Canoeing on the Lehigh River

River trips lengths: White Haven to Rockport - 8 miles; Rockport to Glen Onoko – 12 miles; or White Haven to Glen Onoko – 20 miles; or Francis E. Walter Dam to Jim Thorpe is approximately 30 miles.
Boat Access Points: Francis E. Walter Dam, White Haven, Rockport, Glen Onoko, Jim Thorpe
River Class: 1-3
Description: Beautiful scenery, fun rapids, wildlife, groups of paddlers
Water Levels: US Army Corps of Engineers or call 215-656-6032

Lehigh River History
The Lehigh River begins in the marshes and bogs of the Pocono Mountains near the town of Goldsboro. The elevation of the marsh headwater area is 2,200 feet above sea level and the river drops approximately 1,000 feet during the 100 mile journey to the Delaware River. The Lehigh River watershed is 1,360 square miles and is part of the Delaware River watershed.

During the 1800s the Lehigh River was an important waterway enabling the Lehigh Valley to transport coal, lumber and cement to the Philadelphia region. The Lehigh was once privately owned by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company making it the only privately owned river in the United States. Portland cement was manufactured along the banks of the Lehigh in the town of Coplay and a Bethlehem Steel plant was also located along the Lehigh River. The forests that lined the banks of the Upper Lehigh River helped establish Pennsylvania as one of the greatest lumber producing states in during the 1800s.

Today the river has been turned into a recreational and tourism attraction for hikers, fisherman, paddlers, mountain bikers. The river offers plenty of scenery, whitewater excitement and historical value. The wildlife you may encounter are osprey, turkey, deer, hawks, great blue heron, beaver and muskrat.

Paddling the Lehigh River
The Lehigh River is one of the most popular class 3 paddling rivers in Pennsylvania and is considered to be the training waters for future class 4-5 kayakers. The section running through the Lehigh Gorge State Park is bustling with activity in the spring and during scheduled dam releases throughout the summer. There are several boat launch points on this section of river.

You could begin your paddling trip below the Francis E. Walter Dam, Whitehaven, Rockport or Glen Onoko. But the 12 mile paddle from Rockport to Glen Onoko is one of the most scenic and popular sections of the river for thrill seeking paddlers. At Rockport expect to encounter groups of paddlers, hikers fisherman and mountain bikers on the weekends. During the week you might have the river to yourself.

Glen Onoko is also a scenic section on the river and a favorite among the locals and tourists. It is worth getting out at Glen Onoko and exploring the Onoko Falls. There are bathroom and changing facilities at Rockport and Glen Onoko but no camping.

Camping is available at the nearby Hickory Run State Park (570-443-0400), and the Mauch Chunk Lake Park in Jim Thorpe (570-325-3669), and the Jim Thorpe Camping Resort (570-325-2644).

Lehigh River water levels often depend on scheduled releases from the Francis E Walter Dam, so be sure to check the water levels before planning your trip. At flows below 250 cubic feet per second, the river is very low and many parts are not deep enough for boating. From 250 to 1,000 cubic feet per second, the river becomes better for boating. Above 1,000 cubic feet per second, the level of difficulty becomes progressively greater and higher levels of skill and better equipment are necessary. At levels above 5,000 cubic feet per second, only expert boaters, in kayaks, closed canoes or very large rafts should attempt the river.

 

For more information visit the below websites:

View Lehigh River Maps
Lehigh River Water Trail
Lehigh Valley Canoe Club