PA riders: Easton to Philly?

From: Jonathan Fretheim )
Subject: PA riders: Easton to Philly?
Date: 2003-04-27 10:30:13 PST


What'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