Pennsylvania starts Glen Onoko trail work

Pennsylvania officials have started rehabilitation work on the Glen Onoko Falls Trail, beginning a new phase in the state’s effort to restore one of the best-known waterfall hikes near Jim Thorpe. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said the work began this week, with a Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps crew assigned to rebuild damaged sections of the trail. The route has been closed since May 1, 2019, when the Pennsylvania Game Commission shut it because of deteriorating and hazardous conditions. State officials have not announced a reopening date. ### When did work actually start? The Shapiro administration said on May 19 that trail rehabilitation work was starting on Glen Onoko Falls Trail. DCNR said a roving trail crew from the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps would live at nearby Hickory Run State Park and work on the project through the 2026 spring, summer and fall seasons. The agency said the trail will remain closed to visitors in 2026. (pa.gov) LehighValleyLive reported on May 20 that the project had begun “yesterday,” matching the state’s May 19 announcement. The outlet said no reopening date had been set as of its report. ### What are crews building on the trail? DCNR said the work includes “technical stonework” designed to stabilize and harden the route. (pa.gov) The agency said crews are creating stone retaining walls, steps and rock armor meant to withstand heavy traffic, erosion and other environmental forces. The state described the work as rehabilitation rather than a quick cleanup. (lehighvalleylive.com) The scale of the stonework, along with the plan to keep the trail closed through the rest of 2026, indicates the project is intended to rebuild sections that had become unsafe before the closure. That characterization is based on DCNR’s project description and closure timeline. (pa.gov) ### Why has the trail been closed for so long? The Pennsylvania Game Commission closed the trail on May 1, 2019, citing safety concerns and deteriorating trail conditions. DCNR’s Glen Onoko Falls page says the area is a 495-acre tract within State Game Lands 141 in Carbon County. A separate DCNR geology document says the trail was closed because of “failing, hazardous conditions.” The closure left only nearby alternatives for visitors. (pa.gov) DCNR’s geology material says the adjacent Overlook Trail remained open to the top of the glen and its upper falls, while the main falls trail stayed off-limits. ### Who is doing the work? (pa.gov) The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps is supplying the roving trail crew assigned to the project. DCNR’s program page says Glen Onoko was expected to be a major 2026 assignment for that crew and said the work there could take at least half of the season. Hickory Run State Park is serving as the crew’s nearby base. DCNR said the workers would be housed there while carrying out the Glen Onoko rehabilitation over multiple seasons of field work in 2026. (elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov) ### What still has to happen before hikers can return? Pennsylvania officials have not given a reopening date for the Glen Onoko Falls Trail. (pa.gov) DCNR said only that the trail will remain closed through 2026 while construction continues. Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal had included $5 million for expanding and enhancing public lands, including plans tied to Glen Onoko and Lehigh Gorge State Park, according to state materials released in 2025. (pa.gov) For now, the next visible milestone is continued trail work by the Outdoor Corps through summer and fall, with the state expected to provide future updates on access and reopening. (pa.gov)