Hike #591; Jordan Creek

 Hike #591; Jordan Creek

10/14/11 Jordan Creek; Schnecksville to Allentown with "Commando Tom" Petrucci and Eric Fay

Covered Bridge Trail along Jordan Creek, Trexler Preserve

My next hike was on a Friday, something I was not at all very happy about it.

I had just started my new assignment with the NJ State Parks and Forests as a full time, permanant employee. My assignment was at Spruce Run, but unlike my previous assignments they were not willing to work around my schedule and let me do a hike every weekend. I would be forced to make some of them week days, and this was the first.

I was worried that no one would come out since there was poor weather in the forecast, and because it was on a Friday. Commando Tom showed up to my great relief, but then our old friend Eric Fay, who had somewhat recently completed the entire Appalachian Trail appeared! What a great surprise!

Trexler Preserve PA

View in the Trexler Preserve

My plan on this occasion was to try to hike the entire Jordan Creek Greenway. I'd already hiked in Allentown pretty extensively, and I'd hiked to the edge of the Trexler Preserve a couple years prior with Jillane and Cupcake, but hadn't really gotten into it. Phil Hunsperger of the Appalachian Mountain Club had sent me some maps of the proposed Jordan Creek trail soon after the fire, which got me more excited about the place. I had been wanting to go back and check out the place after seeing the amazing views in early 2010, and so this was the time.

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

Trexler Preserve view

There was a trail proposed to connect along the creek all the way from the Trexler Preserve to the confluence of the Jordan Creek with the Lehigh. I didn't know how much of it had been developed, and so we were going to find out.

After meeting at the Home Depot off of MacArthur Road in Whitehall/Allentown area, we shuttled my car north to the Lehigh/Carbon Community College a short distance off Rt 309, where I had finished the hike I had done with Jillane and Cupcake the last time we were out this way.

I realized starting out that I had forgotten my backpack, and with it my camera. Fortunately (I guess), I had one of the stupid Pokemon cartoon canister containers in my trunk which I could fill and drape over my shoulder. It served me well the entire hike! I would have to rely this time on my cell phone for pictures, which didn't come out too bad.

We began walking from the east side of the college parking areas, past the school with kids walking around everywhere. We said hi to them, but no one would acknowledge us because they were just too cool I suppose.

We crossed over the Orchard Road which passes through the campus, and then walked along the edge of the ball fields on the west side. When we reached the end of the ball fields, we cut into the woods. There was an old farm fence in there, and we could see a paved road beyond. Eric found a good way over the fence between the branches of a tree. We got over, and soon reached our first trail. This was the red blazed Trexler Border Trail, an 8.5 mile loop following the edge of the property. We followed it to the left and began making our way up hill, which was mostly on an old farm road.

It was nice at first, but nothing could prepare us for the vastness of the farmland views to come. Once we reached the crest of a rise, there were fantastic views of the extensive pastures, and the descent of the land to our right toward the Jordan Creek.

The trail rolled up and down hill, and followed a couple of farm roads along the way. I was going to turn right onto a paved farm road at one point, but there was a car stopped down there. It probably would have been fine, but I didn't know about the place much yet, so we continued on the loop perimeter back up hill to more amazing views. We went down and up hill again through another gully, and when we reached the top at the other side, came to the trailhead of the Trexler Border Trail. There were mile markers along the way, and the previous one showed that it was a fifth of a mile to the end. In the other direction it read that it was eight miles to fill the loop. Quite a substantial trail!

To the right of the parking area was some sort of visitor's center with an observation deck, so we made our way on over. A teal blazed side trail headed over toward the deck. We went onto the top of the building first, which offered a fantastic 180 degree view of the area. We could see all out to the valley of the Jordan Creek and beyond. The hillsides were sometimes forested, but sometimes remained like the pastures they might have looked like years ago. It was a spectacular spot. We made our way down from the top, and found that the under side was actually a visitor's center as well. The building was equipped with solar panels and claimed to be totally "green".

In the Trexler Preserve

Trexler Preserve

The building was closed in by very reflective glass. The doors were open so we went on in. There were trail maps inside, so we grabbed them. I was surprised not to see anyone working there. There must have been someone around because there was a car parked right at the place while the regular public parking area was a bit further to the east.

There was also a big class room area that was quite nice. After checking out the area, we moved on along the teal blazed trail for a bit back out to the red and turned right. We descended slightly, and then another teal blazed trail turned right away from this one. We turned here and began to ascend through a lovely gully into the valley, with open views ahead.

View in the Trexler Preserve

Trail in Trexler Preserve

Culvert, Trexler Preserve

Footbridge over Jordan Creek in Trexler Preserve

The hills above us were pretty barren, but we kept with the trail anyway. We descended rather steeply through this well cared for trail system. We exited the wide open meadows and were soon in the woods. The trail descended to a small paved road. A sign read that it was like a couple miles back to the visitor's center to the right. We crossed the road, descended a bit more and then followed a sort of woods road of sorts along the right side of a small gully, and then came close to the Jordan Creek close to a small parking area. I could see ahead that this was the famous portage spot where the road goes through the Jordan Creek, and is still open to public. Last I had heard, we had to cross the Jordan Creek on this portage, but when I looked to the right I saw an incredible foot bridge straight ahead of us!

Jordan Creek Bridge in Trexler Preserve

Jordan Creek Footbridge

Show me that stream called the Creek Jordan

Footbridge, Jordan Creek

Portage road across Jordan Creek

Trexler Preserve, Covered Bridge Trail

The foot bridge was something different than I'd seen at other places. It's framework seemed to emulate the internal framework I had seen on so many covered bridges, and it seemed to be made of wood, or at least a treks type of material that closely emulated it. I found it hard to believe they'd go to the trouble to bend off a piece of long substantial wood like they'd use in a covered bridge for an uncovered foot bridge, but who knows. It was quite impressive, and the view of the Jordan Creek at this point was lovely.

We crossed the bridge and turned left. The trail went directly across and onto a wooden walkway that really seemed kind of pointless. The approach making such an easy gradual turn away from an existing road was just a bit of overkill, but overall it was quite nice. We went over to the portage spot and I walked out into the middle of it, which was pretty cool. A sign at the site made mention that generations had come to this spot and enjoyed driving through the creek, and that's why it was still opened.

We continued along the creek down stream, along an old road that was now called "Covered Bridge Trail". Places where the road was slightly washed away was replaced by wooden planking bridges. The section took us high above the creek, but then descended back down to Old Packhouse Road and Geiger's Covered Bridge, built in 1860. The bridge is named for a German settler named Jacob Geiger who settled in the area in the mid 1700s. This covered bridge was quite uncommon looking compared to most because of the "stepped portal" shape at the entrances rather than the traditional triangular.

Geiger's Covered Bridge

In Geigers Covered Bridge

Old man creek...(Jordan)

Upstream view of Jordan Creek, Trexler Preserve

We took a walk on through the bridge to see both sides. This bridge was entirely within the Trexler Preserve pretty much, and so we still had some trail to the south of here, which was nice to see. We turned right and walked part of Old Packhouse Road up hill a bit, and then turned left onto the next part of the Trexler Border Trail. The trail took us down and up, and then along the edges and fields and such heading south, a bit further away from the Jordan Creek because I think the creek itself is in private land just south of Geiger's Bridge.

The trail eventually took us out onto Jordan Road and turned left. We followed the trail route along the road, which took us across the Jordan Creek on a more modern bridge. Soon, the trail turned left off of the road and headed back to the north, but we needed to keep going along the creek. The opposite side of the creek had a huge hillside, and so was pretty much impossible to follow at this point, so we continued on along Jordan Road. My maps of the proposed route were buried deep in Tom's bag, so I didn't feel like digging them out. We used his phone for GPS and just stayed on Jordan Road.

Crossing the Creek Jordan...

Jordan Creek, Lowhill Township

There was a house immediately on the opposite side of the creek, so we knew we couldn't go this way. Looking at the map, we just assumed we'd have to walk the road to the next point where the trail route would become accessible again. To our surprise, there was a piece of PA State Game Lands on the right. A narrow access roadway, mowed and grassy, making it's way south toward Jordan Creek. We figured this was good, and so we headed down it to the edge of the creek and then turned left following it. Looking at the map later on, we found that this was exactly where the trail was supposed to go!

We continued on the creek, at the time still unsure if we were going the correct way or not. After walking for a while, I didn't know how we were going to get back out to the road yet. We assessed the situation and decided it'd be best to wade across the stream to the other side where we could see a large parking lot full of cars. We figured this would get us to another road more in the direction we wanted to go. It also offered us a safe and at least public looking way to access it. I would later find out that the trail route was supposed to continue a short distance in the fields we were in out to Jordan Road again.

Still, we waded across, and them climbed the hillside up to a parking lot. We then made our way out to Horseshoe Road. The parking lot was for some sort of juvenile camp or something. We turned left on Horseshoe Road and headed down hill parallel with the creek.

Rex's Covered Bridge

A storm brewing near Rex's Bridge

At Rex's Covered Bridge

At the intersection where Horseshoe Road came out to Jordan Road again, Jordan Road emerged from Rex's Covered Bridge, an 1858 structure that was currently being worked on by I'm assuming county guys. I walked in to say hello to them. Technically, the trail was supposed to continue on the other side of the bridge for a bit further, and then cross over the creek a bit further up, but there probably was not yet a foot bridge in place anyway and the guys told us we weren't supposed to be in there, but without being too big of jerks about it. We could see how they were replacing a bit of the rotted wood, but most of it was all original.

We continued along Jordan Road and it started raining a bit for a while, but fortunately didn't last too long. We had lucked out with weather so far. We followed Jordan Road for a ways until we reached Kernsville Road, and turned left.

Grist Mill along Jordan Creek, Kernsville PA

Jordan Creek bridge, Kernsville Rd

Kernsville Dam on Jordan Creek

Jordan Creek bridge, Kernsville

Redurbished grist mill, Kernsville

Old Grist Mill on Jordan Creek, Kernsville

Old grist mill

We walked a short distance down Kernsville Road, and I could see off to the right where the trail was supposed to go. On the left side, where we were coming from, there was already a break in the guard rails where the trail would come out, and we could see that nothing was done on the south side, but we could bushwhack it.

Rather than go that far yet, there was an interesting truss bridge ahead with a big bent top to it's through style superstructure, of course from many people who had hit it over the years trying to pass beneath with larger than reasonable loads. Just beyond the bridge on the left was a beautiful old stone grist mill, with a dam still in place over Jordan Creek. I wanted to check it out, and so we crossed the bridge on the walkway and took in the nice view.

Once by the mill, we walked on to Grist Mill Road and turned left. We were able to walk around the nice old mill and make our way down to the river over the mill race. There was also a small stream that fed into the mill right next to it, in a walled in route.

A walkway extended along the edge of the old mill on the creek side, and the windows were pretty much open, with lots of debris from the recent flooding blocking a lot of the ways in. We stepped over it and had a look inside.

It was disappointing to see that a lot of people had dumped many big black garbage bags of trash into the old mill. When I looked up, I was even more impressed to see that the entire building had been gutted and rebuilt. Apparently all of the original wood was too far gone, but the building had been rebuilt with a new roof and floors. The larger beams supporting the floors were made of real wood cut to the same style as the original one would have been. I was blown away.

Old grist mill

Jordan Creek view from the old mill

View of Jordan Creek dam from old mill

Jordan Creek view from old mill

Inside old mill race

Old grist mill, Kernsville

Kernsville, PA

Old grist mill along Jordan Creek, Kernsville

We made our way up the stairs. These stairs didn't seem like they would have been part of the original structure, but were probably added because they wanted to make it accessible for public to come in. The stairs went up three levels, and were wide all the way. When we got to the top level, it was open directly down to the floor of the bottom level where the water wheel or turbine would have been. None of that still remained, and I don't think it would have been open all the way to the top originally, but it was cool to see that it was repaired with such care.

There was a little bit of graffiti on the wood inside, but nothing too significant. It was a really cool side trip to see.

We made our way back down the stairs, but first checked out the views from all of the windows. We exited the same way we came in, and then made our way back onto Grist Mill Road. I walked across into a meadow to answer nature's call, adn found a small foot bridge going apparently nowhere, probably back to Kernsville Rd.

We continued on from here, back across the bridge on Kernsville Road and then descended left from the road into the flood plain of the creek heading down stream.

Hiking along Jordan Creek, Kernsville

Along Jordan Creek south of Kernsville

Along Jordan Road, Macungie area.

We walked through some weeds for a short distance, but then the future trail opened up for a time into the edge of some sort of pasture or orchard or something. It was nice and clear. However, when we got to the end of the flood plain, there was a giant cliff side to the right of us. I would find out later that this was one of the spots where it was proposed to put in a bridge.

We made our way slightly around the corner to see if there was any way of really hiking this part, and there wasn't so we were faced with the task of climbing this insane slope. The ground was giving out on us constantly as we made our way up hill. It was actually really difficult. Eric made it up first as I recall, and then I made my way behind him, holding onto tree roots and such. The slope had broken glass and junk on it, but probably no one had ever tried to walk this section. We could see at the top a retention wall that had been placed to keep the road up there from collapsing to the river. We managed to get to the top, and then turned left onto Jordan Road. We probably should have tried to go through the fields on the other side, but that's arlight, it was a pleasant road walk, and it worked out well for us.

Jordan Creek, Macungie area

Pa Turnpike Jordan Creek Bridge

Farm road along Jordan Creek

Fields along Jordan Creek

Deer stand!

Commando Tom swims the Jordan Creek with his "Comfort Zone"

Commando Tom and his "comfort zone"

We made our way down the road, and I watched the field across the creek closely to see how tough it would be to walk on another occasion. We made our way past several homes, and I remember we stopped to talk to an older fellow who told us the only way to do the trail would be through his property, and at the time we didn't know any better because I wasn't looking at the proposal. He told us about the "American Parkway Bridge" that was supposed to be built, and they were talking about it in the fifties, the same year he graduated high school, and he said they still have not built it. I told him I had more optimism for the trail than that though, because so much of it is already in place.

We continued on down the road, and it started to pour like mad. I was upset that I'd forgotten my bag again because I'd put an umbrella in. Fortunately, we found a house that was for sale, with no one living in it, and we hung out on their porch for quite some time. Someone had left a key under the door mat, but it had been broken off into the key hole when we arrived.

We waited out the worst of the rain before we continued on along the Jordan Road. The road took us out to a small village area in South Whitehall Township just a little ways south of Orefield. We walked on from here out to Rt 309. We then walked north on 309 to the Jordan Creek Bridge and cut away from the road across fields on the right hand side. I didn't look at the map again, but the trail route was still on the other side at this point, and we should have crossed. Still, we were able to walk along the edge of the fields and then head off to pass beneath the PA Turnpike Bridge high above. Tom found a hunter's stand with a padded seat that read "Comfort Zone", with a big hole in it, so he took it with him. We realized we had to cross the creek, not only because the trail would be on the opposite side, but because this side was getting far too steep. We waded across, and Tom started boogie boarding along the creek with his "Comfort Zone" pad.

Wading through the Jordan Creek, South Whitehall

Weird spires growing out of this rotten wood along Jordan Creek

Covered Bridge Park

Tom's Comfort Zone

Dam in Covered Bridge Park

Rather than walking on the opposite side where it was so muddy, we took this opportunity to continue walking in the creek. It was quite pleasant and refreshing wandering through the water, although there was quite a drop off to significant depth very close to the edge at times, and I slipped more than once.

We eventually got out of the water and took a little break sitting on conveniently washed up logs before moving on.

The route took us along the edge of farmer's fields, and to a spot that had me a bit nervous when I first looked at it before I realized it was fine. We passed by the houses which were far away enough from the creek, and then through some high wetland weeds until we emerged in Covered Bridge Park. This nice park had a lovely little dam in it, followed closely by Wehr Covered Bridge, on Wehr Mill Road.

Wehr Covered Bridge

Jordan Creek in Covered Bridge Park

Jordan Creek and dam in Covered Bridge Park

We stopped and took another nice break here. I think this is where Tom dropped his "Comfort Zone" and forgot to bring it the rest of the hike.

We came to the mouth of the covered bridge and walked on through to the other side. Wehr's Covered Bridge, also known as Sieger's Bridge, was built in 1841 and is one of the oldest remaining covered bridges in the country. This one was neat because it looked a bit wider than a lot of the other bridges we'd seen. Apparently this one took it's main name because it was on Wehr's Mill Road, close to the mill that the Mr. Wehr of the same name erected nearby in the 1860s.

Wehr's Covered Bridge

Wehr's Covered Bridge

Wehr's Covered Bridge

We continued walking from the other side into Covered Bridge Park. This section would have part of the new proposed trail already developed to some extent. We walked along the edge of the Jordan Creek on the grassy edge of the park for a while, until there was a paved path that appeared from the right, also following the creek.

Jordan Creek in Covered Bridge Park

Trail in Covered Bridge Park

The park was quite nice. The pathway led us along the Jordan Creek for a bit, with lots of ball fields and such around. It then led out to a really interesting looking foot bridge that had a giant sort of concrete step approach. The bridge in no way looked historic, but it did have a lot of character. We crossed the foot bridge and ended up in another portion of the park and continued.

Foot bridge in Coovered Bridge Park

Approach to foot bridge in Covered Bridge Park

Foot bridge in Covered Bridge Park

Covered Bridge Park

On the other side, the trail led us along the creek to our right side, and along the edges of more ball fields. There were quite a few people using the park while we were there, but I don't remember interacting really with them in any way. We continued on from here to eventually intersect with Lapp Road. Here, we turned right.

Manasses Guth's Covered Bridge

Manasses Guth's Covered Bridge

Manasses Guth's Covered Bridge

This appears to be an old bridge site over the jordan creek

Iron Bridge Road

Iron Bridge Road

Manasses Guth's Covered Bridge was built in 1858 or 68, and marks the eastern boundary of Covered Bridge Park. This park is pretty cool because a covered bridge marks the boundary on either side. This bridge was higher I think than the other ones, and was more squared. Quite picturesque. We passed through the covered bridge and then turned left onto Iron Bridge Road.

This road was actually the trail route as per the plan for some time. Apparently it would not be possible to get the land along the Jordan Creek itself for this stretch.

We continued on around some sweeping corners with nice farm views, and then came out to an awesome three arch concrete viaduct for the former Reading Railroad. History websites call the "Iron Bridge", for which this road was named, but it was obviously not an iron one. Since the Reading Railroad predates the common use of concrete, this probably replaced an earlier iron structure.

Reading Railroad culvert over Jordan Creek

Reading Railroad's Jordan Creek culvert

Jordan Creek culvert

Jordan Creek culvert

Jordan Creek culvert

Eric up on the wall above Jordan Creek

The railroad that went on top must have been huge, because this culvert seemed like it must have been several tracks wide. We didn't try to get on top of it, but it didn't seem like it could have been all that wide as per the aerial images. We had to get our feet a bit wet to go through the one culvert, but the majority of the creek flowed through the other lower culvert. The bridge was really interesting looking. Two arches were intended to carry the Jordan Creek, and a third at a much higher level was intended for the road.

We climbed back up to the road and continued on along Iron Bridge Road heading east.

Jordan Creek culvert

Jordan Creek culvert on Iron Bridge Road

Jordan Creek culvert

Along Minnich Road

We followed Iron Bridge Road a little bit further, and it emerged onto Cedar Crest Boulevard. This was still a really rural area, so much different than the Cedar Crest Blvd I'd come to know in Whitehall. The trail route was supposed to continue straight across to the former straight across section of Minnich Road. We crossed and climbed down, then headed slightly up hill to the main course of Minnich Road. This road for a little distance was also supposed to be the route of the trail. When the road turned away sharply to the right, the trail was supposed to continue straight according to my maps, but we wouldn't be doing that this time. The route looked on the maps to still be in private ownership, and would certainly have taken far too much time to try to get through.

Running fast by the speed radar thing, Minnich Rd.

Prima Ave getting road work done

While we were walking along Minnich Road, we passed one of those radar detector lights that tell you what your speed is to get people to slow down. Tom told us he could run by them and tell him his speed. We both tried running back and forth as hard as we could past the thing, and only Tom could get it to register something for him, and it told him "slow down"!

We continued down the road a bit further, and then made a left out to Prima Ave and continued west. The Jordan Creek would come back to the edge of the creek, but ahead the road was closed off for construction. Fortunately, that would not stop us from walking through. The road was cut down a big level on the creek side with a lot of new ballast, and I wondered if that was to make room for a new section of the trail that would be at a lower level than the road itself. Maybe Prima was to be made one lane from now on...

We walked through and I tried starting various pieces of contractor's equipment to no avail.

Jordan Creek from Prima Ave

Prima Ave road work

We continued down the closed section of Prima Ave which took us out on Mauch Chunk Road. From here, we were able to turn and cross the bridge, and then turn right into the park section ahead. There was already a trail in place through this section.

Jordan Creek Parkway foot bridge

Trail along the Jordon Creek, Whitehall Pa

We walked for a ways through some nice woods, and then the trail crossed over a good foot bridge across the creek. We then turned left to continue along the creek down stream. This took us for a ways further, and then yet another foot bridge took us across the creek again.

Footbridge over Jordan Creek north of Allentown

Jordan Creek footbridge outside of Allentown

Trail along Jordan Creek, Allentown area

The foot bridge this time was actually a double, which took us across the main span of the creek onto an island, and then again onto another smaller flow of the creek and turned right. The trail ahead was quite nice, and rustic, without all of the paved surface or quarry screenings many urban trail ways have. This one was quite nice.

Footbridge over Jordan Creek near Alleentown

Jordan Creek near Allentown, at Mickley Road, Whitehall.

Pond along Mickley Ave, Whitehall

Helfritch Grist Mill, Allentown

Abandoned steps up to Rt 22 in Allentown

Jordon Creek in Allentown

Another foot bridge crossed over the creek as I recall, but we did not use it. I think my map told me to stay on this side. I don't  think we were able to find a way through after reaching Mickley, and so we turned right and followed that road for some time. The road took us near enough to the creek as the area around us became more and more urbanized. There was one spot a sanitary sewer line or something went off to the left somewhat clear, and I thought it was a new trail but it just dead ended shortly. We passed by a nice pond along the road, and I soon realized I had walked much of this route once before. On a past Musikfest hike, I wanted do do part of the Jordan Creek Parkway, and we ended up  having to walk Mickley because so much of it appeared inaccessible. I was now doing that same thing again. When we reached Rt 22 I was sure. There was a beat up and overgrown set of steps going up to it, and just past there was the historic Helfritch Grist Mill on the creek. I remembered thinking that was interesting because my it was like a combo of my family names on my father's side. My paternal grandmother's last name was Fritch.

We passed the grist mill and then turned left on Pennsylvania Street to get out across Macarthur Road. We then headed straight on to the developed and cleared section of the Jordan Creek trail. The wide open part had the nice paved path we were able to follow for a good distance.

We walked through Jordan Park for a bit, past the basketball courts and such almost out to Sumner Ave, but first turned right across the fields to stop by a great Mexican food place Jillane and I had recently discovered just off the corner of Mickley and Sumner.

Awesome Mexican place in Allentown

This was where we would finish the hike. Laura would come to join us for Mexican dinner and drive us back to our cars at Home Depot. The food was outstanding as expected, especially after a good hike.

This hike has opened the door to probably eight or more new hikes I can add to the adjenda of places to explore.

Having an awesome Mexican dinner