Short but intense rock scramble climbs high above the Lehigh River and gives way to breathtaking views before descending down on loose technical terrain. I love this place!
The Lehigh Gap is one of my favorite places to run and hike. Both the East and West loops use the Appalachian Trail system as it traverses the Lehigh River. At 3 miles the East loop is short, but very intense. The opening mile climbs 1000 ft on steep terrain with tons of exposure. The descent is not as extreme as the climb, but it is still quite challenging. Whether you decide to run it or hike it, there is plenty here to explore and play on.
I will leave links to the parking lot as well as the AllTrails page where you can use their interactive map to guide you through the loop. If you are interested in more miles you can combine the East loop with the West loop for a total of 11 miles and 2400 ft.
East Loop Parking Lot:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Appalachian+Trail+Parking/@40.7834558,-75.6051809,17.21z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c44eb0c04fa013:0x736f3697fd9b15a2!8m2!3d40.7836173!4d-75.6046794?hl=en
AllTrails Page:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/pennsylvania/lehigh-gap-east-loop-via-appalachian-trail
Lehigh Gap Nature Center:
8844 Paint Mill Rd, Slatington, PA 18080
Trail Sage 