The D&L Blog

Celebrating A Year of Progress: DLNHC’s Impact in 2025 

Written by Dan DiBella

2025 was a busy and impactful year for Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC). From community projects to volunteer milestones and trail improvements, our work continues to connect people to the D&L Trail and preserve the rich history of our region. Here’s a look at what we’ve accomplished together in 2025 (NOTE: Data tracked from January till the beginning of November 2025). 

Index

Trail Projects: Building Connections 
Community Projects: Investing in Our Communities
We’re Building a Greener Lehigh Valley 
Get Your Tail on the Trail Continues to Make an Impact
Volunteer Impact: The Heart of DLNHC  
Preserving Our Industrial Heritage 
Looking Ahead

Trail Projects: Building Connections  

This year brought some exciting progress on the trail! The Lumberville Aqueduct and Pedestrian Bridge reopened thanks to DCNR, restoring a key connection for walkers and cyclists. In Easton, we supported repairs under the 3rd Street Bridge at Mile Marker 59.15 to keep the trail safe and accessible. We also helped advance permitting for projects that will create a fully connected route through the Lehigh Valley, including plans to close the Allentown gap. Big news for the region: $2.6 million was awarded for pedestrian and multimodal improvements. Beyond that, we provided landowner support for Luzerne Gap projects and began planning with Falls and Bristol Townships to improve safety at six street crossings in Lower Bucks. Each of these steps moves us closer to a seamless, safer trail experience for everyone. 

Community Projects: Investing in Our Communities  

DLNHC is committed to stewardship and supporting projects that enhance the trail experience and local amenities. This year, we provided:  

• $10,000 in support to the City of Easton for emergency repairs 
• Invested approximately $7,000 in Take Action community projects, including a new water fountain and concrete game tables at Scott Park.
• $10,352 in funding provided for events such as community festivals and 5K’s and $24,000 in funding provided for projects such as signage, trail repairs benches, trash cans and other trailhead amenities! 

These investments reflect our dedication to creating vibrant, welcoming spaces for trail users and residents.   

Take Action Updates: Connecting People to the Trail  

This year, as part of our Take Action campaign, we introduced several initiatives to make the D&L Trail more accessible and inclusive. Highlights include launching the ‘Welcome to Your Spot’ section on our website, sharing personal trail stories online and through social media. 

We also implemented a new website translation tool to better represent the languages spoken in our region, complemented by new rack cards and stickers in English and Spanish. In Lehigh County alone, 25.4% of residents report speaking a language other than English at home—the highest rate among Pennsylvania counties. 

While English and Spanish speakers make up the largest share, communities are also seeing growing representation from Chinese, Russian and Arabic speakers. These initiatives highlight the expanding presence of non-English languages both at home and in schools throughout Pennsylvania and the Corridor. DLNHC remains committed to ensuring that our programming and signage are accessible to all. 

We’re Building a Greener Lehigh Valley 

This year, Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape awarded $100,000 in mini-grants to support projects that strengthen land conservation, outdoor recreation, green infrastructure, community revitalization, and environmental education across the Valley’s two counties. These grants made a big impact, helping to: 

• Plant 750 native species, boosting ecological resilience and adding biodiversity along key greenway corridors. 

• Restore three acres of land, revitalizing habitats through soil stabilization, invasive species removal, and reintroducing native vegetation. 

• Enhance amenities on THE LINK Trail Network, improving the experience for trail users along the Ironton Rail-Trail, D&L Trail, and Jordan Creek Greenway. 

• Expand environmental education and outreach, reaching more than 1,150 students, 60 community members, and hundreds of visitors through school programs, community events, and educational signage. 

Get Your Tail on the Trail Continues to Make an Impact

DLNHC partners with St. Luke’s University Health Network for the ‘Get Your Tail on the Trail’ initiative—a family-friendly program that inspires the community to stay active by logging miles walking, running, biking, or paddling on the D&L Trail or anywhere you exercise, even at the gym. This year, 841 new participants joined the program, bringing us to 1,602 active users. Together, we’re connecting people to nature, history, and healthier living—one mile at a time. 

The Get Your Tail on the Trail Winter Challenge kicks off with the 30 in 30 Challenge, starting January 31 and running through March 1. Click here to learn more and register. 

Volunteer Impact: The Heart of DLNHC  

Our volunteers are the strength of DLNHC, doing everything from maintaining the D&L Trail to greeting visitors at the National Canal Museum. Their efforts define our community-based mission and make preservation possible.  

2025 Trail Volunteer Impact:  

Our trail volunteers accomplished so much this year, collectively working over 2,300 hours, collecting 161 bags of waste, and patrolling nearly 7,400 miles of the D&L Trail! We hosted four public Trail Tender events and nine private ones, welcoming 96 participants who put in 364.5 hours to maintain 22 miles of trail and remove 57 bags of trash. 

Adopt-A-Section volunteers added 13 new members—bringing the total to 86—and together with 125 participants, they contributed over 415 hours, cared for 104 miles of trail and 11.5 miles of canal, and cleared 56 bags of trash.  

We also welcomed 12 new Trail Patrol volunteers, bringing that team to 42 strong. Every effort makes a difference, and these numbers show just how dedicated our volunteer community is to keeping the D&L Trail beautiful and safe. 

Our volunteers don’t just work on the trail—they play a vital role inside the National Canal Museum too! From greeting visitors as friendly docents to helping in the gift shop and assisting with archival projects, their efforts keep history alive and ensure every guest has a memorable experience. 

Want to join this incredible team? Explore opportunities like Museum Docent & Gift Shop Helper, Trail Tender & Trail Patrol, Field Trip Educator, Facilities & Maintenance, Office & Archives, and Gardeners. Click here to learn more about our volunteer opportunities. 

Preserving Our Industrial Heritage 

The National Canal Museum had an incredible year! We cataloged more than 4,200 historic items, reviewed over 5,500 archival records, and inventoried 7,700 artifacts—each one helping us preserve the stories that shaped our region. On top of that, we welcomed more than 5,300 visitors for admissions and canal boat rides and kept the museum open for over 1,000 hours. These milestones ensure the legacy of the people who built the region that helped spark the American Industrial Revolution lives on for generations to come. 

Looking Ahead  

As we wrap up 2025, we’re proud of the progress made and excited for what’s next. Thank you to our volunteers, partners, and supporters for helping us preserve history and connect communities through the D&L Trail. 

Your support helps us connect and maintain the 150+ miles of D&L Trail. If you’ve enjoyed the trail or learned something through our programs, please consider giving today. 

Donations help us maintain the trail, expand our educational programming, preserve historic artifacts, and keep this resource thriving for everyone. 

Reminder: The data shared here reflects activity from January through early November 2025. 

Follow us and subscribe to our newsletter for updates when we release the full year’s data in January 2026: 

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