The Appalachian Trail Section Committee of the Keystone Trails Association is announcing a reroute of the Appalachian Trail just west of the Lehigh River and approximately three miles southwest of Palmerton.
The reroute places the Appalachian Trail onto the present route of the North Trail and will take effect in October 2021.
“We’re excited to announce this portion of our reroute. Hikers in the Lehigh Valley have long known about the spectacular views of the Lehigh Gorge available on the North Trail,” said Jim Foster, Chair of the KTA A.T. Section Committee. “Now, hikers from all over the world who hike the Appalachian Trail will be able to see it. Our group has made several improvements to the North Trail during 2021.”
For many years, the current North Trail was the path of the Appalachian Trail. It was moved to the present path because of the environmental damage caused by the former zinc processing plant in Palmerton, much of which has been remediated.
