Weekly Hike - Gladwyne

WEEKLY HIKE - GLADWYNE
(7.75 Miles | 755 Feet of Elevation)

Join us for our weekly, weekday evening hike!

DESCRIPTION
This week we will do a "John Special" as we connect several trails and parks spread out across Gladwyne including River Road, which features beautiful riverfront homes, the hidden Winsor Trail, Nature Land's Saunders Woods Preserve, Rolling Hill Park, and possibly some of Mill Creek Valley Park as well. This is a mix of woodsy trails and streets, so plan your gear to accommodate both types of terrains! From stunning homes and million-dollar mansions to fun creek crossings, to quiet, well preserved green space, this hike is a patchwork of interconnecting locations that I've scouted out over the years. The exact distance and elevation will vary depending on the precise route we take but we should be able to get over seven and half miles under our belts along with over seven hundred and fifty feet worth of elevation.

For those unfamiliar with the area, the Gladwyne Zip Code used to be one of the 10 richest zip codes in the country for nearly a century as this is the true home of the wealthy on Philadelphia's "Main Line". While fortunes and the patterns of the rich have evolved in the past twenty to thirty years, this is still the home of the rich, though maybe not so famous.

OBSTALCES|EXPECTATIONS|SPECIAL NOTES

• This is a combination of an "urban" and "outdoorsy" hike. Urban obstacles like vehicle traffic, cyclists, etc. as well as sidewalks and streets, broken pavements, street crossings and traffic lights. Outdoorsy obstacles like rock/root infested trails, uneven trails with elevation up and down, creek crossings, muddy conditions if it's been wet out lately, etc.
• SPECIAL NOTE - This hike involved walking down River Road at night, after sunset. Recommend bringing a headlamp if you have one just to alert traffic. We'll go single file on the side of the road (no sidewalks).
• SPECIAL NOTE - This hike involves at least one creek crossing which, depending on creek level, can get your shoes, feet, ankles, and possibly the lower part of your calves wet. Always try to find the lowest and safest route across.

PACE | DISTANCE | ELEVATION

• PACE - About 3.0 mph on this over the length of the hike
• Distance - 7.75 Miles +/- (7.75 is target)
• Elevation - 755 feet +/- (755 is target) (a few big hills)

BASIC INFO

• DAY & DATE: Tuesday August 12th, 2025
• START TIME: 7:00PM (AND WE START ON TIME!)
• STARTING LOCATION: Flat Rock Park
• ADDRESS - 122 River Rd, Gladwyne, PA 19035
• PARKING - PARK OUTSIDE OF THE CEMETERY!!!
• LENGTH: 7.75 Miles +/- (7.75 is target)
• ELEVATION - 755 Feet +/- (755 is target)
• SPEED: 3.0 mph average
• END TIME: Target is 9:30 PM

GEAR:

• Hiking boots/shoes (sneakers okay but may get ruined/dirty/wet)
• Water
• Appropriate clothing - hats, rain jackets, etc. as needed
• A change of clothes for after (at your discretion)
• Headlamps
• If you enjoy hiking in the evenings and/or at night with us, WE HIGHLY ADVISE YOU to purchase a quality headlamp that includes NON-WHITE light options of at least 2,500 lumens (blue, green, red work the best). Please message or email if you need examples of what to purchase. The standard camp lights from stores like REI that have tiny red lights on them are not good enough for night hiking.
• I also advise people bring hiking bags - get used to hands-free hiking for when we do weekend hikes (sometimes weekday) with rock scrambles and bouldering.
• Phone | Car/House Keys | Wallet
• Snacks (as you see fit)
• Beer or other drink for before the hike.

PARKING

• Free parking
• Park and meet in the north lot

AFTERWARDS

• Afterwards everyone is welcome back to my house five minutes away in East Falls for drinks and snacks or we can drive up to Conshy and find a place open.

CANCELLATIONS

• I do not cancel hikes for inclement weather. It must be pouring down showers, enough snow/ice to make getting to/from a hike dangerous, etc. If I ever do need to cancel or postpone a hike I try to do so as early as possible.
• You may cancel at any time up to and including the start time of the hike. Cancellations without contacting me after the start of an event counts as a no-show. More than 3 no-shows will get you removed from the group. If something happens, I get it, reach out and just tell me after. I've been there - hungover, busy, etc. Just be polite, and brief, if you miss and forget to cancel.