Trail or Park of the Week: Ironton Rail Trail in Whitehall and Coplay

This week's Trail or Park of the Week is the Ironton Rail Trail, a 9.2-mile paved rail trail that connects Whitehall Township, the Borough of Coplay, and North Whitehall Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It is flat, wide, and easy, which makes it popular for walking, running, cycling, and family outings, and it passes the nine historic Coplay Cement Kilns at Saylor Park. Here is what to expect, where to park, and the best time to go.

Trail Highlights

The Ironton Rail Trail follows the former Ironton Railroad right-of-way, which Lehigh County purchased in 1996 and converted into a multi-use trail. It is a Rail-Trail Hall of Fame trail, and it links nearly a dozen parks along its route. The trail's signature landmark is the Coplay Cement Kilns, nine 90-foot-tall red-brick vertical kilns that stand at Saylor Park in Coplay and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 🌱 9.2 miles of paved, flat trail with a gentle grade, suitable for walkers, runners, cyclists, and strollers.
• 🏛 Coplay Cement Kilns at Saylor Park: nine 90-foot red-brick kilns built in 1892-1893, now an open-air industrial museum.
• 📍 25+ historic interpretive sites with signage along the route telling the story of the Ironton Railroad and the cement industry.
• 🚗 Connects to nearly a dozen parks and is planned as a spur to the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L Trail).

Trail Length and Difficulty

The Ironton Rail Trail is about 9.2 miles long, including a roughly 5-mile loop that encircles Coplay plus a spur. The surface is wide, flat, and mostly paved asphalt, about 9 feet wide with an average grade of roughly 3 degrees. The trail is rated easy and is accessible to a wide range of users, including wheelchairs and strollers. Because it is a rail trail, there are no steep climbs, which makes it a dependable choice for a relaxed outing at any pace.

The Coplay Cement Kilns

The Coplay Cement Kilns are the trail's most photographed landmark. The Coplay Cement Company built the nine Schoefer vertical kilns in 1892-1893, and they were among the first successful Portland cement kilns in the United States, following the pioneering work of David O. Saylor. The kilns closed in 1904, were donated to Lehigh County in 1975, and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today they form the open-air Saylor Park Industrial Museum in a 2.6-acre park that also includes a pool and a playground, so the kilns are a natural stopping point mid-ride or mid-walk.

Amenities

The main trailheads provide year-round portable restrooms, benches (some built from recycled freight-car wheels), and trail maps. Historic interpretive signage is placed throughout the route, and the trail connects to nearly a dozen parks where you will find additional picnic areas, playgrounds, and open space. The trail is open to walkers, runners, cyclists, and leashed pets, and it is a common route for local commuting and recreation alike.

Parking and Trailheads

There are four main trailheads with parking, so you can start from whichever end of the trail is most convenient:

• 📍 Coplay trailhead: Chestnut and North Ruch Streets, Coplay, near the cement kilns.
• 📍 Hokendauqua Park trailhead: Hokendauqua, with park parking available.
• 📍 Charles Nehf Trail / Red Barn trailhead: Whitehall Parkway, 4041 Chestnut Street, Whitehall.
• 📍 North Whitehall Township trailhead: 3256 Levans Road, Coplay, which also has a hitching post for equestrian use.

Additional access points with parking are located along Columbia, Park, Center, South Ruch, South Church, Reliance, and Portland Streets on the Coplay loop.

Best Time to Go

The trail is open year-round from dawn to dusk, and October is one of the best months to visit. Early-to-mid October brings the first strong patches of fall color along the route, and the cooler temperatures are comfortable for a longer walk or ride. Weekday mornings are the quietest; weekend afternoons are the busiest, especially near the Coplay kilns and the park connections. After a rain, the paved sections drain quickly, though puddles can collect in a few low spots, so allow extra time if you are cycling.

A Fall Favorite in the Lehigh Valley

The Ironton Rail Trail is one of the Lehigh Valley's most accessible outdoor destinations, and October is a great time to see it with the fall color coming in. Whether you walk the Coplay loop, ride the full 9.2 miles, or stop at the cement kilns for a look at local industrial history, it is an easy day out in Lehigh County. Trail conditions and restroom availability can change, so it is always a good idea to check the official trail website before you go.

And if a day on the trail gets you thinking about what it would be like to live in Whitehall, Coplay, or another Lehigh Valley community, Tim Tepes has helped buyers and sellers across Northampton, Lehigh, and Carbon Counties for more than 36 years. Reach out any time for honest, local guidance.