In May 2024, Troop 3’s scouts walked from Easton, Pa. to Bethlehem, Pa. – and back again – to complete the 20-mile hike requirement of the Hiking merit badge.
The troop used the part of the Delaware & Lehigh Trail that connects the two Pennsylvania cities. The entire 165-mile trail (of which we only hiked a relatively small portion) winds its way through a signification portion of eastern PA.
It follows the historic routes of the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Lehigh Navigation, Lehigh Canal, and the Delaware Canal, from Bristol northeast of Philadelphia to Wilkes-Barre in the northeastern part of the state.
Since the Hiking merit badge requires the 20-miler to be done in one day, we set off early in the morning, hiked to Bethlehem, stopped for lunch at Johnny’s Bagels & Deli, then made the equally long hike back to Easton. Everyone completed the trek (though we did acquire a number of blisters along the way, despite stopping for periodic foot care).
Boy Scout Scout Troop 3 Easton 