Quoted message said:From: Jonathan Fretheim ([email hidden]) Subject: PA riders: Easton to Philly? Date: 2003-04-27
10:30:13 PSTWhat's the best route from Easton to Philly? I'm trying to end up just a couple blocks west of the
Spring Garden St. bridge in Powelton. thanx much.
Hey, I've actually have done this trip (in sections) Sorry for the late reply!
Basically, you've got three choices
1) Follow the flat land along the Delaware River (Delaware Canal)
2) Follow the flat land along the Lehigh & Perkiomen Creeks to Schuylkill River
3) Follow the flat land that runs down the hill between them which is roughly Old Bethlehem Road or
the Bethlehem Branch of the Reading RR.
Route #2 is the most direct, and may be the most scenic. It's mostly on trails or low volume road,
but it uses dirt & gravel paths like the Lehigh Towpath, Manayunk Towpath. A mountain bike isn't
really necessary, but I wouldn't take a road bike if it had rained in the last week. A modified our
touring bike should be fine.
Easton to Philly L-left, R-right, S-straight, X-cross
EASTON Start - Old Canal Museum Parking lot L on paved Lehigh Canal bikepath (starts near the
fishladder) X Lehigh Canal at lock R prior to steel bridge into Hugh Moore Park parking lot R
(north) across blue/green Glendon Hill bridge L on Lehigh Drive S onto bike trail that follows the
river (alternate is Right into parking lot, then Left to reach rail trail that runs behind baseball
fields) R at Dam/Fishladder, through stone portal under railtrail, short up hill, then hairpin right
onto dirt trail to get to railtrail S on rail trail, bear right at parking lot to high trail under
new Route 33 bridge L at end of pavement onto downhill Hope Road X under old rail portal R at
Bethlehem Boat Club gates to Lehigh Canal Towpath
BETHLEHEM S on Lehigh Canal towpath through Sand Island Park / Bethlehem S on Lehigh Canal towpath
through Keck Park
ALLENTOWN R across canal & cross Railroad Tracks L on Albert Street (??) for uphill right under
Hamilton Street Bridge R on Hamilton St Bridge across Lehigh L at base of bridge to Union Street X
railroads X Jordan Creek L on Lawrench Street - bikepath/sidewalk starts on left side of road X
under Lehigh Street Bridge biketpath narrows to sidewalk S through Foutain Park X under Ward St /
15th Street Bridge - sidewalk narrows to singletrack along left side of road L on Overhill Road - X
intersection, Little Lehigh Bikepath starts at top of hill S on Little Lehigh Bikepath to trail's
end at Fish Hatchery Road R on Fish Hatchery Rd across Creek go 200 feet L on Keystone Rd along
Little Lehigh Park X Country Club Road
EMMAUS R on Keystone R on Harrison Rd L on 6th X main road & Railroad R on Broad St S Broad St
becomes Pennsylvania L Pennsylvania at Y of Shimerville Road (park ahead on right at Shimerville) S
on Pennsylvania up hill (just before top of hill on right is VERA CRUZ PARK - looks like driveway-
water stop) R on Main Road (cross roads just over top of hill) x under tunpike Merge with
Shimerville Road L at stoplight onto Route 29/Route 100 L after 1/2 mile to Kings Highway into
Zionsville L at Church to stay on Kings Highway (water stop on right at Lenape Park) R on Geissinger
at old Church R to stay on Geissinger at Scout S at next intersction, Geissinger becomes Powder
Valley S on Powder Valley - follows creek X Railroad and immediate R on Palm Road L on Treichlers/
first road on left R at T to stay on Treichlers L on Hosensack Rd X under RR
PALM L on Gravel Pike/Route 29 R on Water Street after 1/4 mile (first right) S on Water Street -
becomes Church Road X through Green Lane Park L on Kutztown Road X Route 663/Layfield Road -
Kutztown Road now Knight Road X over bridge Green Lane Reservoir R at Ward Road parking lot to Bike
path/ causeway along reservoir. S on Knight Road - alternate bear right to Red Trail gravel path
(like Wissahickon's orange trail is open to bicycles, (but dominated by horses & hikers leads to
nature area and exits behind school R on Route 29 downhill past dam on left
GREEN LANE R on Park Road (sharp turn in middle of hill- CHECK BRAKES) X bridge L on Green Lane Road
START PERKIOMEN TRAIL (left shoulder of road is gravel trail) S on Perkiomen trail to
Spring Mountain
SPRING MOUNTAIN L on Spring Mountain Road X stone bridge over Perkiomen R onto Perkiomen Trail (up
flank of Spring Moutain) L on Cedar Road R on Park Road L on Route 29/73 'main street schwenksville'
L at stoplight at end of town X Perkiomen & follow route 73 X stoplight at Plank Road (right on
plank to local park-water bathrooms) R on Perkiomen Creek Road R into Perkiomen Trail "Hollywood
Road Trailhead"
COLLEGEVILLE (detour at break in trail X Ridge Pike to West on 3d Street L on Park Avenue X Route 29
to return to Perkiomen Trail S on Perkiomen Trail to SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL
SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL S on Schuylkill River Trail R at end Trail Trail at Port Royal L onto Nixon R
across RR tracks past Shawmont Tain Station & down cobblestones to Towpath S on Manayunk Canal (is
being worked on, may have to detour to Main Street, (if not comfortable with traffic on Main, cross
Main and go right on Cresson instead then Right on Shurs then Left on Main) S on Main Street to
Kelly Drive