Jim Thorpe in the south, following the route of the old Lehigh Valley Railroad. The surface is packed gravel, the grade is gentle, and the scenery is spectacular. Waterfalls tumble down the gorge walls. The remains of old canal locks peek through the undergrowth. The river runs alongside you the entire way, sometimes calm, sometimes churning through Class II rapids.
The trail is rated easy to moderate despite its length, because the surface is smooth and the elevation change is minimal. You don't need to be an experienced hiker to enjoy it. Families with kids, casual walkers, and serious trail runners all share the path.
The Waterfalls
Several waterfalls are accessible from the main trail, and they are worth the short detours. The water cascades down mossy rock faces into pools that catch the light in ways that make every photographer stop and fumble for their camera.
The old Glen Onoko Falls trail was one of the most popular hikes in Pennsylvania for decades, but it was closed due to safety concerns after multiple rescues and fatalities on the steep, slippery terrain. An overlook trail of about eight tenths of a mile now provides views of the falls area without the danger of the original route.
Bald Mountain Loop
For hikers looking for a challenge, the Bald Mountain Loop Trail offers eight and a half miles of rugged terrain with significant elevation gain. Blue blazed and rated difficult, this trail climbs out of the gorge to ridgeline views before dropping back down. It is a full day commitment and rewards experienced hikers with solitude and scenery that the main trail can't match.
Getting There
Most Lehigh Valley hikers access the park from the southern end near Jim Thorpe, one of Pennsylvania's most charming small towns. Park at the trailhead, hike or bike as far as you want, and turn around. Or arrange a shuttle from one of the outfitters in town and do the whole trail one way, downhill, finishing in Jim Thorpe where you can reward yourself with a cold beer and a meal.
The northern access point at White Haven is less developed but offers a quieter experience, especially on weekends when the Jim Thorpe end gets busy.
Wildlife and Seasons
The gorge is home to black bears, white tailed deer, wild turkeys, and bald eagles. In spring, wildflowers carpet the forest floor. Summer brings lush green canopy and the chance to cool off at water's edge. Fall is peak season, when the hardwoods light up in orange and gold and the gorge becomes one of the best fall foliage destinations in the state.
Winter hiking is possible but requires caution. The trail can be icy, and the waterfalls sometimes freeze into stunning ice formations that draw adventurous photographers.
A World Apart
What makes Lehigh Gorge special is how quickly it transports you out of the everyday. Within an hour of leaving your driveway in Allentown or Bethlehem, you can be standing in old growth forest listening to nothing but water and wind. The gorge doesn't feel like it belongs to suburban eastern Pennsylvania. It feels like Appalachian wilderness, because that's exactly what it is.
