Trail Updates

Temporary relocation at Palmerton remediation project 

Zinc smelting plants (now shut down) in Palmerton have left Blue Mountain nearly devoid of vegetation in the Lehigh Gap area.  A long-term remediation project was begun in March of 2008.  As part of this project, 4 miles of the A.T. has been temporarily relocated between the east end of the Winter Trail (at the top of Lehigh Gap) and Little Gap, and no longer follows a dirt road across the top of the ridge.  This relo is marked with normal 2 x 6 inch white A.T. blazes.  Since part of the relo'd trail follows a Pennsylvania Game Commission boundary, hikers should be aware that PGC boundaries are also marked with white paint blazes -- but those blazes are generally less defined (not as square shaped and varying in size).  At the west end of the relo, the Trail follows a grassy haul road built during earlier remediation activity on private land below.  Land below this haul road is private property -- hikers should not attempt to descend to the valley through it.  The old ridgetop road formerly used by the A.T. will be used for vehicle access during upcoming remediation activity.