The D&L Blog

Step Into Spring on the D&L Trail

In this Issue

Seasonal Announcements
Seasonal Tips
Trail Update
Trail-cation in the Corridor
Get Your Tail on the Trail this Spring
Canal Camino Makes its way to the D&L Trail
Web Map Updates
Other Opportunities Along the Trail

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SEASONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Written by Liz Rosencrans, DLNHC Director of Trails & Conservation

It’s going to be a busy spring along the D&L Trail! There are multiple events, volunteer opportunities, and of course the D&L Trail itself to explore this season. Dig into this edition of Dirt on the Trail to learn what’s in store for you in the coming months.   

• Dirt on the Trail: Directors Cut – formerly the State of the D&L Trail Address – premiers on Thursday, April 16^th at 6PM. This year’s program features the latest trail updates, essential trip‑planning resources, two new trip itineraries, program highlights, and upcoming volunteer opportunities across the Corridor in eastern Pennsylvania. This is a must see for all D&L Trail users and volunteers! 
  
• 2026 Trail Tender Events – registration is open for 5 Public Trail Tender events and more are on the way! Join DLNHC and our partners to clean up the D&L Trail this year through litter pick up and vegetation trimming along the trail and around historic remnants like canal locks and railroad turn tables. Our first cleanup is on Saturday, April 4^th at the Sand Island Boat Launch in Bethlehem.  
  
• Trail Volunteer Trainings – are you interested in becoming a D&L Trail Patroller or Adopting-A-Section of D&L Trail? Register for a volunteer training session to learn the skills and get the gear for these important programs. Our Spring training session is Saturday, April 18^th at the National Canal Museum in Easton. 
  
• Sojourns and Walks – Registration is now open for the 2026 Lehigh River Sojourn, featuring an exciting new biking component this June. Details about the Get Your Tail on the Trail (GYTOT) Health & Heritage Walk Series will be announced soon—learn more below.
  
• Big News on the D&L Trail – sections reopened after a 4-year closure along the Delaware Canal and new trail construction underway in Luzerne County – read the Trail Update for more information.  

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Seasonal Tips

Before you rush onto the trail this season for recreation or volunteering, scroll through our seasonal tips for some quick refreshers to keep your travels safe and dry.  

• Mud, mud and more mud! Spring is “mud season” across Pennsylvania and along the D&L Trail due to frequent showers and thawing ice. Be alert for wet trail conditions and remember that bikes and horses can damage gravel trail sections when wet. Check out the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Mud Season Hiking Dos and Don’ts for more tips.  

• Unpredictable weather conditions. The weather can change without warning in Spring – be prepared for sudden rain, high canal and river levels, and stay alert for flash flood warnings along low lying water adjacent trail sections. To learn how to stay dry and have fun during the rainy season visit REI’s How to Go Hiking in the Rain 

• Plants & Animals along the Trail. Spring is a time of growth along the trail with plants and animals emerging from a winter hiatus. Please stay on the trail path, even when a puddle is in your way, to avoid damaging growing plants along the trail. And be alert for animals and their new babies that traverse the trail – don’t be surprised to see deer, geese, skunks, and even bears depending on what trail region you’re in.

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TRAIL UPDATE 

Openings & Closings along the D&L Trail  

We are excited to announce that the two major trail closures along the Delaware Canal section of the D&L Trail are now open! Tropical Storm Ida hit the trail hard in 2021 and closed the D&L at multiple locations, including the High Falls Sub-Canal Culvert (MM 44.23) where the trail crosses High Falls Creek and the Lumberville Aqueduct (MM 31) where the trail crosses the Paunnacussing Creek. Creative solutions were needed for these two projects to create a resilient repair along a historic resource that would be able to survive major storm events that have increased in both intensity and frequency. Thanks to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Delaware Canal State Park, these two locations are officially open again with new and improved structures that will protect the canal and trail for years to come.  

New D&L Trail is on the way with the start of construction in Luzerne County! The Anthracite Scenic Trails Association in partnership with Hanover Township have started construction on 4.5 miles of D&L Trail between Mountain Top and Laurel Run Borough. This trail section was formerly open and unimproved – meaning it was publicly owned by ASTA and open to trail users, but the trail surface had never been improved beyond what was left after the Lehigh Valley Railroad abandoned and sold the rail corridor. With funding support from the PA Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) this project will create a 10’ crushed stone multiuse trail that D&L Trail users have come to recognize along other improved sections. The project kicked off on Monday March 23rd and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. This is a very exciting step towards closing the D&L Trail Luzerne Gap and connecting the trail to downtown Wilkes-Barre!

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Trail-cation in the Corridor

Written by Brit Kondravy, DLNHC Conservation Manager

I travel around the world to hike, bike, and paddle. Apparently, there’s a name for this type of vacation. It’s called “trail-cation”.  (My husband calls it torture but that’s a different story.) 

Traveling outside the state is something I can only do for one or two weeks a year, however. So in-between trips requiring an airplane ticket or long-distance drive, I go on recreation adventures in the Corridor. This is something anyone living in or near Bucks, Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon and Luzerne counties can do. Between the water trails, hiking trails, rail trails, trail towns and local history, there are various multi–day excursions just waiting to be enjoyed. 

For a guided experience, I encourage Corridor community members to consider joining the Lehigh River Sojourn. DLNHC coordinates this event with Wildlands Conservancy, Northampton County Parks and Recreation, Pocono Whitewater, Lehighton Outdoor Center, Lehigh County Authority, and several other partners.

You may be wondering what a “sojourn” is.  

The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) describes a sojourn as a “fun and safe adventure on a stream, creek, river, lake or other body of water in a self-powered craft such as kayak, canoe, stand-up paddle board, or even an inner tube.” Pennsylvania typically hosts six annual sojourns throughout the summer, ranging in length from 1 to 14 days. The goal of these trips is to promote awareness of the state’s rivers and environmental stewardship. POWR supports sojourns through grants. (Thank you POWR!) 

Lehigh River Sojourn is an opportunity to experience the Lehigh River Water Trail and D&L Trail like a tourist – even if it’s in your own backyard.  Certified guides lead a three-day adventure that combines paddling, biking and whitewater rafting, with catered meals and free camping opportunities. This year Lehigh River Sojourn will be held from Friday, June 19^th to Sunday, June 21^st. See below for each day’s highlights: 

Disconnect to Reconnect  

What I love about sojourn is that it’s an invitation to disconnect from screens and the daily to-do list and reconnect with community in the great outdoors.  I hope you’ll consider joining us this year for one of my favorite trailcations in the Corridor.  Participants are welcome to register solo or bring along family and friends. Either way, you’ll be sure to make some new friends along the way.  

See you on the River! 

~Brit 

Register for 1, 2, or all 3 days of Sojourn at: Lehigh River Sojourn – Wildlands Conservancy 

Questions about the trip? Reach out to Brit at (484) 215 – 6227 or at  conservation@delawareandlehigh.org 

Get Your Tail on the Trail this Spring

Our annual Get Your Tail on the Trail Winter Challenge Kickoff at Hugh Moore Park drew an impressive crowd, despite the 20-degree weather. The kickoff event marks the start of our annual 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge—the first of our two yearly initiatives designed to encourage our community to get outdoors and stay active. 

This year we had over 770 folks brave the coldest winter we’ve had in years and unlock the badge. They’ll receive an athletic scarf that loops into itself as the prize.  

Our second and larger challenge is set to begin on May 1^st and runs until November 15^th. Participants have to log at least 165 miles to unlock the badge and receive the prize incentive. We’ll be celebrating the start of the challenge at Sand Island in Bethlehem on Sunday, May 3^rd at 10 AM. The Kick Off event will feature a walk, run, and bike along with a welcome talk given by a St. Luke’s University Network Physician.   

To help Get Your Tail on the Trail Users stay motivated during the challenge period, we’ll be continuing out Health & Heritage Series. You’ll be able to find a list of all events for 2026 on our website. 

If you’re excited to prioritize your health in 2026, join the Get Your Tail on the Trail website, you can earn badges and win prizes all by logging your physical activity. Sign up on TailonTheTrail.org.  

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Canal Camino Makes its way to the D&L Trail

Written by Alice Wanamaker, DLNHC Economic Development Manager

Last fall I came across a Facebook post that caught my attention (it wasn’t a reel or video short, but a real blog post!) The blog was a group of women who were using the D&L Trail for a multiday trip. But not, just any trip… A CAMINO! The ladies made something that seemed so unattainable, the Camino, and brought it to Eastern Pennsylvania – making it doable for folks like me! I find their journeys really cool and inspiring! So, I reached out and dug a little deeper… here is what I learned!   

First, the “who.” A group of five sisters; Lenore Beers – Easton, Lorraine McKiniry – Easton, Shannon McKiniry – Phillipsburg, NJ, Erin Hans – St. Michael’s MD, and Tara McKiniry – Easton make up the group. They get together for a trek about twice a year, choosing different start and ending points and staying out for two to four days. While talking with the group, I could quickly see that they are close and while they spend time together often, they look forward to this trip together.   

So, what is a camino?  “The Camino de Santiago—or the Way of St James—is a network of ancient pilgrim routes across Europe, all leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.”     

In 2018 the group of sisters were inspired by the epic pilgrimage Camino de Santiago that runs through France and Spain after watching the film “The Way”. Shannon explained that the epic trip which typically takes somewhere between 30 and 40 days is something she and her sisters intend to do when their children are grown and they have more time, but they wanted to try to re-create the spirit of the pilgrimage in their own accessible way. Familiar with the D&L Trail, the sisters decided to start planning their caminos closer to home. Aside from the time together, the most appealing aspect of a camino was that they would not need to carry all their gear, food and water throughout the journey. Using businesses and restaurants along the way to help lighten the packs, and most importantly, overnight accommodations such as hotels could accommodate their larger group for one-night stays. “We really like to highlight and patronize the businesses, inns and restaurants along the way,” said Lorraine.  

Their first trip, which started in Washingtons Crossing was dubbed the “Camino de Washington.”  

Shannon takes on the majority of planning their trips, which take place in spring in fall – they avoid the heat of the summer and cold snowy winters. As far as the distance they traveled? They have gone for as far as 40 miles with some miscalculations along the way, learning that the 18 miles from Easton to Frenchtown is too long for one day. They have found their comfortable pace to be 6-10 miles per day.  

Planning when and where to get off the trail is mostly out of necessity, as some areas of the D&L Trail have more bars and restaurants, and bathrooms, than others. Along the way, the sisters never run out of things to talk about, including their careers, their mom and children who are often times along for the adventure. They also laugh a lot and enjoy taking in nature.  Often traveling with binoculars, they have come across snakes, foxes, eagles, turtles, and have even collected mushrooms. Traveling twice a year allows them to take in the natural beauty in both spring and fall. 

While they don’t need to pack tents and blankets, they do need to have essential hiking gear in the packs. They also carry with them warm comfy socks, a change of shoes, one nicer outfit to go out to dinner along the way, minimal toiletries, first aid items, rash creams, and wine. They also have some sentimental items including a key to a lock in memory of their dad and a unique mule charm necklace.  

Admittedly the sisters have been so tired and sore from their walking that they think they don’t want to do another one. But as the pain fades, they can’t wait to get back out there together, exploring the beauty, history and nature that is the D&L Trail. “Time on the canal with my sisters has made up some of the best, treasured memories of my life.” said Lorraine. 

You can follow along with their adventures this spring on their Facebook page here where you can learn about their favorite D&L Trail Friendly Businesses and more.  

Web Map Updates

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our Interactive Map is updated regularly with information provided by landowners. Please note, an update will remain posted with the original posting date for as long as the incident is relevant.  

Please check our Interactive Map for current updates before planning any excursions on the D&L Trail.

There are multiple construction projects throughout the Delaware Canal Region and D&L Trail statuses may change weekly. Please practice patience and safety while navigating around these closures as it takes time to properly rebuild the trail. 

• Seven Tubs to Mountaintop– the Mountain Top–Oliver Mills section of the D&L Trail, also known as the Black Diamond Trail, has started construction.
• Cementon to Northampton – Northampton Canal Park and the D&L Trail between Mile Markers 82.19 and 82.26 have reopened to the public following temporary closures related to a bird flu outbreak among the local goose population.
• Durham Aqueduct – The Delaware Canal towpath at High Falls Creek (MM 44.23) in Upper Black Eddy is now open. The sub‑canal culvert has been fully replaced, and the towpath has been rebuilt and resurfaced.

Other Opportunities Along the Trail 

Towpath to Tomorrow: A Taste of the Lehigh Valley

Registration is now open for our annual spring fundraiser, Towpath to Tomorrow! 

Join us on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 6–8 p.m. at the Crayola Experience in Easton for a festive evening celebrating the Lehigh Valley and get a preview of the future of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor!

Click Here to Learn More and Secure Your Spot!

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Carbon County D&L TrailFest

Mark your calendars for the return of Carbon County D&L TrailFest, happening Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lehighton Outdoor Center, 123 Lehigh Drive, Lehighton. After a successful inaugural event celebrating the D&L Trail and the vibrant communities it connects, TrailFest returns for its second year with even more opportunities to explore, taste, and experience the best of Carbon County’s outdoor culture.

Click Here to Learn More or to Apply as a Vendor

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Eastern Pennsylvania Greenways & Trails Summit Call for Presenters

The planning committee for the 2026 Eastern PA Greenways & Trails Summit has opened its call for presentation proposals for this year’s event, to be hosted September 16–18 in Bethlehem. Members of the regional trails community are invited to contribute to three days of speakers, breakout sessions, and discussions on leading topics in greenways and trail development.

Click Here to Learn More and Submit a Proposal