Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, PA

ABOUT THE PARK:  Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center - Pennsylvania DCNR

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.782687, -75.292917

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Popular park - this lot was almost full by early afternoon.  There are other smaller gravel lots around the park that are not as heavily used.

TRAIL MAP:
Jacobsburg EEC Trail Map - Pennsylvania DCR

The route for this hike shown in pink.

HIKE DISTANCE:
8.4 miles

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
The orange Henrys Woods Trail is the only trail in the park other than the yellow trail around Boulton Historic Site that is for hiking only.  The other trails are multi-use and are heavily used by mountain bikers and equestrians.  I found all mountain bikers to be very courteous and excellent about announcing their presence.  I only saw one group of horses during the entire hike but watch where you step - there is ample evidence that many horse hoofs have pounded these trails.

The hike starts across the bridge from the parking to the lower level of the Henrys Woods Trail through hemlock forests along Bushkill Creek.

Bridge from parking lot to Henrys' Woods Trail, restrooms on left across bridge.

The red-blazed Jacobsburg Trail, then the yellow/green-blazed Sober's Run Connector Trail bring you over to the western section of the park.

The green-blazed Sober's Run Loop Trail is a wide rail trail sort of path which forms a loop around the western section, part of which parallels Sober's Run.

The red/green-blazed Explorer Trail provides footpaths through the woods and along Bushkill Creek.

It is necessary to walk a very short distance along a paved road with traffic in order to form a loop without backtracking and missing an important section of the park.  In the picture below, just around the bend to the left is a gravel parking lot.  After walking through the parking lot, a trail continues on the other side of the road.

From the blue-blazed Homestead Trail, which is mostly a woods road except for an unmarked footpath section, you can look to your left to see Blue Mountain where the Appalachian Trail runs along the ridge.

A yellow-blazed trail loops through the Boulton Historic Site which focuses on the Henry Family and their small arms industry, which played a key role in the American Industrial Revolution.

The final par of the hike, the upper level of the orange-blazed Henrys Woods Trail which travels just below the ridge up above the Bushkill River gorge.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  From parking lot cross bridge (restrooms on left) then turn right on the orange Henrys Woods Trail
[  0.30]  Keep right at fork
[  0.80]  Left on red trail
[  1.05]  Cross Belfast Road; red barn on right
[  1.15]  Keep straight at intersection
[  1.25]  Right at intersection, cross bridge; stay left at split
[  1.35]  Veer right at "Danger Quarry Area" sign
[  1.55]  Keep left on red trail as a trail joins in from the right
[  1.65]  Keep left as a trail leaves to the right
[  1.75]  Power cut
[  1.80]  Keep left at split
[  1.90]  Cross bridge then immediately turn right yellow/green; cross smaller bridge
[  2.10]  Keep right at fork; cross State Park Road
[  2.35]  Cross Jacobsburg Road
[  2.60]  Cross Belfast Road
[  2.75]  Turn right at intersection on yellow/green (goes straight also but ends at Bushkill Creek with no crossing)
[  2.90]  Power cut
[  3.00]  Left over bridge
[  3.10]  Walk past kiosk and turn left on green trail
[  3.30]  Straight on green at power cut when green goes right
[  3.50]  Straight on green where yellow/green comes in from left (goes to Bushkill Creek with no crossing)
[  3.70]  Turn right on red/green at power cut (intersection unmarked) and proceed uphill
[  3.75]  Keep right at fork (marker on tree ahead - first red/green marker seen)
[  4.20]  Turn left on green
[  4.60]  Veer left on unmarked trail where green trail goes right
[  4.75]  Keep right at unmarked intersection
[  4.80]  Right on green trail few steps then left on mowed grass trail
[  4.85]  Left on red/green trail (unmarked at turn) along Bushkill Creek towards old abutment; keep straight
[  5.00]  Cross over small bridge, keep straight uphill towards split rail fence when another trail goes left; at split rail fence, turn right and follow creek
[  5.10]  Keep straight when mowed trail comes in from left; power cut
[  5.15]  Turn right at bridge and cross over; turn left on red/green running parallel to Sobers Run on the left
[  5.55]  At T intersection, turn right
[  5.90]  Turn left at fork; cross Belfast Road, turn right and walk on road across bridge; veer left through gravel parking lot
[  6.10]  At end of parking lot turn right to cross Belfast Road to unmarked trail
[  6.15]  At power cut turn right on blue trail
[  6.30]  Blue trail veers sharply left away from road; at top of hill turn left on foot trail (trail not on map) while blue trail goes right
[  6.65]  Right at fork where woods road comes in from left (not on map)
[  6.75]  Keep straight when trail comes in from left (not on map)
[  6.80]  Keep straight on blue trail (woods road) when unmarked foot trail (post saying no horses, no bikes only, trail not on map) goes left
[  7.20]  At intersection keep left on blue trail (woods road)
[  7.25]  Danger sign at orange trail intersection; turn right on orange/blue trail
[  7.35]  Keep right on yellow/blue trail where large bridge is to the left; turn left at old barn on yellow trail and follow around historical area back to barn
[  7.65]  Back at barn, left on blue/yellow trail
[  7.75]  Straight on orange when yellow goes right over bridge
[  7.80]  Right on orange at danger sign
[  8.25]  Descend steps; pass amphitheater on left
[  8.40]  Parking lot