Lehigh University Opens First Public Trail in Forest Park

In a significant move toward integrating its natural resources with the broader community, Lehigh University is set to open a public hiking trail within its 760-acre Forest Park on South Mountain in Bethlehem. This marks the first step in an initiative to make Forest Park a more accessible and sustainable natural resource, benefiting both the campus and the surrounding community.

For decades this private land, home to over 900 identified species of plants and animals, has been accessible only with university permission for research and educational purposes. The first marked public trail represents a commitment to environmental stewardship, experiential learning, and shared enjoyment of the outdoors with the broader Bethlehem and Lehigh Valley community.

A Shared Vision of the Lehigh Campus

The Forest Park Initiative is a direct result of Lehigh’s Inspiring the Future Makers Strategy and its accompanying 2025 campus master plan, Making the Future, which includes a strategic vision for connecting the entire campus through safe, multi-modal transportation. The newly accessible areas will eventually offer a network of woodland trails linking various parts of the university and nearby Bethlehem for mobility, recreation, and contemplation.

Associate Vice President for Facilities and Campus Planning Nancy Rogo Trainer explained that phase one of the Forest Park Initiative is part of a multi-year plan implementing the broader goals of Making the Future.

“In the coming years, as we activate more of the forest through additional trails, research and engagement, we will also be improving our campus infrastructure in ways that will further encourage walking and cycling,” she noted. “These projects will take time, but they will result in vital connections between the Mountaintop and Historic Core districts of the university.”

Supporting A Healthy Regenerative Forest

Future phases of the Forest Park initiative will include additional trails as well as greater active management of the forest to ensure its long-term sustainability. The plan will encourage the regeneration of desirable tree species.

President Joseph Helble, ‘82 expressed his enthusiasm for this moment in Lehigh’s history. “The Forest and the Mountaintop are such unique Lehigh spaces, and I’m excited to see the Forest Park Initiative realized in this way through the opening of this initial trail,’” he said. “This milestone marks a new era of access and stewardship for the university and the broader Lehigh Valley.”

Follow this link for more information regarding the trails, including a map and FAQ.

Story by Hillary Kwiatek