The Canal Parks: Hanover Township

I had no idea there was a Canal Park in Hanover Township. I went out in search of Catasaqua Lake. Using Google maps, I found it down the road from Kimmet’s Lock on Dauphin Street just past the Allentown city line. When I pulled into the parking lot I saw that sign.

I realized for the first time that I had discovered a series of “Canal Parks” along the Lehigh starting with Hugh Moore Park and appearing all the way through Northampton. I have offered extensive coverage of Allentown’s Canal Park and I have also posted about Bethlehem’s park on the canal, Sand Island Park. It is my belief that to better understand the current situation at our Canal Park, it is of the utmost importance to visit these other canal parks and as always, I am going to be taking you with me.

This Canal Park begins with an area of pavilions and historical preservation.



There are two signs with species identifications on them that include types of birds and fish seen in the park. I haven’t seen signs like this anywhere in Allentown’s park system and I think they could be a valuable addition to some of our parks, especially the more naturalized ones.

Like Sand Island, there is direct preservation of former canal fixtures in this park. These are not the D and R preservation pieces seen there and at other points along the towpath trail. These are unique to this Canal Park.


To the left of The Locktender’s House a trail is cut through the woods. It is a beautiful walk that follows alongside the empty canal bed and eventually under the rather high Route 22 Bridge.



The trail ends abruptly in what appears to be someone’s backyard. I have too often been trespassing this summer trying to discover things. On my way back I was amazed at the contrast in front of me. I could have been in a any Eastern Pennsylvanian forest but with a slight turn of the head I could see busy Dauphin Street buzzing with cars and activity.

Back in the park, I saw a very familiar Canal Park staple:

The towpath returns.

Here, the towpath follows the still empty Canal on one side and borders Catasaqua Lake on the other. Due to the wet summer that we have been having a very small amount of standing water has developed in parts of the idle canal.

At the end of the lake, the trail splits. One path leads on to the next Canal Park in Northampton and the other loops back around Catasaqua Lake and to the parking lot. I opted to explore this Canal Park further and save the trip to Northampton for another day. The lake is much more like Muhlenberg Lake than Lake Nockamixon. Parts of this park appear very much to be influenced by the presence of wetlands and the shallow lake serves to prove it.

There is a “pier” here. I put pier in quotes because it appears to be a long piece of plastic formed to look like wood anchored by four metal poles. The thing shakes and bends with every footstep and I really did not want to fall in, so it made me a bit nervous to walk on.

There are an abundance of things worth checking out at this Canal Park. It is unparalleled as far as maintenance and preservation go.I am saving a complete comparison until I have visited all of them. Rest assured, the close proximity of this park makes it worth a visit to any Allentonian. I took a lot from my visit to Hanover Township’s Canal Park and with Sand Island behind me I look forward to visiting Northampton and Hugh Moore to really see what is possible and what needs to be avoided concerning the future of our Canal Park.

See Also:
The Canal Parks (Thus Far)

Directions from 15th and Chew in Allentown:

View From Allentown to Canal Park,Hanover Township in a larger map