911 Trail Part 16: Easton PA Area!
Details
Join us for the sixteenth in the 911 Memorial Trail series, this time in Easton PA! For this one, we have two different versions to suit the different interests of the group! They will be slightly different distances....
We will meet at 9 AM at Upper Hackett Park, but on the west side (left going up hill) along Hackett Ave. There is a ball field with larger parking area a bit in from the road, and it is where we met for the previous hike in this series on the Easton and Northern.
Easton has a ton of history, particularly associated with the railroads, and we've done a great deal of exploring through the area, so it's great to put it together again in this series for a larger group to enjoy.
There will be two versions, one is 15.3 miles, the other is 17.6. Most of it is flat old rail beds, but I've also put in a few interesting side trips to make it a full loop! There's a great deal of history to be shared here!
We'll start out with the Easton and Northern railroad line we left off on, retrace the last hike's steps back down to where we left the railroad grade.
The official 911 Memorial Trail route headed to the west of Easton and bypassed a few very important sites including the Circle, one of the few sites of Independence Day readings of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the National Canal Museum. We add both of these to the hike.
The railroad bed leads us as a secondary trail to the south to a former industrial site, now apartments. We'll cross Bushkill Creek where the railroad goes onto private land and walk the wide shoulder of Bushkill Drive the short distance to 4th, then get on the Karl Stirner Arts Trail, which follows more of the railroad bed.
Several art pieces are along it. Depending on time, we may head into the Easton Cemetery where we can find the grave of George Taylor, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
A trail leads both into the cemetery and then back down to the arts trail.
Rather than continue directly on the arts trail, I will show my favorite back way to the Lafayette College Campus on College Hill, with great views of the city. We'll pass through Fisher Campus and get the outstanding view seen in the first photo here.
We'll head down through Easton Circle and talk some history, then head south across the Lehigh on 611 to reach the Lehigh Canal towpath, which is slack water along the Lehigh River here. The towpath is a great trail route.
Along the way, the canal becomes it's own waterway with a beautiful restored section, and we'll pass by the ruins of the Glendon Ironworks.
It's here that the hike splits in two.
Those who wish to continue directly to the end will follow the canal and paved pathway ahead.
For those continuing ahead, the paved path and the canal towpath split. You may continue on unpaved towpath, but when you reach the old Glendon Bridge, turn right. The trail crosses over the Lehigh River on the old Glendon Bridge. On the other side, the paved path switches back and picks up the old Jersey Central Railroad grade. turn left to follow it.
The paved path will come to a split, where one, another former CNJ line, turns right going very gradually up hill. This is the route to take, which leads back toward 25th Street. It merges with yet another path back in Wilson area, where a left turn leads via the path directly back to Upper Hackett Park, crossing 22 on a footbridge. I will be coordinating with co leaders prior to this time.
The slightly longer version for those who will join me will include the Weyerbacher Brewery tour!
As many know, Weyerbacher makes my personal favorite beers, and we have only once done the tour with the group, so it's a good time to go back for round 2~
After the tour is over, we'll continue back down via a few side streets to regain the Lehigh Canal towpath near the old bridge site. We'll follow that back to the old Glendon Bridge, and then take the former Central Railroad of NJ right of way west for a bit.
We'll deviate from the CNJ grade briefly to follow the old trolley right of way closer to the river to Chain Dam...
We'll continue back to the CNJ grade and follow it west almost to Rt 33, and make the aforementioned right onto the spur line that connected with the Easton and Northern line of the LV Railroad.
The route follows a high shelf for a time, and then makes it's way into a suburban setting passing a thrift store and then joining with the E&N. We'll turn left here to follow it north.
We'll deviate slightly from the rail bed for the remainder of the time, and then pass the old Dixie Cup Factory. The trail then goes by Taco Bell where we can grab some food, and continues through some woods to the north. It leaves the railroad bed to ascend through Hackett Park from lower to upper, and crosses Rt 22 on a foot bridge.
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This promises to be an excellent, fun hike with lots of interesting points we've enjoyed for years.
The 911 Trail series should gain more momentum with better hikes once again in store for the series for the remainder of 2017.
For further info, contact me at 908 343 8374