ABOUT THE PARK:
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.65644, -75.48353
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| Water Street Parking |
TRAIL MAPS:
HIKE and BIKE DISTANCE: 15.3 miles
THE HIKE and BIKE:
Every three months I get a cortisone injection in my ankle for arthritis and it works amazingly well allowing me to hike completely pain free for 10 weeks. There are 2-3 weeks until the next injection when I have to manage with meloxicam and that doesn't work as well. I came up with a solution: Buy a bicycle. So I will be switching it up to biking when that injection has worn off and to give my ankle a break off and on. Often times there are hiking trails off of bike paths so I'll incorporate those when I can. And that is what this hike and bike was.
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| And here she is. I started left on the rail trail to go clockwise around the loop portion. |
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| There are many kiosks, benches and things of interest along the way. |
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| Off to the left there was a butterfly garden and bird area. |
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| Indeed, there were birds down there. |
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| There are steps to go down there but there was one thing lacking throughout this trail - not a single place to park bikes so you can walk the nature trails off of the rail trail. |
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| There were pretty many road crossings which was good because my mount and dismount needed a lot of practice. |
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| This is the intersection with the loop and spur trails. I would be finishing the loop later but now left on the spur. |
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| In a very short distance entering Whitehall Parkway, a nature preserve on either side of the rail trail. |
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| Coplay Creek |
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| I decided to ride the spur trail first and see if I could walk the Whitehall Parkway trails on the way back. |
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| At this intersection ... |
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| ... a right turn leaving the rail trail briefly leads to the Toxell-Steckel House. |
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| After trying to get a face shot of a white-breasted nuthatch, to no avail. |
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| “God protect this house from danger, and lead our souls into the halls of heaven. Johan Peter Troxell and Maria Magdala.” |
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| Continuing on the rail trail. |
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| Barn Swallow - there were lots of them along this trail. |
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| Coming up on some interesting ruins. |
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| There is only a very short section along a road. |
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| The last crossing is the worst one but there are pedestrian lights. If drivers care to stop for them. Some did, some didn't. |
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| The end of the trail. |
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| Heading back. |
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| Soon after entering back into Whitehall Parkway a trail leave so the left. |
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| It follows along Coplay Creek. A bike rack would have been really nice here but no such thing to be found so I walked the bike. |
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| Uh oh. |
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| Double uh-oh on the other side of the bridge where the steps and a good chunk of earth are missing. |
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| It was actually harder to get myself down over the huge hole at the bottom than it was to get the bike down. |
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| Left on the rail trail ... |
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| ... then right opposite train car ... |
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| ... on a gravel path. |
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| I locked the bike to a tree. It was the best I could think of to do. |
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| Now off on foot through the Bluebird Meadow. |
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| No bluebirds. |
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| Ah a footpath. Yes, please! |
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| They are actually mountain bike trails but I can promise you will not catch me mountain biking. |
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| Ruins along the way. |
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| Quarry |
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| I went back to get my bike then headed over to where there are supposed to be overlooks. |
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| Like about here somewhere. |
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| Well, I suppose there is no longer an overlook. |
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| This was a cute idea. They are making a bird blind out of ruins. |
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| No birds today. |
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| Continuing on the rail trail. |
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| At the intersection with the loop portion, I kept left to finish the loop. |
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| Just across this intersection is Saylor Park. |
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| Coming back up on the parking lot. |
