Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway

Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway connects Jim Thorpe's railroad heritage with the landscape beyond the town center. Operated under the Reading & Northern name, its narrated return trips follow the Lehigh River through Glen Onoko toward Old Penn Haven. The journey gives travelers a seated introduction to the gorge, rather than requiring them to arrange a hiking or cycling route.

The choice of carriage changes the experience. Standard coaches have conventional seating and windows; open-air cars place passengers closer to the weather. More elaborate seating categories appear elsewhere in the operator's program, but they cannot be assumed available on every departure. Equipment may also rotate for operating and maintenance reasons.

The 2026 Autumn Leaf season runs from September 26 through November 15. Trips during that period take forty-five minutes, with the operator stating that they cover the same route as its regular seventy-minute service. Only standard and open-air accommodation are offered on these local autumn trains; dome, lounge, Crown Class and caboose bookings are excluded.

Advance purchasers must collect actual tickets at the station: the confirmation email is not a boarding pass. Later autumn departures have separate in-person sales rules. Arriving early is important because parking is managed separately from the railway. For comfort-focused travelers, the useful decision is the specific departure and carriage available on their date, not the most luxurious image elsewhere on the website.

Verified: 2026-09-26 · Official website · Address: 1 Susquehanna Street, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 · Phone: 570-325-8485 · Facebook · Official logo

Sources: Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway | Train Rides in Jim Thorpe, PA · Lehigh Gorge Train Descriptions — Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway · Autumn Leaf 2026 — Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway