HomePennsylvaniaAllentown › South Mountain Big Rock Park

South Mountain Big Rock Park

3.9 ★★★★☆ 127 Google reviews · Running trail in Allentown, Pennsylvania · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from South Mountain Big Rock Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

ScenicHillyTrailhead parking

Dense forest with hiking trails, named for its massive, towering natural rock formation.

What runners say about South Mountain Big Rock Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (127 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 3 mentions

Nothing I would go out of my way to visit but if you're in the area and need to kill an hour it could be a nice place to walk around. Its covered in a lot of graffiti and seems like a place some locals come to drink and smoke. You do get a decent overlook and climbing around the rocks is fun.

★★★★☆ — Rachel , Jan 2019

As others have said, glass and graffiti. If you haven’t been here before, just walk up the path and stay to the left of the fenced antenna. You’ll find the path. There are more boulders than just the first formation. If stoned kids bother you, maybe avoid this place. Or grow a backbone.

★★★★★ — Greg , Jun 2020

Short walk in the woods. Nothing too challenging. Rocks are covered with graffiti. Be careful climbing on them, they smell like pee.

★★★★☆ — John , May 2024

Local, I live one mile from this park. It is not a park, it is a private area where the owner of the land allows people to visit and hunt. It is a nice walk up a hill that us locals have done since I was a kid. I walk this several times a week.

★★★★★ — Lee , Oct 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 127 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 10 mentions

“You do get a decent overlook and climbing around the rocks is fun.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 3 mentions

“It is a nice walk up a hill that us locals have done since I was a kid.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking

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Plan your run at South Mountain Big Rock Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Websitelehighcounty.org
  • Phone(610) 437-7628

Hours

Monday 7 AM–8 PM
Tuesday 7 AM–8 PM
Wednesday 7 AM–8 PM
Thursday 7 AM–8 PM
Friday 7 AM–8 PM
Saturday 7 AM–8 PM
Sunday 7 AM–8 PM

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find South Mountain Big Rock Park

560 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103

Get directions

Running trails near Allentown

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

South Mountain Trail

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Trout Creek Park

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Recreation area with a playground, grills, and a creek, plus basketball courts and trails.

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Walking Purchase Park

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Park with opportunities for hiking and mountain biking, as well as good options for kids.

2.0 miles away

Hopewell Park

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Canal Park

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Fishing is popular at this recreation area on the Lehigh River with a picnic pavilion & boat launch.

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Ithaca Park & Wilderness Trail

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Dog-friendly

2.4 miles away

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Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.