Main entrance: By water, 40.631018° N; 75.332184° W
Activities:
This 11-acre nature preserve protects the ecological integrity of an island on the Lehigh River. It offers a nature landscape within the metro areas of the Lehigh Valley. The island serves as a stopping point on Wildlands’ bike and boat trips which educate mostly school students on the history of the river, sample macroinvertebrates, and test water quality. Its wooded landscape is shaped by the water and is only accessible by watercraft.
While there are no trails on the island, Freeman’s Island is part of the Lehigh River Water Trail.
A forested respite in the river, bird species such as bald eagles, great blue herons, and kingfishers frequent the island for cover and hunting access. The aquatic ecosystem surrounding the island is stocked with warmwater species like bass and catfish.
Mature native vegetation like sycamore, river birch, and silver maple offer stabilization to the ground below and slows floodwaters.
In 1979, this nature preserve was acquired with the sole purpose of use in our education and recreation programs. The name comes from the adjacent town of Freemansburg.