Established by Congress in 1988 to tell the vibrant story of the nation’s evolution and culture, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (the D&L) has evolved into one of the nation’s most successful Heritage areas. Designated as a State Heritage Area by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1993, the D&L strategically uses federal, state and private funds to accomplish the mission of preserving the historic pathway that carried coal and iron from Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia. Today, the D&L Trail connects people to nature, culture, communities, recreation and our industrial heritage.

To date, the D&L has worked with public and private partners to complete approximately  88% of the 165 miles of the D&L Trail with many different projects moving toward completion. While the focus has been on completing the trail, the D&L has also focused on telling the story of the history, people, and culture along the trail. To better tell the story of the Canals, in 2013 they affiliated with the National Canal Museum in Hugh Moore Park in Easton. Visitors to the Museum can enjoy a mule-drawn canal boat ride while learning about how these boats fuel the industrial revolution and explore the hands-on displays within the museum.

As a nonprofit organization, the D&L relies on funding from diverse sources including the National Park Service, the PA DCNR and the William Penn Foundation. D&L celebrates the individuals and organizations that share the mission through their membership. Finally, they also rely on the volunteers to help tend the trail as it spans 5 counties and coordinate fundraisers such as the annual Dinner and Auction.

Explore the website to learn more about membership, volunteering, the weekly newsletter and the many programs offered by the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

To explore the D&L Trail, check out the online trail map that is both printable and mobile friendly.