Appalachian Trail hikers passing through the Lehigh Gap will soon be able to enjoy spectacular views from a relocated section of the trail.

Volunteers are preparing to reroute a section of the Appalachian Trail located west of the Lehigh River onto another existing trail known as the “North Trail,” giving hikers a better view of the Lehigh River and Carbon County.

“Some of the best views on the Appalachian Trail in all of Pennsylvania are going to be on our section,” said Jim Foster of Keystone Trails Association.

KTA maintains about 10 miles of the Appalachian Trail between Lehigh Furnace Gap through the Lehigh Gap to Little Gap.

On both sides of the Lehigh River, there has been work underway to clean up the damage inflicted on the landscape by the zinc smelting operations which took place in the area up until 1980.

At the same time, there have been plans underway to relocate the trail to land where restoration work has been done.

The North Trail was once the main route of the Appalachian Trail, but it was relocated due to damage from the zinc plant, Foster said.

In 2014, plans were created to move multiple sections of the trail around Lehigh Gap, including the North Trail. Some of that plan can be seen near Little Gap and Lehigh Furnace Gap, where the Appalachian Trail Conservancy has built new sections of trail.

While KTA maintains the trail locally, plans to reroute the trail must involve the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the National Park Service.

Though the overall relocation will take years, Keystone Trails Association has strongly supported bringing the Appalachian Trail back to the North Trail, so hikers doing the full Maine-Georgia hike can experience the view.

“A lot of hikers from the Lehigh Valley know about the North Trail. But a lot of people not from the Lehigh Valley are going to be exposed to some spectacular views they didn’t know about because the trail didn’t go there,” Foster said.

The North Trail is almost ready to be made into the Appalachian Trail. On Oct. 16, volunteers will replace the blue painted blazes of the North Trail with the traditional white blaze of the Appalachian Trail.

The current route will be blazed blue and kept open so day hikers can continue to hike the loop it forms along with the North Trail.

Keystone Trails Association welcomes volunteers. More information is available by visiting Ktalehighgapat.weebly.com or by emailing ktalehighgapat@gmail.com.

Many of the organization’s volunteers are avid hikers from the Lehigh Valley or Philadelphia area. Lehigh Gap is the closest access to the Appalachian Trail for many who live in the Philadelphia area.

Many of those who have hiked the trail enjoy giving back by volunteering. Many spots along the Appalachian Trail have seen heavier use during the pandemic, making that volunteer service even more important.

“It’s important not just to experience the thing yourself, it’s important to give back so others can follow later in your footsteps, more generations,” Foster said.