Hike the Wissahickon 5 miles

Hike a very hilly 5-5.5 miles (approximately) in the beautiful Wissahickon! Leader Mary Toomey has chosen her favorite trails for this event! This includes the biggest hills in this area of the park - so this hike is a workout! It is not suitable for slow or out-of-shape hikers. Due to the many ascents and descents, this hike is rated as Strenuous. This is a loop hike from Bells Mill Rd to Valley Green Inn, where we will stop for a water, snack, and restroom break before heading back to Bells Mill Rd using trails on the opposite side of the Wissahickon Gorge from where we started. All participants must register on this website (hit the REGISTER NOW button in this posting), which includes signing the AMC Waiver.
Required: An absolute minimum of one pint water (more is recommended), sturdy footwear, and a fitness level suitable for 5 hilly miles moving steadily with few breaks. No dogs allowed. Bringing a snack is optional.
Meeting place and parking: Meet on Forbidden Drive next to W. Bells Mill Rd. in Philadelphia. Leader will be holding white trekking poles. There are two nearby parking lots along W. Bells Mill Rd. One is the W. Bells Mill West Parking lot, (sometimes called the Forbidden Drive Upper Parking Lot)- on the Roxborough side of W. Bells Mill Rd off Ridge Avenue; if you park in this lot there is a trail from the lot down to Forbidden Drive. The other (W. Bells Mill Rd East parking lot) is on the Chestnut Hill side of W. Bells Mill Rd off Germantown Avenue. From this lot, you will need to walk on the side of W. Bells Mill Rd for 1-2 minutes to reach Forbidden Drive, so please use caution. I don't think the parking lots have port-a-johns any longer, but there are port-a-johns right at the location where we are meeting. Please note: cell service can be quite spotty in the park.
Meeting time: Please park by 8:30 a.m. so you can be at the meeting spot on Forbidden Drive by W. Bells Mill Rd before 8:45 a.m. At 8:45 we will circle up and then go.

AMC members: I have saved room for AMC members who sign up on our Chapter website.

The Appalachian Mountain Club is our country's oldest nonprofit recreation and conservation organization. Not a member? Join for a discount on our Delaware Valley Chapter website at www.amcdv.org Your membership fee helps support the conservation, recreation, and trailwork that the AMC does in the northeastern USA.

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 Delaw