Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lehigh Gap, near the village of Weiders Crossing, is a water gap formed by the Lehigh River where it cuts through Blue Mountain in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. The gap allows easy travel between Carbon County to the north and Lehigh and Northampton counties to the south of the mountain. One of the more distinctive features of the gap is Devil's Pulpit, a rock formation that reminds hikers of a pulpit.
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[edit] Travel
Pennsylvania Route 248 runs directly through the gap, connecting the Lehigh Valley metro area to the smaller Carbon County boroughs of Palmerton, Bowmanstown and Lehighton. State Routes 873 and 145 connect to Route 248 just south of the gap.
Besides vehicular travel, the gap also provides a crossing through the mountain for hikers on the Appalachian Trail. The Delaware and Lehigh Heritage Corridor Trail also intersects Lehigh Gap.
[edit] Lehigh & New England Railroad
The Lehigh & New England Railroad used to have a bridge crossing the Lehigh River within the gap. The bridge is gone, but its foundations on each side of the river are still visible. The Bridge was torn down in 1967.
[edit] Restoration projects
In 2002, the Wildlife Information Center (since renamed the Lehigh Gap Nature Center) purchased more than 750 acres (3.0 km²) near Lehigh Gap. Their goal is to restore the wildlife along Blue Mountain. From 1898 to 1980, the Palmerton Zinc plant emitted sulfur dioxide at rates of up to 3,600 pounds per hour, killing plant life and animal habitats. Twenty years later, a noticeable lack of tree density remains on the Palmerton side of the gap. History of Palmerton Zinc
The Lehigh Gap Nature Center currently includes The Osprey House on the Slatington side of the river. The nature center works closely with colleges and universities on various wildlife-oriented research projects. The center sponsors a club for young naturalists.
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