Exploring Overlooked Gems Along the D&L Trail

Apr 28, 2026 | Written by Daniel DiBella

Venturing into Obscurity along the D&L Trail

Written by Steve Fala

Since the D&L trail begins south of Scranton spanning 165 miles to just north of Philadelphia, it passes by and through a variety of towns. This includes the tourist destinations like Jim Thorpe and New Hope and larger metropolitan areas like Allentown and Easton. Because of its length and the trail passing through distinctly different regions, even the locals are not always aware of the multitude of wonders along the entire route. For those looking for interesting and unique attractions off the beaten path, Atlas Obscura has long been the “Go To” website. There are several attractions referenced in the online Atlas and I have added a few more to peruse.

Here are some of the less traveled stops and other oddities for the wayward wanderer (in no particular order).

#1 – Ringing Rocks Park, Upper Black Eddy

Ringing Rocks Park is a massive boulder field where the high metallic content of the rocks produces musical notes when stuck with a metal hammer. As people wander amongst the field, they can be seen (and heard) whacking away at the rocks. Don’t worry, you aren’t going to damage these hardened boulders as you explore the symphony of notes. Any hard metal rod will work to elicit the tones so rather than damage your bike gear, just ask one of the amateur instrumentalists in the field for a quick hit or two if you don’t have one handy. Along the Delaware River section, the trail will take you through the Ringing Rocks Trailhead parking lot. The park itself is under a half mile via a trail or a mile uphill on the road from the Homestead Coffee Roasters. The park also includes trails which meander around the rocks and by the largest waterfall in the county.

#2 – Moravian Book Shop, Bethlehem

The Moravians are a Christian group who ventured from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania in 1741 naming their settlement Bethlehem (Yes, the Christmas town). The book shop opened in 1745 and has remained true to its faith these many centuries later. It lies a half mile off the trail, across from the Bethlehem Hotel and nestled between other shops along the quaint main street. The store specializes in the sale of Moravian Stars, also called Advent Stars, which were first produced in 19th-century Germany. The 26-point stars are crafted in many styles and materials. Since this is the town center, the Moravian Museum, Hotel Bethlehem and Penn State Creamery are all a few shops away and worth exploring for their historic and confectionary value.

#3 Bowman’s Hill Tower and the Graves of Washington Crossing Soldiers, New Hope

Washington Crossing Park and Museum is the main historical attraction in this area with annual re-enactments of the events and historical tours. However, about 5 miles north along the towpath, a stone tower sits atop a hill overlooking the Delaware River. Bowman’s Hill Tower honors the spot down-river where Washington’s troops crossed the Delaware on Christmas night in 1776, leading up to the Battle of Trenton. The public can ascend the tower during good weather days (as the stones are slippery in wet weather), to absorb the spectacular view of the river and surrounding area.

Just a little south from there are the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers lost during the crossing. A ring of markers stands between two large pillars and a central flag pole visible from the trail.

Looking straight up the 6-lines of the 1,200 foot long planes rising 450-feet of elevation. The Black Creek flows beneath, between the photographer and the workers shown. Note how narrow the engine house looks toward the right. Compare this image to the latter modern image of the stone foundations.

#4 Penn Haven, Lehigh Gorge

As you ride the towpath into Jim Thorpe in the Lehigh Gorge, the rail lines will converge at Penn Haven Junction. The high gorge walls hide a long-forgotten Penn Haven Planes atop the mountain. The steep slopes once housed two four track incline railroads that hauled coal and men down the mountain. Both tracks were completed in the 1850s running 1200ft up the mountain. As anthracite coal mining declined so did the railroad traffic ceasing in the 1970s. By then the inclines were dismantled and the ruins atop the hill with no road access had been relegated to seasonal hunters. If one is willing to trek the steep 450 incline up the mountain, they will be rewarded with discarded coal scraps and a rare view of the Lehigh Gorge.

Crossing the Muddy Waters: Photo by Linn Lisher

#5 Riegelsville Free Bridge, Riegelsville

Of all the bridges between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, only a few are free. The current bridge construction dates to 1904. It has survived and been damaged and repaired numerous times over the decades due to floods. Despite its age, the steel suspension bridge and green sheen emote a bygone era where tolls were collected for livestock, carts and carriages. Crossing the span is easy as there are pedestrian pathways on both east and west bound sides. Any bike groups will have to make sure they are under the 3-ton weight limit when crossing the span (so stow those heavy bike packs). Be advised that to access the bridge, you will have to exit the trail at the Riegelsville trailhead and navigate about 500ft to the S-turn approach to the bridge. Needless to say, traffic across the bridge is limited to 15 MPH so it is impossible to go any faster in this area.

Venturing to any of these attractions allows any traveler to embellish their D&L Canal story with the true brag of “the road less traveled” in their journey.

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