The Ultimate Guide To Bike Riding The Lehigh Gorge Trail
If you are only going to take one bike trip this fall, I would highly recommend biking the Lehigh Gorge Trail. Located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, the beautiful Lehigh River Gorge Trail is a magnificent 23 mile trail that goes from White Haven to Jim Thorpe. While on this trail you will encounter beautiful waterfalls, bridges with picturesque overlooks, and plenty of places to stop and enjoy the wildlife and scenery.
This ultimate guide to bike riding theLehigh Gorge Trail will tell you everything you need to know to make your bike ride a success.
Distance – 23 miles
Average TIme 3-5 hours
Difficulty Level easy to medium
Start Finish – Typically start at White Haven and finish at Jim Thorpe
What you need to know
The Lehigh Gorge Trail is part of the D&L trail that runs more that 140 miles through eastern Pennsylvania. From the hills of Wilkes Barre to the canal town of Bristol, the D&L winds through five counties. The Lehigh Gorge Section is a favorite of hikers and bikers as there is an abundance of picturesque scenery as you make your way through this primarily heavily packed crushed stone trail.
You can rent or bring your own bike for the ride. If you bring your own bike and you have two cars, you can leave one car at Jim Thorpe, and take the other up to White Haven.
Another option is to take a shuttle from Pocono Biking. You can rent a bike, bring your own, and just hop on the shuttle that will take you up to White Haven where the trail begins. When I went, the rental and shuttle cost $46 and I didnt have to worry about bringing my bike or transportation.
Lastly, you can step back in time and hop on board the train for a beautiful one hour scenic trip to your starting point. Prices are $35 for a one way trip with your bike, and $55 with a rental bike.
What to Pack
Bring a backpack with water and snacks. You may want to pack a lunch and stop at one of many picturesque places along the way. Depending on the weather, you may want to bring a rain jacket and gloves. The trail has lots of shade, but there is enough sun to suggest bringing sunscreen.
There are numerous picnic tables along the way to stop, relax and eat. There are also plenty of rocks where you can sit that overlook the river where you can enjoy the scenery of the rapids.
What You Will See
Waterfalls
There are pretty waterfalls that you will see along the trail, including Buttermilk Falls and Luke’s Falls. The first one you will see is Buttermilk Falls and is about a mile into the trail. It’s a beautiful 60 foot waterfall consisting of two drops.
Luke’s Falls is a 50 foot waterfall and is a half mile further down the trail. Both are beautiful falls and make a great backdrop for pictures.
Turn Hole Tunnel
This abandoned railroad tunnel is a nice stop and offers a pretty view of the Lehigh River. The entrance is in a parking lot on your left as you go down the trail. If you don’t look for it, it’s easy to pass right by as you can’t see the entrance from the trail without turning around.
The walk through the 500 foot tunnel is a bit dark and uneven. The flashlight from your phone will light the way nicely as you work you way to the end to see some pretty views of the Lehigh River.
Lehigh River
All along the trail, the Lehigh River will be on your left hand side ( if you’re going from White Haven to Jim Thorpe.) At the beginning of the trail it is mostly wooded and you will not have a clear view but that doesn’t last for long.
The views of the river are quite pretty and there are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the view, the white water rafters, people fishing, and the magnificent wildlife.
Conclusion
There is so much to see along this picturesque trail. Enjoy the ride and take the time to appreciate all the beauty that surrounds you.
Afterwards, be sure to save some time to walk around and explore the town of Jim Thorpe.It’s an adorable town with lots of history, cute shops and restaurants. You will often find the town center filled with live music and events.