8 great places to ride with the kids

By Kathy Lauer-Williams

The Morning Call

May 27, 2008

With the weather finally getting warmer, many Lehigh Valley families are donning bike helmets, oiling chains and airing tires.

That raises the question: Where can the family go that's safe and not too difficult for the kids?

We consulted two biking experts about family-friendly trails.

Steve Schmitt, director of the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, and Joe Transue, president of Valley Mountain Bikers, shared some of their favorite places to ride in the Lehigh Valley. These routes are perfect for family-riding, whether tots on tricycles or teens on mountain bikes.

Here are eight Lehigh Valley bike paths that range from the wide macadam loop of Trexler Park to the more challenging single track trails at Jordan Park. Among them are paths through some of the most breathtaking scenery the Lehigh Valley has to offer.

JORDAN PARK For young bikers itching for off-road experience, Allentown's Jordan Park offers an area for mountain bikes in the northern section.

The trails are maintained by Valley Mountain Bikers.

The 52-acre park straddles both Allentown and Whitehall Township. It's bisected by Jordan Creek, a tributary of the Little Lehigh Creek.

The park, which is not far from the traffic of MacArthur Road, has a large section for organized recreation that includes a pool, tennis courts and ballfields.

The bike paths are in a more wooded area along the west side of the Jordan Creek.

Mainly for older kids who have some experience in mountain biking, Jordan Park's path features 6 miles of easier dirt trails that follow a curving, rolling terrain, and a mile-long trail of crushed stone.

Joe Transue of Valley Mountain Bikers rates the trail as ''intermediate'' because it has a few more challenging grades along the looping path.

LEHIGH CANAL TOWPATH The trail along the Lehigh Canal Towpath comes in a close second (behind Lehigh Parkway) for lovely scenery, says Steve Schmitt of Coalition for Appropriate Transportation.

Riders will be treated to glimpses of waterfowl and wildlife as they follow this section of the flat gravel trail, which begins in Allentown's Canal Park.

The path is part of the 165-mile trail that follows the canal along the Lehigh River through five counties.

''It's a fantastic bike ride between Allentown and Bethlehem,'' says Schmitt, of the 4.2-mile section from Canal Park to Sand Island in Bethlehem. ''You can't get lost because you're riding in a straight line.''

A 2.5-mile section from Bethlehem to Freemansburg is a little windier but is still a relatively easy ride.

The trail follows the route once taken by mules hauling canal boats filled with coal in the 19th century.

The only caveats are the towpath has a tendency to get muddy when it rains and is very popular with walkers and joggers.

TREXLER PARK Trexler Park in Allentown is the ideal place for families with small children who are learning to ride or are still relying on training wheels.

Its macadam path is 30 feet wide and follows a 1-mile loop through the wooded park. The path is flat and easy enough for all levels of bikers.

Trexler Park is ''totally tame,'' Schmitt says.

The park, located just off Cedar Crest Boulevard, offers the opportunity to enjoy scenery and listen to songbirds while following designated lanes for walkers and bikers.

The park draws a lot of pedestrians and joggers.

Trexler Park does not allow biking on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays. The exception is children on tricycles and bikes with training wheels, who are allowed to ride during those times when accompanied by an adult on foot.

The park and its English-style landscape once were the summer estate of Brigadier Gen. Harry C. Trexler, a wealthy businessman.

LEHIGH PARKWAY Allentown's Lehigh Parkway is ''one of the best places to ride in the world,'' says Steve Schmitt of Coalition for Appropriate Transportation.

Set in a bucolic 1,000-acre greenway in Allentown, the biking trails of Lehigh Parkway offer a cool, green escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. That's because they pass under mature trees and often follow Little Lehigh Creek.

Good for both casual and more serious bikers, the 8 miles of gravel-covered trails traverse both sides of the Little Lehigh as they meanders through the lush woods and meadows of the parkway. Trails interconnect at several points.

Wildlife abounds in the park, which is known as the jewel of the Allentown park system.

The path, which is mostly flat with a few small grades, attracts cyclists from all over. Most of the paths are fairly easy to navigate but riders can get lost on the numerous side paths that shoot off from the main trail.

Bikers need to keep in mind that the trails are used by pedestrians and joggers as well as the occasional horse and rider. Plenty of parking is available at numerous lots in the park.

IRONTON RAIL TRAIL The Ironton Rail Trail is like ''a lollipop on a stick,'' says Joe Transue of Valley Mountain Bikers. That's because it loops back on itself.

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