Canal Walk steps off Oct. 6

The Friends of the Delaware Canal will embark on its 25th annual Canal Walk beginning Oct. 6. The guided walking tour will start at Wy-Hit-Tuk Park in Easton. On the four Saturdays thereafter, a different section of the canal will be explored ending at Riverfront Park in Bristol Borough on Nov. 3.

This year’s walk will be 56.6-miles-long, which is 2.3 miles shorter than the Friends’ traditional trek of the full length of the canal. The high water events of 2011 washed away some of the towpath south of Easton necessitating a more southern starting point.

The Delaware Canal is always an adventure, and this year will be exceptional as the walk’s 25th anniversary is celebrated with special activities and a tribute to its originator Willis Rivinus, author of “Guide to the Delaware Canal – 60 Miles of Fun and Adventure.”

More than 1,000 people have participated in the walks over the past 25 years, and this year’s hikers will follow in their footsteps learning about the area’s past and future while taking in the autumn scenery of the Canal and Delaware River corridor.

Susan Taylor, executive director of the Friends, along with local history and conservation authorities, will tell about the Delaware Canal where mule-drawn boats once transported coal and other goods. They will also point out many other sites of historic and environmental significance along the route. The five segments of the Walk are: • October 6 – Wy-Hit-Tuk County Park in Easton to Indian Rock Inn on Route 32 north of Upper Black Eddy – 10.7 miles.

• October 13 – Indian Rock Inn to the Kinsman Company on Route 32 in Point Pleasant – 13.2 miles.

• October 20 – Point Pleasant to the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve south of New Hope –10.5 miles.

• October 27 – Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve to the Black Rock Road Picnic Area in Yardley – 9.9 miles

• November 3 – Black Rock Road Picnic Area to Riverfront Park adjacent to Mill Street in Bristol Borough – 12.3 miles.

The Walks begin at 9 a.m. on each Saturday. Participants are invited to walk on any or all of the Saturdays. Please wear sturdy walking shoes because some of the towpath terrain is rough. Bring a light lunch and beverage each day, except on October 27 when a free 25th anniversary picnic lunch will be provided.

The walks are free, and the public is encouraged to participate. Call 215-862-2021,.