The combination of summer heat, COVID-19 restrictions and overcrowding at Beltzville appear to be pushing people to find new places for outdoor recreation.

One of those places is the Lehigh River, near the Glen Onoko Access of Lehigh Gorge State Park. Swimming at Glen Onoko Access has concerned locals who know that in that section, the river can be dangerous, if not fatal.

“Even if they have a life jacket on at Glen Onoko, it’s still unsafe. The undercurrent is just harsh,” said Steven Anthony of Lehighton. “It’s constantly moving. It can be changing every minute.”

Glen Onoko Access gets its name from the well-known waterfall located nearby. But it is really just the name for the southern tip of the Lehigh Gorge State Park.

It’s a popular spot for D & L Trail riders, visitors to the Turn Hole Tunnel, as well as local rafting companies, which launch and land their rafts along the shore of the Lehigh where it bends. Tragically, it’s also been the site of four drownings since 2012.

Recently, groups of visitors to the park have been setting up picnics and swimming in the Lehigh along that shore, despite multiple signs which clearly state “No Swimming” in Spanish and English.

Anthony said he and other rafting company employees watched the scene unfold on a recent weekend, and guessed it was likely related to the capacity crowds at Beltzville State Park in recent weeks.

“We’re sitting down there: Three of the four rafting companies, and we’re all saying the same thing ‘this is all because Beltzville is getting overpacked,’?” he said.

Lehigh Gorge State Park is intended for activities like whitewater rafting, bicycling along the D & L, hiking and bird watching. There are no designated swimming or picnic areas.

In 2018, two people died over the course of 10 days. Two other people swimming at Glen Onoko Access died in 2016 and 2012.

The signs were put up following the 2018 incidents. Park Manager Rex Braddish said swimming at Glen Onoko Access is a big concern.

“It’s very clear that it’s not a beach. It’s actually a commercial boat launch for whitewater activity. Folks swimming and picnicking and setting up grills, that’s not something we want to see in that area,” Braddish said.

The Glen Onoko Access is scenically beautiful, but there are a combination of conditions which make it a dangerous spot: rapids, a strong undercurrent, submerged rocks and ledges which invite jumpers. Locals know the hazards well, but with the park attracting visitors from other counties and states, they may be unaware of the risks.

“It’s wild, it’s not man-made, and along with that, there’s safety issues. It might look nice, but there’s a current and whirlpools and bottoms of the river that’s rocky and has stones and possible foot entrapment issues,” Braddish said.

Anthony, who also serves on the Lehighton Fire Department water rescue team, said the ledges beneath the Turn Hole Tunnel pose the greatest danger. Below the water, there are rocks that can trap a swimmer’s foot. Once that happens, the strong undercurrent makes it nearly impossible to escape.

“There’s a rock that has a good foot entrapment. It will pull you under and there’s no way you’re coming back up under your own power.

DCNR Rangers regularly patrol the Glen Onoko Access. They put an emphasis on education rather than enforcement. Rather than citing people, they try to educate them and direct them to another park with a swimming beach, such as Hickory Run State Park, which Braddish also manages.

“It is a bit of a distance to drive up, but if you go to Hickory Run, you have picnic tables, you have grills, you have flush restrooms, you have a food concession, you have a swimming beach that’s a sand swimming beach versus a rocky bottom,” Braddish said.

Hickory Run has also seen a massive influx of visitors during COVID-19. Braddish said visitation is up 98 percent throughout the park versus 2019. Trails, camping and day use areas are all seeing increased visitors.

Anthony said he and other rafting company employees tried to call park rangers last weekend, but none showed. He said he could see plenty of people drinking alcohol and smelled marijuana smoke - both of which are illegal in state parks. He said having a more consistent presence from rangers could help.

“I think more patrolling from the DCNR rangers will help. The presence would probably - I wouldn’t say eliminate - but it’ll probably be a lot less of the swimming and partying,” he said.