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Hiker Rated
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Directions
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Number of Vehicles
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Map &
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Main Parking Area: (BE CAREFUL NOT TO BLOCK DRIVEWAY ACCESS NEAR LOT--clearly signed): 40.781400, -75.608700
Preferred AT nearby parking lot: 40.78380, -75.60465
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Access is directly off of paved Rte 873. This is small dirt lot at the official end of section 2, beginning of section 3. It is located at the crossing of the AT with Rte 873 before the Lehigh River bridge. There is a clear sign at this lot suggesting AT hikers park at the AT Lot .5 miles away. NOBO crosses River, SOBO begins uphill ascent directly from parking lot towards Outerbridge Shelter (if you use the alternate lot, then NOBO begins ascent up mountain, and SOBO crosses the bridge).
Map link: shows official section end/beginning lot area for Lehigh Gap. There is signage here that encourages AT hikers to use the second lot across the river (also marked).
A reminder to be vigilant in following the AT blazes in this area. It is part of the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund Site that is working to reroute, rehabilitate or newly construct 14 miles of the AT impacted by the area's past zinc smelting plant. 05/06/22
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6
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WardandDA @ gmail.com
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Two break-ins were reported between 1/6/23 and 1/9/23 01/12/23
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cmiller @ appalachiantrail.org
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South of Palmerton, PA Rtes. 248 and 873 intersect on the east side of the Lehigh River at a traffic light. Follow PA 873 west, crossing the river on a bridge. The highway bears south. At 0.6 miles from the intersection take a very sharp left turn (essentially a U turn) onto Paint Mill Road. I think thre is a sign for the Lehigh Gap Nature Center at this turn. Follow Pain Mill Road 0,5 miles back under the PA 873 bridge to Osprey House, headquarters for the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. The marker on the attached map indicates the location of Osprey House. GPS: N40.7842 W75.6087
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The Lehigh Gap allows hikers to park in their lot. This includes overnight or over a series of days if they are hiking the AT. They ask that hikers please pick up a parking pass at the Osprey House. Hikers should call ahead at 610-760-8889, since the Osprey House is staffed by volunteers and is not open all the time. There is a connector trail that leads to the AT. This is about 1/3 miles long. At the intersection with the AT the northbound trail is to the left (east) while the southbound trail goes right (west). 09/14/19
For a map of the Nature Center trails in this area see:.http://lgnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trail-Brochure-2019.pdf
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Ample
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David Cullen
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GPS Location: 40.76966292380457, -75.69413798321125 Coming from Allentown PA, my GPS took me to the proper location. All but the last mile was paved, and the gravel portion of the road was in decent shape. I drove the route in a minivan.
Pre-2021 (historical info that may be outdated) turn by turn directions: From the north end of this section at the Lehigh River Bridge (See Mile 0.0), go a short distance west on Rte. 873, then go straight on Mountain Road. In approximately 4.4 miles, Ashfield Road goes right. In approximately 1.5 miles, a T intersection is reached. Go right staying on Ashfield Road. (Reservoir Road goes to the left). From this point the road is gravel. It is another 0.9 miles to the trail crossing at the transmission tower. There are several parking pull-outs in the area There is also parking 0.2 miles further north where an old route of the AT from the south intersected. Note: Beyond the transmission tower Ashfield Road become Blue Mountain Road.
From PA 309 the closest major N-S highway to the west. From the south: Mountain road intersects PA 309 4.5 miles north of the intersection of PA 309 and PA 100. It is 6 miles south of the community of Snyders. As of 2019 there is a mini-golf/ family adventure center on PA 309 just north of the intersection. Follow Mountain Road east for 4.4 miles, then go left on Reservoir Road. This is initially paved but becomes gravel. In another 1.5 miles Ashfield Road comes in from the right. Continue straight ahead on what is now Ashfield Road. The transmission tower and trail crossing are 0.9 miles further. From the north: PA 895 intersects PA 309 0.2 miles south of the village of Snyders. Go east for 8.9 miles to the community of Ashfield. Turn right (south) on Blue Mountain Road. This eventually becomes gravel. The transmission tower and trail crossing are 2.1 miles up this road. The road name changes from Blue Mountain Road to Ashfield Road somewhere near this point.
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There are multiple pull off areas to park at. There is a large transmission tower at this location. The AT crosses Ashfield Road. SOBO soon crosses a VERY rocky power line right-of-way.
03/31/21
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10 or more in various pull-offs
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WardandDA @ gmail.com
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A section of this part of the AT was rerouted to take in scenic views of the Lehigh River from the north ridge. The new route adds about 1 mile to this section of the AT. The bypassed section of the original trail is still open with signage that indicates it as a bypass of the scenic route. Click on map to see area of bypass. 05/11/22
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scokeller @ gmail.com
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From the parking area on the west side of the PA 873 bridge in Lehigh Gap (See Mile 0.0) go west a short distance on PA 873, the go straight on Mountain Road. In approximately 8 miles go right on Ulrich Road. This is initially paved. In approximately half a mile, the paved road goes right. Continue straight ahead, still on Ulrich, now a gravel road. At 0.9 miles from Mountain Road Bake Oven Road comes in from the right (no sign). Continue straight ahead. The road from here on is Bake Oven Road. It is another 1.1 miles to the top of the ridge. There are several roads which intersect and could provide alternate routes from Mountain Road. Note: It has been several years since I visited this area. Road conditions may have changed.
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There are two Gamelands Parking lots here, a huge one on the eight (east) side and a smaller one n the right (west) side. The marker on the attached map is placed on Bake Oven Road between the two lots. GPS: N40.7448 W75.7387. The northbound AT starts toward Bake Oven Knob from the southeast corner of the lot on the east side. The southbound AT goes east towards Bear Rocks and "The Cliffs". 04/27/07 Updated 09/16/19
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Ample in lots on either side of the road
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David Cullen
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Mountain Road intersects PA 309 4.5 miles north of the intersection of PA 309 and PA 100. It is 6 miles south of the community of Snyders. As of 2019 there is a mini-golf/ family adventure center on PA 309 just north of the intersection. Follow Mountain Road east for 2 miles, then go left on Ulrich Road. From this point proceed as described in the previous listing.
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David Cullen
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GPS: 40.744806, -75.738694
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Coming from 309, all but about the last mile was paved. The gravel road is in decent enough shape, but there are potholes and runoff areas that should be driven over at low speeds. We drove this in both a minivan and a sedan. Bake Oven Road continues on past these lots, but we noticed a (road closed) sign which may indicate the Route 309 entry may be the only way to access the lot at this time. 03/31/21
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Huge double lot
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WardandDA @ gmail.com
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On Rt 309 south of Tamaqua and north of Allentown the AT crosses Rt. 309.
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GPS N40.42.413 W75.48.516
At the crest of the mountain on 309 there is parking at the restaurant which is across the street from the game land parking. This parking is just north of the trail. 03/03/10
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20
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at @ rohland.org
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If coming from the east on I-78: Take Exit 49B and go north on PA 100. In about 9 miles this ends at PA 309. Go left on PA 309 7.5 miles to the top of the ridge. The restaurant parking lot is on the left.
If coming from west on I-78: Take Exit 35 and go north on PA 143. Near Wanamakerss this turns to the east. At 11.4 miles from I-78, go left (north) on Gun Club Road. In 2.5 miles this ends at PA 309. Go left (actually more or less straight ahead) onto PA 309. The restaurant is on the left in about 0.6 miles.
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Click on the camera icon by B on the attached map and rotate to the southwest to see the restaurant parking area. AT hikers should park at the east end of the lot, the closest section visible in the view. Rotate the view to the south to see (barely) the southbound trail to Section 4. It goes south down some wood steps just to the left and behind the telephone pole.
Click on the camera icon by A and rotate the street view to the northeast to see the northbound trail to Section 3. The trail follows the road between A and B. 03/03/10
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David Cullen
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As of April 2020, the restaurant (Thunderhead Lodge) is re-opened and under new ownership. You are allowed to park near the tree line in the back of the parking lot away from the restaurant. Owners ask if overnight parking that you leave a note on the dashboard identifying return date and contact information. 07/05/20
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Many
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carolanse @ outlook.com
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Heading North on Rt 309, the Game Lands lot is on the right side, 2.9 miles north of the intersection with Mountain Rd, just south of the restaurant on the opposite side of the road.
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From the parking lot, a blue trail leads 30 yards to an intersection with the AT, north is straight ahead at the intersection, south turns right and crosses RT 309 07/05/20
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20
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carolanse @ outlook.com
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GPS location: 40.70790652447797, -75.8076945984358 (located right off heavily trafficked Route 309)
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Careful, the short dirt access road comes on you quickly, and the lot is hardly visible due to the tree foliage (when the leaves are down you can catch a glimpse of it). The perfect landmark is the Thunderhead Lodge (coming West on 309 the Lodge is just before the left turn onto the access road, coming East on 309, the lodge is just past your right turn onto the access road). The short path to the AT is across the dirt access road from the opening to the parking lot. NOBO stay to the left, SOBO stay to the right and cross Route 309. 03/31/21
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20
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WardandDA @ gmail.com
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