Published November 14. 2026 09:11AM<\/p>\n
A cool, windy morning and a trail covered with fallen leaves did not keep hikers from exploring one of Emmaus\u2019 newest outdoor destinations during a guided tour of the Brenner-Penfield Emmaus Preserve on Nov. 8.<\/p>\n
Led by Chase Newhard of Wildlands Conservancy, the walk introduced participants to the preserve\u2019s natural features, historical significance and connection to the larger South Mountain landscape.<\/p>\n
The 34-acre preserve, which opened to the public last month, becomes nearly 50 acres of accessible open space when combined with neighboring borough-owned properties. The preserve is Wildlands Conservancy\u2019s 10th nature preserve in the Lehigh Valley and one of four preserves connected to the South Mountain corridor.<\/p>\n
Newhard guided visitors along portions of the preserve\u2019s trail network, reminding hikers to watch their footing on the rocky paths concealed beneath a blanket of autumn leaves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe leaves make it very deceiving,\u201d Newhard told the group as they navigated the uneven terrain.<\/p>\n
Despite the brisk conditions, the hike provided a welcome opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy the last colors of fall while learning about local history.<\/p>\n
According to Newhard, portions of the preserve contain remnants of historic pathways used by Indigenous peoples traveling through the region. The Oley Path, one of three trails within the preserve, follows an ancient travel route believed to have been used by the Lenape people to transport jasper and facilitate trade and communication between communities.<\/p>\n
As hikers moved through the woods, Newhard pointed out native trees, wildlife habitat and signs of the preserve\u2019s varied past.<\/p>\n
Nestled along the preserve\u2019s trail network, the landmark helps tell the story of the area\u2019s colonial past and provides another link to the centuries of history preserved within the South Mountain corridor.<\/p>\n
The land\u2019s history stretches back centuries and includes Indigenous travel routes, colonial settlement, iron-making operations, mining activities and recreational uses. Tour participants also learned about the nearby Shelter House, considered the oldest continuously inhabited log structure in the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n
The preserve itself is named for Merrill and Nancy Brenner. Newhard explained that the Penfield portion of the preserve\u2019s name honors Nancy Brenner\u2019s late father, whose appreciation for nature inspired the tribute.<\/p>\n
The preserve features more than 1.5 miles of trails, including the Charcoal Trail, Foundry Trail and Oley Path. Along the way, hikers encountered glacial boulders, mature hardwoods and habitat supporting birds, foxes and other wildlife.<\/p>\n
While the route was occasionally rocky, participants appeared to embrace the challenge. The combination of fresh air, local history and scenic woodland views made for an enjoyable outing and a good excuse to get moving on a chilly November day.<\/p>\n
Wildlands Conservancy plans additional guided hikes and educational programs to help introduce the community to Brenner-Penfield Emmaus Preserve and its role in preserving open space along South Mountain.<\/p>\n
Guide Chase Newhard of the Wildlands Conservancy prepares hikers for their walk through the Emmaus Preserve.Press photos byLisa Weber<\/p>\n
About 15 people brave the cool, windy weather for the inaugural guided hike.<\/p>\n
The Emmaus Preserve features more than 1.5 miles of trails with varied geography.<\/p>\n
The Shelter House is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited log structure in the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Published November 14. 2026 09:11AM A cool, windy morning and a trail covered with fallen leaves did not…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":327603,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-327602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=327602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/327603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=327602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=327602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=327602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}