Allentown Park Log 7: East Side Reservoir

Way back on the East side of Allentown, near to the border of Bethlehem, is the East Side Reservoir. It is as difficult to find as Keck Park and South Mountain, with no signage or driving instructions from the main arteries taken to get there. I had never been to the East Side Reservoir before and if not for the Allentown Parks brochure, I would not have had any idea the place existed.

Described in that brochure as a picnic area with hiking trails, I was surprised to find myself in what seemed like a parking lot, looking at a bathroom with no visible trails or picnic area. The road in on Halstead St. ends here in a small cul de sac at the base of the reservoir itself. Climbing the surprisingly steep earthen wall, I was greeted with this view on top:

Walking on, I found the picnic area. Here was another access road that looped around and went back to a city street. There were no hiking trails in this area, or at least not ones that I could easily find. Of all the parks I have thus far visited, East Side Reservoir was the quietest and the seemingly least used. It seemed more a picnic destination than a city park.

Trying to find the advertised hiking trails I walked down the far less steep side of the reservoir:

It led me back down to the bathroom dead end where I parked my car. The views of forest in this park are remarkable considering how urban the location is:

Alas, still no hiking trails. There were two paths cut through the undergrowth, but both just led out of the park:


On a clear day, from the top of the reservoir, a heck of a view is possible of Fullerton, Whitehall, and points north. Overall, East Side Reservoir is an interesting location but certainly not a major park destination given its sister parks in the city. If you however, need a place to have a picnic, this park might be the place for you. Good luck finding it though.