Scenic Hike Along the Wissahickon

Yes! There is great hiking within city limits! Join us for a scenic, moderate-paced hike spanning 6.5 to 7 miles through the northernmost section of Wissahickon Valley Park. The difficulty level will be moderate, with speeds around 3 to 3.5 mph in the easier sections, and lower in hilly and uneven sections (rocks, tree roots, etc.); total elevation gain will be around 800 – 1,000 feet. Our journey will take us on trails on both sides of Wissahickon Creek offering great scenery! We will begin with a short walk on Forbidden Drive before climbing uphill to loop through Houston Meadow. Our hike will continue across the Wissahickon Creek at the Rex Avenue Bridge and include points of interest such as the historic Teedyuscung Statue, and the iconic Thomas Mill Covered Bridge. Our hike will end on the Forest Loop. We will stop periodically, especially at the tops of hills if some go up faster than others, so that we all continue on the same hike. Meet at the western trailhead of Forbidden Drive located at 200 W Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128, GPS coordinates: (40.08400, -75.23276) Meeting time - 9:00 AM Restrooms available at the trailhead. Parking is available at the Northwestern Avenue parking area. Additional parking can be found at the Andorra Upper Lot at the Wissahickon Environmental Center via the Northwestern Ave and Henry Ave intersection. Bring water, clothing appropriate for the weather (layers work well), and sturdy footwear (hiking shoes or boots work well). Well-behaved dogs are welcome (on leash as required by the park)! If the hike is canceled, such as due to weather, we plan to announce this at least two hours in advance. This will be Patty Sullivan’s 2nd co-lead in the process to become an AMC hike leader. Please come and support her. AMC is a non-profit organization and the hike leaders are volunteers. All participants will need to sign the AMC liability release agreement (click [here](https://amcdv.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amc-release.pdf) to review it in advance). Alternatively, you can register on the [AMC website](https://activities.outdoors.org/s/?chapters=0015000001Sg06BAAR) and sign the agreement in advance there. The AMC website also shows many other AMC events that might interest you. AMC is an outdoor recreation and conservation organization that, among other things, helps maintain the hiking trails we use in Valley Forge and many other parks. Non-members are welcome on this hike, but membership is inexpensive and supports the great work AMC does (click [here](https://www.outdoors.org/get-involved/become-a-member/?chapter=DV&campaign=7012J000001R5EvQAK) to learn more). Please note: In order to comply with Pennsylvania Youth Protection Laws, all children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. This policy applies for all events offered by the Delaware Valley Chapter as well as any other Chapter events within the state of Pennsylvania.