Bethlehem Township Municipal Park
Managed by Bethlehem Township
73 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Bethlehem Township
Bethlehem Township has 14 miles of mapped trails, 1.0 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Bethlehem Township Municipal Park (2 mi), Louise W. Moore Park (1.8 mi), Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park (1.2 mi). 90% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 5% of Bethlehem Township’s land is conserved, about 453 acres.
Ahead of 76% of U.S. towns · #355 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Conserved land
5%
453 acres · of 14.4 sq mi of land
Trails
14 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
355 ac
14 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
90%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.0 mi
1.5 mi lanes · 3.4 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Bethlehem Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bethlehem Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bethlehem Township is ahead of 76% of U.S. towns, #355 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Bethlehem Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land5% of the land · typical PA town 8% · U.S. 4%BTrails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (14 mi) · PA 0.4 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land14 acres of park per 1,000 residents (355 acres) · PA 14 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home90% of residents within a half mile of a park · PA 73% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 76%
LessMore
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,037)Ahead of 66%
Pennsylvania towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 8%; the U.S., 4%), so Bethlehem Township’s 5% is ahead of 35% of Pennsylvania towns, while its trails per square mile lead 75% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Bethlehem Township Municipal Park, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Louise W. Moore Park
Managed by Northampton County
61 acres1.8 mi of trail
Jogging TrailMatson's Woods Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park
Managed by Bethlehem Township
53 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Archibald Johnston Conservation Area
Managed by Northampton County
37 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 17 parks & preserves
Bethlehem Township Municipal Park73 acres · 2 mi of trail · Bethlehem Township
DirectionsLouise W. Moore Park61 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Northampton County
DirectionsJanet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park53 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Bethlehem Township
DirectionsMunicipal Building Open Space8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Bethlehem Township
DirectionsArchibald Johnston Conservation Area37 acres · Northampton County
Monocacy Meadow9 acres · Northampton County
DirectionsArnold Property Open Space9 acres
DirectionsAnthony Court Open Space6 acres
Freeman's Island4 acres · Wildlands Conservancy
The Vineyards Open Space4 acres
DirectionsGloucester Drive Open Space3 acres
DirectionsOakland & Hecktown Road Storm Basin & Open Space3 acres · Bethlehem Township
Birchwood Park3 acres · Bethlehem Township
Chetwyn Terrace Park2 acres · Bethlehem Township
Comer Park2 acres · Bethlehem Township
DirectionsCamel's Hump Farm1 acres
14th Street Park1 acres · Bethlehem Township
Who protects it
453 conserved acres
5% of Bethlehem Township’s land. Who manages Bethlehem Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other or Unknown Local Government296 ac
County189 ac
Town or city39 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits16 ac
State fish & wildlife11 ac
Not recorded68 ac
Agricultural Easement · 189 acLocal Park · 144 acLocal Recreation Area · 135 acPrivate Conservation · 57 acLocal Conservation Area · 37 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 83 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 7 of 32 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Northside Athletic Park Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 74 | Open |
| Louise W. Moore County Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 60 | Open |
| Archibald Johnston Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 51 | Closed |
| Janet Johnston Housenick & William D. Housenick Memorial Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 49 | Open |
| Archibald Johnston Conservation Area Local Conservation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 37 | Open |
| Two Rivers Trailway Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 31 | Open |
| Lehigh Canal, Delaware & Lehigh Trail Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 27 | Open |
| Rt. 33 Access State Resource Management Area | State fish & wildlife | 11 | Open |
| McIlwaine Meadows Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 8 | Open |
| Wilson Avenue Tract Local Park | Not recorded | 8 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
28 places to go in Bethlehem Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Bethlehem Township
Wilson Avenue River Access
DirectionsPublic pools in Bethlehem Township
Bethlehem Township PoolIn Bethlehem Township Municipal Park
DirectionsGreen Pond Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Bethlehem Township
Farmersville Playground
DirectionsPlus 19 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Bethlehem Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Bethlehem Township
2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Bethlehem Township
Scenic OverlookIn Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Bethlehem Township
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
5 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.9 miHorses · 2.8 miUnpaved · 4.2 mi
D&L Trail2.9 mi
St. Luke’s Anderson Campus Gardens Trail1.4 mi
Jogging Trail0.5 mi
Highland Park Greenway0.5 mi
Matson's Woods Trail0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
5.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.5 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.4 mi
off-road bike paths
0.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
9/11 National Memorial Trail (Pennsylvania thru route)Bike route
2.9 miD&L TrailBike route
2.9 miCourts & fields
34Tennis
19Soccer
17Baseball
13Basketball
5Tracks
3Beach volleyball
3Pickleball
2Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Bethlehem Township: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 42 | 50 | 63 | 73 | 81 | 86 | 83 | 77 | 65 | 53 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 4.1 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 86 °F). 5.1 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Bethlehem Township →
Next door
Bethlehem Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Bethlehem18 miLower Saucon Township16 miBethlehem Township14 miEaston5.7 miLower Nazareth Township3.9 miFreemansburg2.6 miPalmer Township2.4 miMiddletown0.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Township | 5% | 1.0 | 14 | 90% | A− |
| Middletown | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Freemansburg | 6% | 3.7 | 10 | 99%+ | A |
| Bethlehem | 5% | 0.9 | 8 | 99% | A− |
| Lower Saucon Township | 10% | 0.7 | 68 | 65% | A− |
| Lower Nazareth Township | 12% | 0.3 | 27 | 68% | B+ |
| Palmer Township | 6% | 0.2 | 13 | 95% | B+ |
| Easton | 19% | 1.3 | 18 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Bethlehem Township
Where can I hike in Bethlehem Township?
The longest trail networks: Bethlehem Township Municipal Park, 2 miles; Louise W. Moore Park, 1.8 miles; Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park, 1.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bethlehem Township is conserved land?
5% of its land, against a typical 8% for a Pennsylvania town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Bethlehem Township’s trails?
Bethlehem Township Municipal Park and Louise W. Moore Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bethlehem Township?
5.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.5 of painted or protected lanes, 3.4 of off-road paths and 0.1 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: 9/11 National Memorial Trail (Pennsylvania thru route) and D&L Trail.
Is there public land near Bethlehem Township?
19,873 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bethlehem Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 388 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Bethlehem Township have?
Ahead of 76% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #355 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Bethlehem Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →