My second trip there during trips to Philadelphia. A nice break from the city. The volunteers with…read moreFriends of Heinz NWR were great. They showed me a small black racer that had gotten stuck on a piece of duct tape. They were able to use--wait for it--mayonnaise to get it unstuck. Back outdoors it went and slithered happily away. Nice collection of swag at the Friends store

Good spot, easy to forget it's still in the city…read more I've been here a handful of times, usually after work or on weekends when I need to get outside for a bit. Once you're on the trails it gets surprisingly quiet. Like, noticeably quieter than you'd expect from somewhere still technically inside Philadelphia. The paths are mostly flat gravel so it's not a hard walk at all. I tend to stop on the boardwalks and just look out over the marsh for a few minutes. Last time there were a few turtles lined up on a log, and I'm pretty sure I spotted a couple of herons near the water too. You do hear planes since the airport's close by, but it doesn't really bother me. Kind of adds to the strangeness of the place in a way I actually like. One thing worth knowing: the mosquitoes are no joke. I skipped bug spray once and regretted it pretty quickly. If you're going in summer, just bring some, especially if you're planning to hang around near the water.

X-posting a review from the Wissahickon Park page. This park is so good it deserves two 5-star…read moreratings. Hard to rate an entire park this massive, but all things considered, after 5 years of traversing the trails here, this is an awesome park. Note that I live in U-City, so the fact that such a massive trail system exists in only a ~20 minute drive, depending on which part of the park I start in, is a blessing and keeps my sanity. Friends of Wissahickon does a great job maintaining trails and even expanding the system over the past few years. I don't think I've ever observed an unseemly part of the park. Definitely unseemly times of year like the snow thaw or the time between the trees dying and the snow falling, but otherwise, this park is beautiful all times of year. I've never had a hard time parking, never even had trouble with crowds even around the most popular trails (ex. Forbidden Drive). Even the bikers are friendly and patient here! Would strongly recommend not only visiting but coming back to keep exploring! I'm still finding new gems in this massive trail system.

Today I decided to switch things up and take a trip to Valley Green in Wissahickon Park, Philly…read more I've always heard about Devil's Pool but had never been, so when I saw the trailhead, I figured--why not check it out? What I've known about Devil's Pool is that it's been a popular hangout spot, especially for teens and young adults--swimming, drinking, smoking, etc. But I wasn't prepared for how disappointing the trail would be. At nearly every turn, there was trash--plastic bottles, wrappers, and even entire black garbage bags just left behind. The closer I got to Devil's Pool, the worse it got. There are clear signs asking visitors to take their trash with them, yet so many clearly don't. It's really disheartening to see such a beautiful natural space disrespected like that. Instead of feeling peaceful or connected to nature, it honestly felt a bit unsanitary and neglected. Wissahickon Park deserves better. If you visit, please respect the space and take out everything you bring in.

We were scheduled to do a 1/2 day ice hike at Ricketts Glen. I had spoken to the owner Dave and…read morelet him know of my disabilities. He asked a few questions, then determined that it should be OK for me to go on the hike. Shortly before the hike we received an email from Dave saying that because of the warm weather the trip would not have as much ice as it normally does. He offered to reschedule or refund our money if we wanted, but also said we could go if we wanted. We wanted. When I got there Dave and the guides were fantastic. Very personable. They were helpful but without being intrusive. One of them carried one of my forearm canes in his backpack in case I needed it. (This was to have one hand free for the ice axe.) The hike was great. At the end of the hike I asked one of the guides if he thought I could do the repelling they offer... he conferred with the owner and the lead repeller guide, and they agreed that I would be allowed to do that in the Spring. I highly recommend Valley to Summit for a great time. I look forward to a full day ice hike in February.

Intro to Rock Climbing with Valley to Summit on September 18, 2022…read more This was my second trip to Chickies Rock with VTS and it was wonderful! There were only 5 of us, so plenty of time to climb. Our Guide, Bob, was so patient, engaged and informative. I learned a lot of great things that I had not known before about clothing, ropes and technique. Bob was so patient with me and was there with his " green pointer" to help me over the tough spots. You should know that I am 74 years old and tho I have climbed indoors for a few years, my stamina was not that of the youngsters who were there! Nonetheless, it was a great time! I highly recommend Valley to Summit, this being my 3 rd trip with them. They Rock!

Great Park and a great Dog Park. Clean and beautiful! The fenced area is mulch with some benches…read more The rest of the park has trails down to a small creek and through the woods, which can be off leash or on leash. It's a beautiful park and a beautiful neighborhood.

Great park for hiking, walks with your pets and photography…read more It's a short drive outside of downtown and has lots of streams and hiking trails. Be sure to wear good shoes and comfortable clothing.

I came to Wissahickon Valley Park to walk some trails and enjoy the fall foliage! I found this…read moreplace online and was surprised by how close it is to Center City Philadelphia, only about a 30-minute drive away. I parked near Valley Green Inn, which was super convenient since the parking lot was right by the trailhead. The trail itself was very easy to navigate, with only minor inclines and declines, making it perfect for beginner hikers or anyone looking for a relaxing walk. One of my favorite parts was that the trail runs alongside the creek, offering some really beautiful and peaceful views, especially with the fall colors. There are also benches scattered along the trail where you can sit, rest, and take in the scenery, as well as a few restrooms for convenience. Overall, this is a great spot for a peaceful nature walk without having to travel too far outside the city. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an easy hike and some fresh air!

I went here a lot when I was a little kid. My parents were both runners and would run in the park…read moreon weekends. A friend and I went a couple weeks ago in May. The cool thing about this park is that you can go places in it you have never been before every time. We parked off of Henry Avenue and went around to the stables where I have never been before. My friend says there is usually a lot of horses there and the people who work there are very friendly. Hung out with some barn. Cats saw one horse, but it was a Sunday so... there was a field of buttercups that told me I would soon be having a coronary. It was idyllic. Then this little switch back took us to the water right by kitchen lane and we waded and watched the tadpoles. I may or may not have fallen and continued to roll into the water deeper until I was up to my neck lying down, which is funny. Apologies to the tadpoles. Some highlights I know from the past, are walking up to the statue of a native, who is apparently not a statue of who it says it is so I'm not even gonna include the name because it's not really him and I don't know how to spell the whole thing except that the word Teddy is in front of it. But that is a really cool hike if you can even call it a hike. Maybe 3 miles and the stairs to help you and all the trails have trees painted certain way so you know which trail you're on and where you're going. Next, I think I'm gonna check out the hermit cave off of -you guessed it - Hermitage Rd - which for some reason I've never been to before. Just so you know, there are also barbecues and various places around the park you can bring charcoal briquettes to and have your whole family out there. It's very much dog friendly. See them cooling off in the water a lot. And hey, it was 1985 when I got attacked by dogs here so no hard feelings on that front. A lot of people don't know that this is also really Fairmount Park and not to connect to each other and you can walk all the way to the art museum if you would like. Just look up a trail map. I believe it is either 8 or 10 miles one way though. Yes it's a huge park. Actually it is the largest city park in the US as far as I am aware that has every thing natural preserved. I don't know why it's not all called Fairmount Park anymore but the fact that all of this water starts in a parking lot in the Montgomery Mall - which I found out from the friends of the Wissahican page - is pretty incredible. It's a great way to spend a nice afternoon and it's pretty in the fall spring summer and I don't like the winter so who knows what it looks like then. Probably pretty for people who like the winter.

We're entering the home stretch of summer!!! As apart of my weekly cardio,I decided to check out…read moreSchuylkill Banks since it's been brought to my attention the route has been expanded. The walkway was far from full for a late afternoon and was still both walkable and bikeable(new word alert!). When I reached the "new expansion" portion of the walking trail I was a bit stunned by the beauty of the layout. There was a mini-skate park towards the end of the trail and unfortunately what appeared to be Overall, if you're looking for a new departure from some of the more popular trails around Philly and long for something a bit more "in-city"Schuykill Banks fills that itch. Happy trekking!

Great trail for any outdoor activity - run, bike, rollerblade, walking…read more Love how it curves with the river! Great views of the boat houses and there's some nice stops along the way to take pictures and learn about history. Lloyd hall is also a great stop for a quick bite or drink! During the summers there's fountains turned on to hydrate and there is always something to enjoy while walking the banks. Great way to see the the city from a different POV!

Crum woods is a lovely area to take a stroll; walk or hike through! I saw bicyclists; families…read morewalking their dogs and swimmers in the creek! Crum Woods has something for everyone! I enjoyed coming upon the outdoor amphitheater during my exploration..but I will see this be prepared for the different elevations on your walk! Be prepared and be agile! Overall, it is a great area to enjoy nature!

This probably belongs in "hiking" and "parks" and "pets" if there is such thing…read more.. We were looking for good places to take the dog where she could run around (preferably off leash) in grass or leaves or something. There's a website, believe it or not, for hiking with your dog, and this spot was in the top ten. I was semi-familiar with Swarthmore as a college, but had no idea they had all of this random land quasi-on-campus that was available for public use. Bonus: apparently it's Swarthmore spring break. Empty campus + lots of available visitor parking + relatively empty woods = dog in overjoyed exhaustion. There seem to be plenty of visitor-access parking lots around, we basically found the first one on campus and wandered over to the Scott Amphitheater. Our limited information indicated that there would be some kind of network of trails in that general region and that once we hit said trails it was kosher to let the dog off leash as long as she was under "voice control." As we made our way toward what looked like the beginning of a trail, we met a very nice woman and her very nice collie. The collie was on leash, but had clearly just enjoyed a nice dog-exhausting walk. We wandered a few yards down the trail and let her loose: bliss. There isn't really a single trail to a destination or a loop or anything like that. We took several forks, backtracked, wandered down what might have been a trail or might have been just random leaves having fallen in a semi-path, etc. There's plenty of space to explore and the trails range from 100% level and easy going to a bit more rocky and climby oriented. I didn't see any maps or other signs of civilization/development, but we followed various trails to what I think might have been the edge of Scott Arboretum. (Five different specimens of twelve different kinds of holly -- all labeled -- tipped us off.) Near that area is a pretty big meadow/clearing with some random stone-henge-looking arrangements that made a good place to stop and play fetch for a bit. The review we read on the dog hiking site seemed to indicate drinking fountains and dog bowls, but I didn't see anything like that, so if it's hot and/or you plan to be out for a while, bring water (your dog will be fine though, as there's a fairly clean looking stream/creek right alongside many of the paths). We ran into five or six other dogs -- all off leash -- during the approx. three hours we wandered around. Everyone was super-friendly and their dogs were excited to enjoy some random play as well. It's a bit of a hike from Philly (too bad Septa won't allow dogs), but worth it for some non-dog-park variety, I think.

Blueberry Hill is my favorite place to walk It has…read morewheelchair accessible You're definitely burning calories There are hills you can climb Different signs along the way some trails have pretty flowers. I recommend this place to anyone.

Nice place for a scenic walk on mostly paved trails, and there was indeed some blueberries growing…read moreat the top of that hill! GPS brought me to a parking lot near the red trail, and there are several intersecting in-and-out trails that measure roughly 2.5 miles each. I would've liked to stay longer and check them all out, but we only had time to do 1.5 trails before we had to turn back. If I lived nearby I would check it out again!

Fairmount Park offers a wide range of activities, from exploring historical sites and gardens to…read moreenjoying outdoor recreation and attending events. You can stroll along the Trolley Trail, visit Boathouse Row, and marvel at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, as well as opportunities for picnicking and boating on Concourse Lake. Fairmount Park is also home to the Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo, making it a great destination for families. I am normally here for The roots picnic, but realized this park has so much to offer. If you are up for outdoor activities, make sure to come by and explore. One tidbit, make sure you make sure you are going to this park because there is another Fairmount park that is also in Philly. Enjoy!

Fairmount Park is one of the biggest parks in the United States. It still has original houses from…read morethe 1700s. It has walking trails, ballfields and playgrounds. You can also drive through the park. Smith playground is a mansion with indoor activities and a big outdoor playground for kids. The best part about Smith playground is the giant wooden slide. The kids and adults can both go on the discovery center is in a former reservoir. It has walking trails and indoor activities to learn about the park. The horticultural center in Japanese teahouse are also located in the park. It's a great place to picnic!

Great park to let your dog run free, I was told it's 5 acres dog park! It's not out in the open…read morelike most parks, it's in the woods, plenty of shade. It was in the 90's when I was here. Will be back when it's cooler. I wish Philly had a park like this !

Love this park, especially for the fenced in dog park area. There are roughly 9 acres of woods that…read moreare all fenced in for off-leash play for friendly dogs. There are a ton more trails for leashed walking too. Everybody was really nice and parking was easy. Our dog loved her first visit and we'll be sure to come back again. Make sure your dog has good recall because they could go off chasing another dog. Bathrooms at the parking lot are convenient but didn't see any other bathrooms.