Exploring the Corridor

Exploring the Corridor. Welcome to Delaware and Lehigh National and State Heritage Corridor, a collection of people, places and events that helped shape our great nation. Come journey through five Pennsylvania Counties bursting with heritage and brimming with outdoor adventure. Canals and railroads, remnants of Northeaster Pennsylvania’s prosperous coal age, form the spine of this more than 150-mile Corridor. You’ll find something for everyone. Follow a history trail marked with stories about hearty lumberjacks, coal miners, lock tenders, canalers and railroaders. Explore quiet canal paths, challenging bike trails and rippling waters of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.

In the Corridor’s northern reach experience life within Luzerne County coal towns and vibrant cities proudly displaying ethnic diversity. Spend time in our arts and educational institutions. Find outdoor recreation in Carbon County where the landscape offers breathtaking scenery and glimpses of coal and lumber industries from days gone by. Wander through enchanting towns; visit a coal museum and an underground mine. The Lehigh Valley welcomes you with rolling hills, winding rivers, picturesque farms, covered bridges and Victorian townhouses.

Discover Moravian heritage with the valley’s oldest city, learn about the steel and cement industries, or attend some of America’s best festivals. The excitement continues as you travel south along the Delaware River Scenic Drive into Bucks County. This area offers pastoral vistas, landmarks from America’s battle for independence and a renowned artist’s community intermingled with Colonial farmsteads.

Relive history and discover a distinctive American landscape within the Corridor. We invite you to bask in our heritage, ride or walk our trails, and enjoy our waterways. www.nps.gov/dele.

“Our residents take pride and partner in their heritage, they understand the meaning of what we have an act to preserve it” , Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and State Heritage Park, Management Action Plan.

(Inscription beside the photos in the lower left) , Historic Landmarks illustrate the rich legacy of our forefathers.

(Inscription under the photo in the lower center) , Moravians created a thriving commercial life based on early industrial crafts.

(Inscription under the photos in the upper right-from left to right, top to bottom) , Lehigh Gorge State Park is a haven for whitewater rafting, boating and mountain hiking.---A diverse people immigrated here they endured many hardships with hopes for prosperity and to create opportunity for their children---Monuments to America’s industrial might are found in the Lehigh Valley.---Mules pulled the mine cars, towed the canal boats and farmed the land.---A turning point in our nation’s history occurred on Christmas Day, 1776 along the Delaware River in Bucks County---Anthracite coal mined in the north fueled America’s industrial revolution.---Trails along the Susquehanna, Lehigh and Delaware Rivers help visitors navigate the Corridor., The region has accepted the challenge to protect exceptional vistas while encouraging appropriate development.