JIM THORPE, CARBON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It’s a busy tourism season for local businesses in the Poconos as summer winds down.
It was a peaceful morning Monday on the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe. Greenery fills the mountains, but some leaves are already starting to make the change, a reminder that Fall is around the corner.
"The Lehigh Gorge is the best place to see the Fall foliage. There’s no traffic, no cars, you don’t have to worry about any of that," stated Sierra Fogal, operations manager, of Pocono Whitewater.
Sierra Fogal is the operations manager of Pocono Whitewater. She took 28/22 News crews out on the water, giving the safety ins and outs on the raft.
It’s an activity that is more than just a pretty view.
"You’re going to get a full upper body workout and a core workout. If you’re paddling properly, you’re really using your core so it’s a great way to get outside and get some fitness in as well," explained Fogal.
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Fogal says every rafting trip is different due to the water levels of the Lehigh River constantly changing. She says the past couple of months has been great thanks to Mother Nature’s summer storms.
"Rain is actually good, so if it’s rained some, we can get you on the water with higher water, which means you get stuck on rocks less."
While summer is its busiest time, the family-owned business is gearing up for the thousands of visitors coming to see the leaves change in Jim Thorpe from the water.
"We’ll bring you down to the river and you can see the best views of the Fall foliage from the bottom of the Lehigh Gorge State Park. The gorge is a beautiful place to be, my favorite place to see the leaves," Fogal added.
The Pocono Whitewater rafting season on the Lehigh River runs through October.
