The D&L has launched two dynamic online tools to make it easier for you to plan your trip to the Delaware, Lehigh and Wyoming Valleys.

Our new Navigation Tool is specifically designed to enable users to zoom in on trails and plan a hike through the region. You can select and view trail lengths on an interactive map and view specific details about the trail such as, trail status and access points. You can also use the navigation tool to discover other things to do along the trail.

If you’d like to map out your entire adventure from start to finish with a few stops along the way, you’ll want to check out the Your Trip feature. This online tool will help you plan your trip based on a desired path, according to region, specific town or a recreational area of interest. Your Trip helps you plan your itinerary with driving directions from a starting point, to each destination, and back again.

Now you can navigate and discover the D&L before you hit the trail.

On Saturday, hundreds of trail users, including members of the press, braved the 95 degree conditions to attend the unveiling of our directional blades, listen to project updates, and help install mile markers, all as a part of our various National Trails Day celebrations.

[Allen Sachse addresses crowd in Slatington]

This was a great opportunity to celebrate the D&L Trail and increase its visibility in our region. We were also able to highlight the connections that the D&L makes between towns, cities, and rural areas. As we installed the blades and mile markers over the last week, we had an enthusiastic response from trail users who have always wondered about the length of their daily walks and rides.

[Trail Tenders show off new milemarker]

National Trails Day was the perfect time to kick off our signage program, but the work will continue throughout the summer-so look for updates!

Many residents of Slatington and Walnutport already know how lucky they are to have the Walnutport Canal and the D&L Trail run through their communities. The Walnutport Canal Association maintains the towpath from the dilapidated aqueduct on Bertsch Creek to the termination of the canal some four miles north, in the shadow of the Lehigh Gap. The portion south of the Main Street Bridge is heavily used by joggers, fishermen and bicyclists, but is very well maintained. On the day I walked the towpath, large trout, bluegills, and turtles were everywhere, and, in the large pool north of Bertsch Creek, there was a muskrat gathering grass.

[Dilapidated Aqueduct on Bertsch Creek]

The section of towpath north of the bridge is also popular, although the last mile or so is less crowded because the path dead ends and it is necessary to backtrack. Still, the short walk to the end of the canal is worth the trip. The water level in the canal slowly lowers until it resembles a small stream, and the thick brush gives the illusion of isolation (Rt. 145 is not far off in the woods). Most interesting of all, the barren, rocky slopes of the Lehigh Gap, juxtaposed with the short trees gives the last quarter mile of the towpath a look reminiscent of western landscapes. Fortunately, this will be a fleeting illusion, as reseeding of the mountain is well underway.

[View of Lehigh Gap from D&L Trail]

On the west side of the Lehigh River, another section of the D&L Trail follows the old rail bed from Trout Run to the East Penn Boat Launch in Carbon County. This is a secluded section with amazing views of Lehigh Gap and the river. The parking lots in Slatington and East Penn would allow for a nice car-to-car hike.

[A stretch of the D&L Trail in Slatington]

The D&L is once again participating in the Alliance of National Heritage Areas‘ economic impact survey, which utilizes an economic model known as MGM2 (Money Generation Model Version Two). This process uses the data collected from visitor surveys to estimate the economic impact of heritage tourism. The results of the 2005 MGM2 survey indicated that visitors to D&L sites spent $276 million and generated 6,067 jobs!

We are now organizing the 2008 survey, which will cover visitors to 15 sites and events and aim to collect over 750 surveys. Volunteers are currently signing up to spend a few hours administering surveys at their local sites. If you are interested in volunteering for this essential project, please contact survey coordinator Silas Chamberlin by email at Silas@DelawareandLehigh.org or by phone at 610-923-3548 (ext.222).

Surveying will continue through September, and the Alliance of National Heritage Areas hopes to publish the final report in spring 2009. Keep on the lookout for updates, and don’t forget to get in touch, if you are interested in helping!