Explore the best rated trails in Nanticoke, PA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail and Trolley Trail (Lehigh Valley) . With more than 34 trails covering 472 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
My husband and I use this trail a lot with our electric bikes. Well maintained but I do have concerns about some of the shallow rooted trees that must be trimmed and/or removed. Amy Marotta
Does anyone know if the trail is open between Jim Thorpe train station & Weissport is open? We are heading there this weekend of 9/13-15/2024. It’s been closed for most of the spring/summer season 2024 for construction. Just curious if we shout just head to the Weissport parking lot. Although the trail between JT & Weissport is a fun ride.
The upper part of the trail from Summit Hill to Mauch Chunk Lake is terrible to bike on. Needs maintenance badly.
Awful trail. The parking lot was closed near tamaqua. Gravel washed away. Large boulders to ride on was NOT fun. Noisy. Next to busy highway.
away from the plain, crushed stone paths of some R/Ts, start from either end of the Roaring Creek Trail. The elevation changes up and down ever so slightly, providing added interest as you travel alongside 2 reservoirs, multiple picnic tables, a waterfall, and wildlife. The quietness while riding this trail is a welcomed bonus.
Wow. Was very bumpy. A couple of trees were down. Started at Dingmans ferry. Went north. Lots of hills! Had to stop at Zimmermans Farm Road. It got too narrow from there. Exhausted!!
The trail is very nice and mostly shaded but the trail is a little rough. It is very bumpy. Scenic with the reservoir view near the end of the trail. Somewhat buggy.
We have been riding the D&H for years, as it is only an hour’s car ride away for us. We find the best parking to be at the Forest City Trailhead. It is paved, large, and has an outhouse.
We recently took a 23-mile ride on our hybrids. The trip started at Forest City, riding south to Carbondale. We turned around and went north, past Forest City, to Union Dale. At Union Dale, we turned to the south and ended the ride at our starting point in Forest City.
The trail is an interesting mix of nature, history, and artwork. For most of the ride you are in an isolated area. We had a white tail deer cross the path in front of us. There are many bridges which provide opportunity to view the stream which is running high this time of the year. In Union Dale, you will find a restored railroad car and remains of a mill. In Forest City and near Carbondale, you will find some interesting artwork.
The trail is in very good shape. It is hard packed with small gravel. At one time there were large stones near the Stillwater Dam, but they are no longer there, greatly improving the ride. While there are no large hills, there is a grade going north and you will have to work. We suggest taking this into consideration as you plan your trip.
Over the years, I've noticed that rail trails exist on a continuum when it comes to preserving the history of the earlier rail lines that they replaced. On one end are lines where the original RR infrastructure was dismantled or repurposed long ago and the only traces left are the greenway's name and a couple interpretive signs or kiosks, while on the other are trails that go all out highlighting the corridor's past with RR-themed signage, artwork and memorabilia, including restored rail cars and/or engines, old buildings, rock cuts, bridges and other historical sites.
Located in the north Allentown suburbs, the 9.2 mile long Ironton Rail Trail clearly falls on the latter end of this spectrum. As the description for the asphalt trail indicates, it was built along the route of the Ironton RR, a short line that initially hauled iron ore from local mines to the Lehigh River. After the iron ran out in the late 19th century, these mines were repurposed as limestone quarries and several cement manufacturing mills and kilns sprang up along the line, which extended from Ironton east along Coplay Creek to a point just outside Stiles. From here, the line split in two and looped around the towns of Stiles, Coplay and Hokendauqua, connecting to other railroads along the Lehigh riverfront. Cement production peaked in the early 20th century and the area entered a gradual decline, with the last mill ceasing to manufacture it by 1975. The RR was acquired by Conrail and taken out of service in 1983 and the tracks were pulled up 7 years later, in 1990.
Today, the Ironton Rail Trail follows this lasso-shaped route. The highlight of the 4 mile long western "Spur" of the trail is the crumbling ruins of several of the old concrete mills, now being reclaimed by nature and creating a beautiful, yet eerie landscape that gives the impression of a post-apocalyptic, lost civilization being found in the woods. Located about halfway along the Spur in Egypt, The Troxell-Steckel House & Farm Museum, meanwhile, gives trail users the opportunity to glimpse an earlier era of local history by preserving the house, barn and springhouse of one of the first Pennsylvania Dutch farms built in the area. Trees line most of the route of the trail, providing cool shade in the warmer months of the year, while the Whitehall Parkway serves as both a nature preserve and has its own small network of trails encircling the ruins of another mill complex.
Moving further east, the Spur of the trail passes beneath Route 145 and links to the 5 mile Loop portion at a junction just north of Stiles. As its name indicates, this portion forms a circular greenbelt around the suburbs of Stiles, Coplay and Hokendauqua. Highlights on the Loop include the historic cement kilns at Saylor Park, believed to be the last of their kind that are still standing, the remains of the Thomas Iron Works along the Lehigh River, the Beiry Yard, an old RR yard now converted to an open space area and the Tate Meadows preserve. Several homeowners have also used their proximity to the Loop to beautify their yards with small gardens and ornate fences and gates (stay on the trail and do not go on private property), further enhancing the scenery and an abandoned RR trestle that crosses the Lehigh River may eventually link the trail to the D&L and Nor-Bath trails in Northampton, Catasauqua and North Catasauqua. Numerous examples of RR memorabilia along the trail include a small engine and maintenance handcar at the western terminus of the Spur in the North Whitehall Rec. Area, an old passenger car in the Whitehall Parkway and a caboose in Coplay, a phone booth used by RR maintenance workers and foundations of an old water tower, blacksmith shop and section house. Several old RR sidings, with the rails still intact, also attest to the corridor's industrial heritage.
Numerous kiosks and interpretive signage extensively detail the history of the numerous sights along the trail and more info can be found on the Ironton Rail Trail website. There are also numerous benches along the route, three larger pavilions and numerous smaller ones. Anyone who loves rail trails and history should check out this gem of a suburban greenway.
Started our ride from the Freemansburg parking area and rode west to Bethlehem. The lack of maintenance was evident along this portion and remnants of the canal were deplorable with tons of trash and homeless camps. On our return trip to Easton we encountered the worse section of this trail between Freemansburg and the Rt. 33 boat ramp access. Multiple pot holes ,huge roots and where trees have been uprooted leaving the trail inches wide and 5 foot deep holes. Hope improvements are in the works.
We made our annual pilgrimage to the Lehigh Gorge section of the D&L trail. As usual we had a wonderful ride. Rode 48 miles round trip from Jim Thorpe to White Haven and back. Waterfalls were flowing and rapids were high, providing for some of the best scenery PA has to offer.
To add to the excitement, we saw a large rattlesnake crossing the trail. It had to be at least two feet long. Quite an exciting afternoon.
On a practical side, the White Haven renovations are complete with some of the best bathroom facilities I have seen on a trail anywhere.
Dinner on the porch of Molly McGuire’s in Jim Thorpe capped off the day.
So glad we decided to keep of the tradition of an annual visit.
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