South Mountain Wildlands Preserve

Overview

South Mountain Preserve is Wildlands Conservancy’s first nature preserve and was permanently protected in 1973 by a handful of forward-thinking citizens. This 440-acre preserve boasts nearly 12 miles of woodland trails and serves as a beloved oasis for hiking, trail running, birding, and mountain biking with multi-use trails. It is a heavily forested preserve with rocky outcrops and overlooks of the Lehigh Valley.

The popular Alpine Street Trail is a 1.7-mile loop traveling past babbling brooks, glacial boulders, and large tulip poplars. Opt to ascend further up South Mountain Preserve by way of the Trout Run, Uplands, Mountain Top, Bug, Log, and Bloodroot Trails.

Activities and amenities: Hiking, Parking Lot, ADA Trail, Mountain Biking, Trail Running, Birding, Dog Walking (Dogs must be leashed at all times)

Difficulty: Intermediate-to-Advanced

Access Points:

Main entrance:
554 Alpine St, Emmaus, PA 18049
GPS Coordinates: 40.547910, -75.483103

Other accessible points:
Klines Lane
GPS Coordinates: 40°32’21.8″N 75°28’56.7″W
Ithaca St. play lot
GPS Coordinates: 40°33’17.6″N 75°28’36.8″W

Photos by: Steve Miller