Appalachian Mountain Club Delaware Valley Chapter

Join us on the trails at French Creek State Park at 9 AM.

We are doing around 10 miles, so expect a 9 to 11 miles long hike at a moderate pace. We can reach the farthest trails in French Creek at this distance. This hike is rated "vigorous" only because of the length. It is not geared to be a workout hike. We will take time to stop for breaks at the top of hills and as needed to keep the group together.

Expect less than 2000 feet total elevation gain the whole hike.

The starting location is at the French Creek State Park Playground. This is 800 feet southwest of the Hopewell Lake boat ramp parking area going towards the park office. The GPS coordinates for the playground are: 40.1983077435609,-75.79114511944678. Modern bathrooms at the start. We meet there at 9:00 AM and leave soon after. We normally finish about 30 minutes before the stated end time.

Bring water plus a snack if desired. We will stop to de-layer once we start moving. I have only limited text and talking cell phone coverage in the park at the start.

I only cancel this hike due to adverse weather conditions which make it unsafe to drive or hike. Check Meetup comments. I'll update the AMC database status too.

Well behaved dogs can come on this hike if they can keep up with the group. Owners of dogs not on leashes will be asked to leave the hike. Please post a Meetup comment in advance if you are planning to bring your pet.

On-line registration in the AMC system is not required for this hike; While I find Meetup convenient, I welcome and reserve spaces for AMC members from the Outdoor Connector website (go to http://activities.outdoors.org/ ) (Meetup is: https://www.meetup.com/Appalachian-Mountain-Club-Delaware-Valley-Chapter/ ). Update your RSVPs if your plans change. All participants will need to agree to and sign a paper AMC legal waver sheet just prior to the hike if you did not register on the AMC Outdoor Connector site.

Please note:
In order to comply with Pennsylvania Youth Protection Laws, all children under 18 years of age 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.

Hike Plan
This is an "easy" rated (shorter), but fast moderate to brisk paced 6-mile walk in urban Phoenixville, PA. We walk established trails and wide gravel/paved paths, mostly along the Phoenixville Canal. We will head into downtown Phoenixville on some evenings. It will be dark after the hike starts. Please bring a light of some sort.

Location
The meeting place for this hike is at GPS coordinates 40.129247, -75.483021. The street address is 987 Port Providence Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460. Some maps have "Port Province Trail Head - Schuylkill River Trail." There is a bathroom at the parking area we use. We leave shortly after 6:30 PM.

Notes
On-line registration in the AMC system is not required for this hike; While I find Meetup convenient, I welcome and reserve spaces for AMC members from the Outdoor Connector website (go to https://www.outdoors.org/ ) (Meetup is: https://www.meetup.com/Appalachian-Mountain-Club-Delaware-Valley-Chapter/ ). Update your RSVPs if your plans change. All participants will need to agree to and sign a paper AMC legal waver sheet just prior to the hike unless you register on the AMC Outdoor Connector site.

Please update your RSVP when your plans change since I will try to limit the group size to around 18 using waitlists in Meetups. You may be pulled in to "Going" the day of the hike, so take your name off the waitlist too if you decide not to go. If you are unable to cancel in Meetup, just Meetup message me or leave a comment, Thanks!

Dogs on a leash are allowed. Please tell the group in advance using Meetup comments. Your dog will need a light of some sort so bikers can see him/her.

Please note:
In order to comply with Pennsylvania Youth Protection Laws, all children under 18 years of age 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.