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The D&L Trail runs for more than 140 miles through Eastern Pennsylvania, from just north of Philadelphia to Mountain Top in the Poconos Region. It follows historical canal and railroad routes at the core of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, where natural resources and human ingenuity combined to power the nation’s Industrial Revolution.
Delaware Canal State Park Segment: 58 miles
The southern section of the D&L Trail from Bristol to Easton passes through the linear Delaware Canal State Park for nearly 60 miles. This is the longest section of trail, with only minor interruptions. The crushed-gravel surface follows the towpath that dates to the early 1800s, when Bristol was chosen as the terminus of the canal that carried huge shipments of anthracite coal to drive regional industries.
Travelers through here will find canal locks, aqueducts, and other historical structures and homes. Between Bristol and Morrisville, the trail passes near Levittown, an early example of the modern American suburb. Dining and lodging are available in many towns along this route. The tree-lined waterway supports bald eagles, herons, and ospreys, as well as smaller bird species and other wildlife. Walleye, bass, and shad thrive in the Delaware River.
Technically, the starting point for the trail begins at Bristol Lions Park (100 Basin Park, Bristol, Pennsylvania); however, a gap currently exists between the park and the trailhead at Jefferson Avenue (near Prospect Street), making the Jefferson Avenue trailhead an excellent starting point.
Along the D&L Trail, Washington Crossing Historic Park, a major attraction, lies 8 miles up from Morrisville. It marks the spot where General George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware on Christmas night in 1776 for a successful surprise attack on British forces.
As the trail arrives in New Hope, cross PA 32/River Road/Main Street, and take a sidewalk for about 300 feet to a short flight of steps back up to the canal path. The trail goes through downtown, which features dining and specialty shops. A popular stop here for exploring local history is the Locktender’s House (which serves as an interpretive center) and Lock 11.
From downtown New Hope, the trail follows the canal 35 miles to Easton, where it turns to head up the Lehigh River from its confluence with the Delaware.
Lower Lehigh River Segment: 16.7 miles
This section of the D&L Trail follows the path of the Lehigh Canal from Easton to Bethlehem and Allentown, the most populated section of the trail. Barges primarily hauled coal and iron from mines and foundries upriver beginning as early as 1818.
The pathway is paved at the beginning of this stretch but later is surfaced with crushed stone. Just before crossing the Lehigh River on the Hill Road bridge 2.3 miles past Easton, history buffs might enjoy continuing straight to Hugh Moore Park, home of the National Canal Museum, where visitors can ride a mule-drawn canalboat.
About 6 miles farther down the trail from the bridge, trail users can find the Freemansburg Canal Education Center, located in a restored mule barn from 1829. The historical site features a canal lock, lock tender’s house, and the ruins of a gristmill. Passing through neighboring Bethlehem, trail users have a clear view of the towering Bethlehem Steel chimneys across the river. Once a major steelmaker, the site is now home to an entertainment and cultural events venue named SteelStacks. This section of trail ends at Canal Park in Allentown.
Following the bend in the river north begins an 8-mile gap in the trail, where most of the route, except for a 0.5-mile path through Allentown’s Overlook Park, is on shared roads.
Middle Lehigh River Segment: 31.7 miles
An unimproved, but open, 1.4-mile section of the D&L Trail runs along the east side of the Lehigh River in Catasauqua and North Catasauqua. The path resumes at the intersection of Canal Street and West 10th Street in Northampton.
From the Northampton trailhead, the D&L Trail is paved for 1.3 miles through Canal Street Park and crosses the Lehigh River on the PA 329/West 21st Street bridge (bicyclists are encouraged to walk). On the west riverbank, the crushed-stone pathway—which follows the former railbed of the Lehigh Valley Railroad—travels upstream around a few bends through lush forests and towering cliffs with breathtaking views of the river. In 11 miles the trail reaches Slatington, where trail users will find the Slate Heritage Trail junction; both are named for the abundant slate deposits mined here.
Across the Lehigh River via the PA 873/Main Street Bridge is the 3.9-mile Walnutport Canal Spur that passes through Walnutport, where old locks, a lock tender’s house and museum, and ruins of an aqueduct are visible.
Northampton to North Catasauqua Segment: 1.5 miles
Running through the North Catasauqua and Northampton boroughs, this paved section of off-road trail features a new pedestrian bridge over a historic lock gate, a “living wall” that will support and protect the trail with green infrastructure, and gentle grading to make the trail accessible for all. Completing the D&L Trail in Northampton County, this trail is a momentous step towards finishing the 14 miles of loop trail known as the D&L Trail’s Lehigh Valley Gap. This new 1.5-mile trail section connects North Catasauqua with the existing 55+ miles of D&L Trail that runs north to White Haven.
Lehigh Gap and Lehigh Gorge State Park Segment: 24.3 miles
Staying on the main D&L Trail for 2 miles after the Main Street Bridge, the trail here enters the narrow Lehigh Gap. The Lehigh River and a highway also squeeze through the Kittatinny Ridge water gap, and the Appalachian Trail crosses the river here too. The trail also passes the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, which sits on a 750-acre toxic cleanup site left behind by a zinc processing company. This area represents an environmental success story, as it has been revegetated and returned as a habitat for native birds and wildlife.
From the nature center, it’s another 7 miles to Weissport. Note the 1-mile-long section of shared roadway on Riverview Road between East Penn Township and PA 895. Lehighton to Weissport has another 1-mile on-road segment that heads north on Lehigh Drive and then east across the river at Bridge Street to a section of trail heading 1.7 miles south to Parryville or 3 miles north toward the borough of Jim Thorpe. Just before crossing the river, trail users can also head 0.5 mile north to Lehighton on a spur that provides access to the downtown area, where there is a variety of restaurants and the headquarters for the Lehighton Outdoor Center, a biking and whitewater rafting outfitter.
On the east side of the river, the route from Weissport ends just before Jim Thorpe, but local shuttle services serve those passing through. Jim Thorpe, formerly named Mauch Chunk, is the burial site of the legendary Olympic athlete. It’s also home to an 1888 train station that’s the base of operations for the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway.
The trail picks up again in Jim Thorpe on the west side of the river, just south of the North Street bridge. Dramatic river gorge views greet D&L Trail users as they cross the Nesquehoning Trestle and continue the next 25 miles on crushed stone through Lehigh Gorge State Park and state hunting grounds. (There are no services for 22 miles on this stretch, so stock up in Jim Thorpe). Trail users will likely see kayakers and rafters in the river and scattered waterfalls in the steep rock face.
The next borough is White Haven, a former transportation hub during the coal-mining era and a good place to find food or lodging. Snowmobiling is allowed on the segment between Penn Haven and White Haven. At White Haven, a 0.3-mile section shares the road with Main Street and travels by restaurants, stores, and a bike rental shop.
Black Diamond Segment: 11.5 miles
The on-road segment in White Haven leads to the next section of the D&L, known as the Black Diamond Trail due to the region’s coal mining heritage. The trail climbs a slope for the next 10 miles, parting company with the Lehigh River along the way, to the Black Diamond Trailhead on Woodlawn Avenue south of Glen Summit. Most riders end (or start) their long-distance rides at the Black Diamond Trailhead, as this is the current end of the main section of trail.
There’s about a 4-mile gap from this trailhead north to the isolated 1.2-mile last section of the D&L Trail in Mountain Top. Studies are underway to find the best route through the mostly forested landscape. If trail users desire to continue to Mountain Top, they may consider a shuttle, as PA 437 has narrow shoulders.
The trail’s eventual destination is the river commons of the Susquehanna River in Wilkes-Barre. The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is working with multiple partners to complete this trail.
Connections
In Walnutport, the D&L Trail connects to the Slate Heritage Trail.
In Coplay, it connects to the Ironton Rail-Trail and in Northampton, it intersects with the Nor-Bath Trail.
In Easton, it intersects with the Palmer Township Recreation Trail (Towpath Bike Trail).
The Delaware and Raritan Canal Path parallels the D&L Trail on the other side of the Delaware River for a majority of its length.
The D&L Trail is a part of 3 trail networks, the Circuit Trails, encompassing Greater Philadelphia, the LINK, connecting Bethlehem, Easton, Allentown and the East Coast Greenway which stretches from Maine to Florida.
The D&L Trail runs between Lehigh St at Woodlawn Ave (Mountain Top) and 603 Jefferson Ave. (Bristol), with parking available at both endpoints.
Parking is also available at:
There are numerous parking options along this route, see TrailLink map for all parking options and detailed directions.
We rode from the Cementon trailhead out 10 miles to Slatington and back on March 19, 2025 and were disappointed in the conditions of the trail. Encountered large stones throughout the ride unlike the crushed stone base we experienced in previous rides in the spring of 24 and fall of 22. It was if someone maintaining the trail deposited large ballast rocks all along the trail surface really impacting the surface normally smooth ride. Also had to navigate many miles of bumpy tire tracks.
I love the D&L and ride it often. I’m trying to finish the entire trail and went to complete the northern most section from White Haven to Mountain Top. Unfortunately, about a mile in the amount of downed trees becomes too much (must have been from a storm). I fought through it and walked my bike but it was arduous. Around 4 miles north there was an area with multiple downed trees over the path. It was impassable so I turned around and fought my way back. I’m sad that I’ll have to wait until it’s cleared (hopefully in the spring).
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.
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.
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