Lehigh Gorge State Park is the long, deep river valley that runs south from White Haven towards Jim Thorpe, and the rail trail along the bottom of it is the best easy day out from either of our Pocono homes. White Haven, where most people start, is ten minutes from Lake Harmony.
The trail follows the old railway bed along the Lehigh River for 26 miles, so it is flat, packed gravel, and shaded most of the way, with the river on one side and cliffs and waterfalls on the other. It works for small children on bikes and for anyone who has not been on a bike in years. The outfitters in White Haven rent bikes and run a shuttle: they drive you up to Jim Thorpe and you ride the 25 miles back downhill, gently, with lunch in the middle. Or do a shorter out-and-back from White Haven to Rockport and see the best of the scenery.
The river itself is the other option. Whitewater rafting on the Lehigh runs on scheduled dam-release weekends through spring, summer and autumn, and the same outfitters run trips that suit families as well as people who want to get properly wet.
Best from May to October. Weekends in peak foliage season are busy; book bikes and shuttles ahead. Bring water, there is not much along the way, and a layer for the shade.
