Train update, October 31, 2026: after a rockslide near Jim Thorpe, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway has suspended all trains until further notice. The railway says tickets through November 15 will be refunded or can be exchanged for a future date. Check lgsry.com before you plan a train ride.
Lehigh Gorge State Park follows the Lehigh River for about 26 miles through a deep, wooded gorge between White Haven and Jim Thorpe: 6,107 acres of cliffs, waterfalls and whitewater. The Lehigh Gorge Trail runs the whole way on an old railroad bed, and because it drops gently toward Jim Thorpe, riding it south is downhill.
It's one of the best day trips from our Albrightsville and Lake Harmony homes: bike the gorge with a shuttle, raft the river on a dam-release weekend, or ride the train through it from Jim Thorpe.
Biking and hiking the Lehigh Gorge Trail
- The trail is 26 miles of crushed gravel on an old railroad bed, part of the 165-mile D&L Trail. It climbs about 2% heading north, so most people start at White Haven and ride downhill to Jim Thorpe.
- Pocono Biking (Jim Thorpe and White Haven) rents bikes and runs the shuttle: check in at Jim Thorpe, ride the van to White Haven, and pedal 25 miles back. It also shuttles your own bike and offers a Bike Train, riding the train up and biking down.
- Jim Thorpe River Adventures also rents bikes for the gorge.
- Waterfalls along the trail: Buttermilk Falls a quarter mile north of Rockport, Luke's Falls a quarter mile south of Rockport, and a cascade a quarter mile south of Lehigh Tannery.
Whitewater rafting
- The Lehigh runs Class II to III through the gorge, with trips of 8.7 miles (White Haven to Rockport), 12.2 miles (Rockport to Glen Onoko) and 20.9 miles (White Haven to Glen Onoko). The biggest water comes on dam-release weekends from spring through early fall.
- Pocono Whitewater: 12-mile dam-release trips for ages 8 and up, 8-mile family trips for ages 4 and up, moonlight and private trips, and raft-plus-bike or raft-plus-paintball packages.
- Jim Thorpe River Adventures: rafting from easy family water to big dam-release whitewater, plus inflatable kayak trips.
- Whitewater Challengers also rafts the Lehigh. Life jackets are required on the river.
- The 2026 rafting season is over; 2027 dam-release dates haven't been posted yet.
Access areas
- White Haven (north end, off I-80 Exit 273): parking, restrooms and the raft put-in. Parking fills on dam-release days.
- Rockport (middle): parking, restrooms, seasonal water and a boat launch, with Buttermilk and Luke's Falls nearby.
- Glen Onoko (south end, near Jim Thorpe, off Turnpike Exit 74): parking, restrooms, the end of the trail and the raft take-out.
- Lehigh Tannery: very limited parking, and no boat launching.
Glen Onoko Falls
The famous Glen Onoko Falls trail has been closed since May 2019 and stays closed through 2026 while crews rebuild it, with no reopening date yet. The Glen Onoko parking area and the gorge trail itself are open; just don't plan on the falls hike.
Winter, rules and nearby
- Winter: cross-country skiing from White Haven to Glen Onoko, snowshoeing, and a 15-mile snowmobile section.
- Open sunrise to sunset all year. Dogs are welcome on a leash; alcohol isn't allowed in state parks. There's no designated swimming area.
- The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway runs trains through the gorge from Jim Thorpe, including fall foliage trips.
- Hickory Run State Park, with its Boulder Field and Hawk Falls, is right next door.
