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The Appalachian Trail

     Appalachian Trail is a footpath of more than 2,150 miles with 232 miles lying in Pennsylvania and 45 miles lying in the Pocono region. In 1921, U.S. Forest Service Planner, Benton MacKaye, wrote a magazine article suggesting a trail be established to connect Mount Washington in New Hampshire to Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. 

     MacKaye, a Harvard graduate, was convinced that the pace of urban and industrial life along the east coast was harmful to people. He envisioned the Appalachian Trail as a path interspersed with planned wilderness communities where people could go to renew themselves. As a result, in 1925 he gathered hikers, foresters, and public officials to embrace the goal of building the Trail. The Appalachian Trail Conference in Washington, D.C. appointed MacKaye as its “field organizer” and chose the exact path, flagged the path, built various sections, including shelter, bridges and steps. They wrote a guidebookto aid hikers and backpackers.

In 1968, Congress passed the National Trails System Act, making the AT the first National Scenic Trail.  Today there are 30 clubs that help maintain the trail, which now extends from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia.

     The Appalachian Trail runs more than 45 spectacular miles through the Pocono Mountains along the southern borders of Carbon and Monroe Counties, then through the Delaware Water Gap into the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.  The Pocono’s have hundreds of miles of spectacular hiking trails, but none as famous as the Appalachian Trail .

The Appalachian Trail through the Pocono Region

     For practical purposes we will begin the Appalachian Trail in the Pocono region at the southwest corner of Carbon County and the southeast corner of Schuylkill County. From this point the trail and the Carbon County line runs along the ridge of Blue Mountain at approximately 1,500 feet elevation for 9 ½ miles to the Lehigh Gap. Along the way there are spectacular vistas both to the north and south. Your hike takes you past Bake Oven knob, over the Lehigh Valley Tunnel and then down to the Lehigh Gap.

     The Lehigh Gap is a break in Blue Mountain carved by the Lehigh River. It has been a natural avenue of commerce, with a highway, canal and railroads squeezed through the narrow river banks. The canal opened in 1829, allowing delivery of coal to the iron industry of eastern Pennsylvania. The first road bridge over the river was in 1818.

Palmerton is just to the north and named after the President of the New Jersey Zinc Company.

    From the Lehigh Gap (at less than 500 foot elevation) the hiker must climb back to the 1,500 foot ridge of Blue Mountain for another 36½ mile hike to the Delaware Water Gap. Along the way the trail will pass Little Gap into Monroe County. The trail continues to follow the ridge of Blue Mountain along the boundary line of Monroe County and Northampton County. The trail continues past Smith Gap, then across Route 33 at Wind Gap, past Pen Argyl to the south on to the Kittatinny Mountain ridge. The trail goes through Fox Gap, Tots Gap to Mount Minsi, then dramatically drops down over 1,000 feet to the Delaware River and the Delaware Water Gap. Once you cross the river you enter New Jersey and the trail rambles through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

     The Delaware Water Gap twists through a 2 ½ mile cleft in the Kittatinny Mountain . Mount Minsi, named after the Indian tribe, rises on the Pennsylvania side of the 1,200 foot deep gorge. Mount Tammany on the New Jersey side was named after a distinguished Indian chief. Passage through the Gap was so rough and dangerous to early settlers that the first road was not constructed until about 1800.

     The 45 mile trail through the Pocono region is considered “moderate” to “strenuous” to “easy.” The trail can challenge experienced hikers, but also can be enjoyed by novices as well.  It is a trail that can be enjoyed by all with natural beauty second to none!

     The Appalachian Trail Conference became the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in 2005. Their mission is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, scenic vistas, wildlife and opportunities for simple recreation and renewal along the entire Trail corridor.