Lehigh Canal Park Fund

The Lehigh Canal Park Fund supports projects related to the conservation of the Lehigh Canal Park and Trail in Carbon County, as well as education and outdoor recreation activities in the park.

About the Lehigh Canal Park:
Fifty years ago several local residents saw the need to preserve and protect what remained of the historic Lehigh Coal & Navigational Canal. Their hope was to create a park that the public could enjoy for future generations. With the help of local municipalities and Carbon County, the property was acquired and the Lehigh Canal Park was established. 

The core of the park is the six miles of canal towpath, expanding from Jim Thorpe to Parryville, passing through Franklin Township and Weissport along the way. This amounts to roughly 72 acres of land that the public is free to enjoy. Today the park is an intricate part of the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L), which is a five-county, 140-mile recreational trail.

The Lehigh Canal Park Fund was created to provide the public an opportunity to support the park through tax-deductible donations. The park receives a small stipend from the municipalities that share ownership, but it is only enough to meet current operational expenses. Additional revenue is necessary to fill in the funding gap that will allow future improvements, replacement of equipment, and major repairs. 

Local residents have made the park a hub of activities. There are runners, walkers, cyclists, fishermen, equestrians, birders, and natural photographers, to mention a few. The pavilion, built in 2008 as part of a major upgrade, is used by community groups to hold fundraisers like bike and hike-a-thons.  It also hosts family gatherings and lunchtime picnickers.

The Lehigh Canal Recreation Commission (LCRC) is the authorized body that oversees the operation and administrative management of the park. The seven municipalities that share ownership each appoint an individual to the Commission as their representative. All the park's upkeep and equipment maintenance is handled by volunteers the the Lehigh Canal Recreation Commission members, but the popularity and usage of the park has made it hard for the crew to keep up with the basics.

Your support ensures that the vision the original preservationists had for the park will continue to serve as a source of pride and enjoyment for the next several generations.

The Lehigh Canal Park Fund is a charitable fund under the umbrella of the Carbon County Community Foundation.