The “million dollar view” of the Lehigh Valley and the Blue Mountain beyond is one of the things that makes Salisbury Township’s Franko Farm Recreation Area unique.
Soon cooler temperatures will arrive, and it will be a lovely time of year to enjoy the fresh air and natural scenery at Franko Farm Recreation Area in Salisbury Township.
The 20-year-old park, which is located at 1339 Black River Road, Allentown, is one of 10 in the township.
At approximately 94 acres, Franko Farm sits atop a relatively level portion of the South Mountain ridgeline, close to parts of South Allentown and Lower Saucon Township.
Thanks to its elevation high above the Lehigh Valley, on a clear day the view from the park stretches for many miles to the northwest, and a 2016 master site plan actually calls for developing a pedestrian overlook to maximize the appeal of this unique feature.
Another attraction is a pond with a small gazebo “island” connected to the land by a bridge, which is reminiscent of the gazebo and bridge at Lechauweki Springs Park in nearby Fountain Hill.
Two modern picnic pavilions equipped with barbecue grills are available for rental from the township, and the park is also equipped with portable bathrooms. Information about pavilion rentals is available on the township’s website.
Among the additions included in the 2016 master site plan proposal are an ADA-accessible loop trail, a second ballfield, an expanded community garden, permanent restrooms, extended mowed grass pathways and an 18-hole disc golf course.
Salisbury Township parks and playgrounds are open from dawn til dusk, May 1 through Oct. 31, according to the township’s Parks and Recreation ordinance.
There are two pavilions available to rent in-season at Franko Farm Recreation Area in Salisbury Township. As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some municipalities have temprorarily suspended pavilion rentals. Anyone interested in renting a pavilion should enquire with the municipality in which it is located about the current status of rentals.
Although located atop a mountain, much of the park is built on level ground, which makes it ideal for walking and other recreational activities.
The entrance to Franko Farm Recreation Area is on Black River Road in Salisbury Township.
A plaque affixed to a boulder commemorates the dedication of Franko Farm Recreation Area in the year 2000.
A sign next to the pond at Franko Farm Recreation Area alerts visitors to the prohibition on skating and swimming in it.
The pond is ringed with flowers.
The footbridge and attached pavilion at the pond in Franko Farm Recreation Area, Salisbury Township, are reminiscent of similar structures at Lechauweki Springs Park in nearby Fountain Hill.
