How hard are the rapids on the Lehigh River?

The Lehigh River through Lehigh Gorge State Park is rated Class II to III. The Upper section from White Haven to Rockport is the lively run, and the Lower section from Rockport to Glen Onoko suits families who want to paddle and swim near the boat.

How long are the whitewater sections?

Lehigh Gorge State Park lists White Haven to Rockport at 8.7 miles, Rockport to Glen Onoko at 12.2 miles, and the full White Haven to Glen Onoko run at 20.9 miles. Section III continues below Glen Onoko toward Jim Thorpe and Bowmanstown.

What is a dam release weekend?

The Francis E. Walter Dam sits upstream of the whitewater sections. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls scheduled releases that raise the river level, which gives the rapids extra push and cuts down on paddling.

When are the Lehigh River dam releases?

Releases for fishing and whitewater happen from spring through fall. Dates are posted on the Lehigh Gorge State Park alerts page, and flows are listed on USGS gauge 01447800.

What water level is good for boating the Lehigh River?

Lehigh Gorge State Park lists 250 to 1,000 cfs as the range for boating. Difficulty climbs above 1,000 cfs, and above 5,000 cfs the river is for expert boaters only.

Where do you put in and take out on the Lehigh River?

The designated access areas in Lehigh Gorge State Park are White Haven, Rockport, and Glen Onoko. Boaters launch and take out only at designated areas. Section III also has public access in Jim Thorpe, Bowmanstown, Weissport, and Lehighton.

Can you bike along the Lehigh River instead of rafting?

Yes. A rail trail runs beside the river through the gorge, so you can bike the same corridor if you want to stay out of the water.

Lehigh River Whitewater Rafting Guide: Sections, Rapids, and Dam Releases

1 day ago

4 min read

Updated: 10 minutes ago

Many people don't realize this, but one of the best ways to recreate in the Poconos is to try your hand at the Class II-III whitewater of the Lehigh River. The perfect way to spend a hot day, get a workout in, and see the historic Lehigh Canal System invented by Josiah White and ran until the Flood of 1869 washed it away. Next to the river runs the train tracks that carried the trains that replaced the Canal System. Now, this is also a bike trail, so if water isn't your forte, try a bike!

If you time it right, and I highly recommend you do, you want to go on a 'dam release' weekend. This means that the Francis E. Walter Dam, which sits right above the sections of the river you'll be rafting, is releasing so much water the it positively impacts the river rapids. This makes it more fun, and means less paddling. The Army Corps of Engineers are the ones who control the scheduled Dam Releases that impact the river. You can access the release dates directly on the Army Corps of Engineers Website and search the newest reports. Check out USGS Gauge 01447800.

The Lehigh River is made up of 3 main sections. The Upper Upper, The Upper, The Lower, and Section III. Most people do not run The Upper Upper, which is the section right between the Dam and White Haven's Lehigh Gorge Put-In. All of these put-ins and take-outs are located in Pennsylvannia State Parks Lehigh Gorge State Park, Glen Onoko State Park, and others.

Group rafting on a cloudy river past a tall concrete bridge pier, wearing Whitewater Challengers life jackets, calm outdoor mood

Section I - 'The Upper'

The Upper consist of Class II-III rapids. There are 8.7 miles of whitewater between White Haven Put-In under the I-80 Bridge, and Rockport Takeout. If you are going with a guiding company and want maximum thrill, this is a great section to do. You can review each of the rapids in detail with photos at American Whitewater, which is an impressive catalog of information for a river.

The Upper just last year got a makeover for the put-in area, allowing for commercial and private outings to both launch separately, and fishermen to not be disturbed. The access is available in White Haven's Lehigh Gorge State Park.

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Section II - 'The Lower'

The lower 12.2 mile section of river also consists of Class III rapids, but not so severe. It great for families who are looking more to paddle and swim near the boat than adrenaline rushing rapids. It puts in at Rockport, Weatherly and takes out in Jim Thorpe at Glen Onoko State Park. The put in and take out are farther away, so a car shuttle or organizing a local outfitter to shuttle you is recommended if you don't want to do the good ol' leave one car at each takeout situation.

You can also add another about 2.5 - 3miles to this trip by passing the first Glen Onoko Takeout and heading to Jim Thorpe, where there is River Access in Town. This extra section is simply a Class II float, or paddle depending on your vessel and timing.

If you're just there for a nice flat fishing float, put in at Glen Onoko and take out in Jim Thorpe. 2.5 miles of floating and fishing.

Lehigh River Section III - 'Section III'

Section III is just named Section III. This is the real float. at 2,000 - 3,000 CFS, this is a family paddle and float. It's also a good place to train beginning kayakers. Wide river with some surfing waves, eddy lines and easy drops.

When the CFS rises above 3,000CFS, the water seems to get more pushy when the river overflows into the trees, and this is when the waves at the last rapid (Carnage) can get big and irregular.

River access at Glen Onoko, or at the town of Jim Thorpe (pay the fee at the township parking lot, and put in at the access at the north end of the lot) although below is a comprehensive list of all the options for this section.

Jim Thorpe - pedestrian bridge to cross the river, paid parking, easy
Off street parking for 200 cars, and a bike trail south to Slatington and beyond to Whitehall, and north to Weissport
Bowmanstown (East Penn Boat Ramp) - park at the access road to the turnaround at the river. There is a public access .75 miles down from the Bowmanstown bridge at Riverside Park on river right.
Bowmanstown (take-out on river right at the Bridge of RT-285)
Parryville (I wouldn't recommend because you have to park at the turnpike building and carry down to the river and it's not very easy)
Weissport (park at the playground and put in under the Bridge of RT-209)
Dunbar's Bottling in Lehighton (go past the buildings to the river - be careful of leaving your car there)

Lehigh River Section III Rapids to Know About: (The main rapids are at the beginning and end)

Aerial view of a river winding through leafless forested hills under a bright blue, cloudy sky. — Aerial View of the Lehigh River in White Haven

Deaton's Demise below Glen Onoko
- This is a 'Playspot'
Bear Trap in Jim Thorpe
- Run down the middle, avoiding rocks. At the bottom there are two rocks in the middle right. Run to the left, or run the slot between the two rocks. A good pop-up spot between the two rocks.
Carnage in Bowmanstown
- start left and follow the main flow to the right avoiding the large rocks in the middle of the channel about 1/3 of the way down if you start at Glen Onoko, or sneak to the right of a small island after you pass the old dam location.

After you make it past Carnage, it's the float I mentioned above. The remainder of the river is pretty much riffles with flatwater and some small wave trains. So if you put in after carnage in Bowman's Town the rest is very relaxed. A surfing wave is under the left arch of the railroad bridge just above Lehighton at Dunbars.