The Lehigh Valley is typically seen as boring or at least annoyingly normal by students who are not locals. This article won’t be making a case for the Lehigh Valley. I’ve been denouncing the existence of this place since I was a child, but when you’re from a town in the Lehigh Valley and there isn’t anything exciting to do at all (we used to go to the mall and walk around for fun), you have to branch out to find ways to excite yourself.
There are only a few spots in the Lehigh Valley that make you feel like maybe this place isn’t so painfully mundane, but once you find them they might make the area seem more bearable for the remainder of your college experience.
The Lehigh University Lookout (or the Lehigh University campus in general)
I don’t mean to be a traitor but…as a teen, going to explore Lehigh’s campus was pretty cool. On both summer and winter nights, high schoolers bundle up and drive over to Bethlehem to go through the windy hills until they get to the lookout. At the top, there isn’t much to see, but the view of Bethlehem from the top of a hill can be breathtaking and spark your love for your area when everything is lit up and looks like little stars below the hill.
It isn’t that interesting, but with the right people, it can feel like one of the best low effort adventures you can have.
The Ironton Rail Trail
I grew up in Whitehall, which is a little far from Lafayette, and it is home to the historical Ironton Rail Trail. The trail is made up of an old railroad track and includes some of the original engines and cars directly on the tracks. It also houses concrete and stone buildings and bridges, which are all abandoned and run down now. There are 3 different spots that I loved to go to with my old friends on the trail.
#1 – The lookout (Proceed with caution)
The lookout is a big boulder hanging off of the side of a mountain. Below, there is a huge (but shallow, so be careful) lake and there are fishing docks directly across from the lookout where you can observe people just enjoying life and ~vibing~ with some fish and their family. There isn’t any netting or fencing and the boulder is extremely high up, which adds a sense of danger to the experience. The lookout is beautiful on a mild day. If it’s too hot, the gnats and spiders swarm the forest that you have to cut through to get to the platform. If it’s too cold, it isn’t worth it since the area is so drafty and that makes it more dangerous.
#2 – The ruins (Proceed with caution)
I have never been able to accurately locate the IRT ruins (sometimes I swear that it doesn’t really exist), but I’ve come close to them and the area surrounding is beautiful. There are massive stone buildings that are eroded to shambles, covered in art and graffiti, and they have vegetation growing up the sides and through the cracks in the rocks. I’ve heard that there’s a beautiful waterfall hidden somewhere, and I’ve seen photos, but I have never found it. Once you go deep enough into the forest, you can hear running water but you don’t see anything. There are abandoned campsites and random belongings left in and around the ruins. Many people camp out there with the most popular time being around Halloween. Be careful, though. Despite the IRT being relatively safe, nowhere should be explored alone or without protection when it is hidden in the brush without any light and a ton of hills and jagged rocks. There is also a river that runs along the trail, which adds to how dangerous exploring this area alone could be.
#3 – The Tunnels (Proceed with caution)
There are long, dark tunnels hidden in the trail. The tunnels form a gaping cylinder and the walls are covered in graffiti with the ground covered in gravel and broken glass (sometimes). Although this may seem like a terrible place to want to hang out, the tunnels can be a fun place to just skate (on the smoother ground) or drive around recklessly with friends. There isn’t much foot traffic through the tunnels so vehicles if you can manage to get them down there, can be a fun addition.
It’s pretty hard to describe the areas and how close to my own childhood they are, especially to people who do not understand the culture of the Lehigh Valley, but being a small-town suburban girl puts a strain on what you can do for fun. Even if you’re from the most exciting place in the country, I would encourage checking out these seemingly less invigorating spots to get a feel of what the Lehigh Valley is all about (I mean, you are going to school here).