The D&L Blog

A new season has arrived and getting out on the D&L Trail is great way to enjoy nature as Mother Earth awakens.  

Along the D&L Trail, spring is generally considered “mud season” due to the thawing ground and frequent rain showers. Most surfaces on the trail are compacted with a gravel surface to avoid collecting water, but conditions do change as you travel along!  Be prepared for sudden rain, high canal or river levels, and be sure to wear boots or waterproof shoes as you travel through the puddles. Also, remember that riding bikes or horses after rain can damage the trail surface and should be avoided.  

As the flora and fauna begin to reappear, trail users need to remain diligent about not damaging new growth along the trail. Always stay on the path, and keep your eyes and ears open for animals and their young traversing the trail. Don’t be surprised to see deer, geese, skunks, and even bears! 

Last month, we welcomed another new face to the Trails and Conservation team, Brit Kondravy, Conservation Coordinator. Brit is the D&L lead for Lehigh Valley Greenways and is tasked with coordinating the efforts of the LVG partnership, managing mini-grants, and promoting the efforts of the THE LINK Trails network. We are thrilled to have Brit on the team! To stay up to date with our conservation efforts, follow @LVGreenways on Facebook! 

Save the date for the first annual State of the D&L Trail Address on March 29th at 7:00 via Zoom. This virtual program will give you the opportunity to learn about trail updates, upcoming volunteer opportunities, programs the D&L offers, and a chance to ask the team questions you may have about the D&L. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been on the D&L Trail hundreds of times, or are new to the trail, this presentation will provide the information to help guide trip planning and highlight ways you can get involved.  

Coming up, spring kicks off trail celebrations as well as our monthly Trail Tender clean up events. April 23 is Celebrate Trails Day, an annual spring event encouraging people to get out and enjoy the regional trails. The D&L will participate in a Trail Tenders clean up partnering with Pick up the Poconos in Weissport. You can sign up for it here: https://www.poconomountains.com/pick-up-the-poconos/sign-up/. Register by April 18 to join us! Just remember to select Carbon County: Weissport Lehigh Canal Park Trailhead when registering.  

Finally, June 4 is National Trails Day, a day of advocacy for trails throughout the country. Stay tuned for more details, but expect to see D&L staff and volunteers out and about along the Corridor. Sign up for the D&L emails to stay up to date on all the ways to get involved.  

I hope to see you out on the trail! 

Mandy Tolino,

D&L Director of Trails & Conservation