Trexler Nature Preserve - Lehigh County
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.65542, -75.61457
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| Parking lot at the Environmental Center entrance. |
TRAIL MAP:
Trexler Nature Preserve Map - Lehigh County
HIKE DISTANCE: 9.4 miles
THE HIKE:
It was a bitter cold day with temps in the 20's and 15-20 mph wind making for feel like temps in the teens. Plus there is a shooting range (Brodie is terrified of gunfire) just a mile away from the trail so best Brodie sit this one out.
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| The grandkids stopped by to let him out while I was gone and he loved that! |
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| There is a short access trail that leads to the Trexler Border Trail just to the right of the kiosk. |
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| At the intersection I went left to go around clockwise. |
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| This hike encompasses the true meaning of "the rolling hills of Pennsylvania." It is almost constant uphill and downhill. |
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| There are mile markers every half mile. Where I started was between mile 8.5 and 8 and the count goes backwards so this is how many miles are left. The ERL# is an emergency locator number. |
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| It's almost constant views throughout. |
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| There are benches every so often but not sitting on metal in this cold weather! |
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| There are also shelters ... |
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| ... which are great for getting out of the wind while taking a break. |
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| A bit of a road walk ... |
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| ... to use the road bridge ... |
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| ... to cross over Jordan Creek. |
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| The trail resumes the other side of the bridge. |
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| It's a Sunday so there is no hunting. I did not know what those orange cannisters were for - there were a lot of them throughout the hike - but I found out later. |
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| Yes, it was THAT cold. But you warm up fast when you keep moving. |
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| An old corn crib just off of the yellow trail that comes in from the right is used as a bird blind but I used it for a break out of the wind. |
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| When I hiked here in 2011 there was no bridge so I had to turn back because the water was too deep to ford. Now there is a bridge so the border trail can be completed in its entirety. |
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| I had run into somebody and asked him if he knew what those orange cannisters were for. He opened one up and showed me that it contains blaze orange fabric strips for those who forget to wear blaze orange on hunting days. He said they go up every hunting season and he did not know what they were at first either. |
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| Jordan Creek |
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| The squiggly trails off to the side are mountain bike trails. They would not be good for hiking. |
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| Access to the mountain bike trails. |
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| The northern end of the trail runs along homes on a woods road. |
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| Going through this gate it's a short road walk ... |
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| ... to where the trail leaves to the left at a bend in the road. |
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| Lehigh Carbon Community College on the left. |
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| Zooming in to the bison herd in the distance. |
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| At the end the parking lot is on the left ... |
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| ... and the green LEED certified Environmental Center building is on the right. |
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| You can walk right up on the roof ... |
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| ... for views. |
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| There is a vegetative roof with solar panels. The building is made from recycled cinder blocks, the toilets use rainwater to flush and the windows are tilted so birds don't fly into them. |
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| Instead of heading to the parking lot on the drive, why not finish that tiny bit of the Trexler Border Trail back to where I started? |
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| Hanging at right at mile 0 ... |
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| ... then left on the access trail ... |
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| ... back to the parking lot. |
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