The D&L Blog

The 109-mile-long Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, flows through four of the five Corridor counties. With it comes a very special recreation opportunity – the Lehigh River Sojourn. 

The 28th annual Lehigh River Sojourn, June 8 – 11, is hosted by Wildlands Conservancy to provide a guided, multi-day paddling trip on the Lehigh River. This Saturday through Tuesday event invites you to experience whitewater rafting, canoeing, and overnight camping as well as catered lunches, educational activities and special events with community partners – including DLNHC! This year will include highlights for the 20th anniversary of Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape and the final day will end at the National Canal Museum. 

If you are ready for a temporary stay – i.e., a sojourn – on the Lehigh River, check out highlights of the trip itinerary below: 

• Day 1 – Saturday, June 8, 2024: Enjoy whitewater rafting through the Lehigh Gorge State Park from Drakes Creek to Glen Onoko, with a catered lunch and conservation stories provided by Wildlands Conservancy President Chris Kocher. The total trip on the water for Day 1 is 10.5 miles. Optional overnight camping is available at Mauch Chunk. 
• Day 2- Sunday, June 9, 2024: Breakfast is served at Jim Thorpe Outfitter Beach before sojourners embark on a 14-mile paddle from Jim Thorpe to Walnutport, with a lunch stop at Bowmanstown. During lunch, Da Vinci Science Center will lead an educational program about watershed conservation. Optional overnight camping is available Walnutport Canal Association.  
• Day 3 – Monday, June 10, 2024: A gentle 9-mile paddle from Walnutport to Northampton awaits, with a stop at Treichler’s for catered lunch and an educational program delivered by Lehigh Gap Nature Center. 
  • SPECIAL EVENT: After paddling, sojourners are encouraged to join in on the fun for Northampton County Parks and Recreation’s 50th anniversary and Lehigh Valley Greenway’s 20th anniversary joint-celebration at Wayne Grube Park! Sojourn participants can enjoy food from food trucks with a food voucher courtesy of Northampton County as well as live music. This event is also open to the public.
• Day 4 – June 11, 2024: A breezy 8.8-mile paddle from Sand Island Bethlehem to Hugh Moore Park. The first 3.6-mile section is great for viewing bald eagles and experiencing our “metro-wilderness.” The lunch stop will take place at Rt. 33 boat launch, with an educational program about canal and lock history delivered by DLNHC’s own Historian, Martha Capwell Fox. After taking out at Hugh Moore Park, sojourners have an opportunity to meet Wildlands Conservancy’s animal ambassadors and explore, “Putting Down Routes: From Native Trails to Interstates,” the new special exhibit at the National Canal Museum.  

We hope our community takes the time to explore the lifeblood of our region for one day or more during the Lehigh River Sojourn – a collaborative community event rooted in conservation and recreation. 

To learn more and register visit: Lehigh River Sojourn – Wildlands Conservancy (wildlandspa.org) 

Love the river? Find out how you can take action to protect waterways and improve water quality throughout our region at: Take Action – DNLHC – Delaware & Lehigh (delawareandlehigh.org)