Switchback Trail & Mount Pisgah
A trail built along the old bed of America's first roller-coaster-style coal railroad. It climbs Mount Pisgah for a view over the town.
The Mauch Chunk-Summit Hill Switchback Gravity Railroad was completed in 1827. It used gravity to move coal from the mountain down to the river. It later became a popular tourist sightseeing line and is regarded as a forerunner of the American roller coaster. The railroad was dismantled in 1933, and its bed was converted into a trail of about 29 km with gentle gradients, suitable for hiking and mountain biking. From the Old Town, the climb up Mount Pisgah takes about 1.5 hours. From the summit you can look down over Jim Thorpe and the Lehigh Valley. The trail is free, and you can park in the Old Town or at Mauch Chunk Lake Park.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset
Nearby sights
- Old Jail Museum
- Mauch Chunk Museum & Cultural Center
- Mauch Chunk Opera House
- Jim Thorpe Historic District & Race Street
- St. Mark's Episcopal Church
- Asa Packer Mansion
- Harry Packer Mansion
- Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway