There are plenty who rides it with a hardtail or short full sus bike. This trail is great if you want to ride frequent climbs and downhills back to back. Please be aware that some bridges or boardwalks may still be out of place, but all sections are now open and safe for trail users to enjoy. Users have reported that the trail is not marked. Then to the right of the search bar near the top of the page click on the "New support ticket" link. This provides access to the many trails that climb out of the valley. There’s so much to see at the park that it’s hard to round it all up here—in fact, the most comprehensive guide is probably the Friends of the Wissahickon trail map, which is only available for purchase. It's a must ride along with Belmont plateau... Definitely a city gem, can be easily reached through schurkill river trail then forbidden drive. It ranges from fast and flowy at the meadow on the NW side of the creek near Bell's Mill Rd to extremely rocky and technical with lots of drops at the Indian Stairs on the SE side between Bell's Mill Rd and Valley Green Rd. It's basically 15 miles of steep, rocky climbs alternating with equally steep and rocky descents with a bit of flow, a few jumps, a couple stream crossings, log rides etc. There’s also Devil’s Pool, where swimming is tolerated by not really legal, and a few large boulders of Wissahickon schist for climbers. Some big climbs and DH's. I highly recommend starting at the Rittenhouse Town trailhead and riding counter clockwise. Some sections have seen some "mellowing", which I presume is to make it more beginner friendly. A: I've done this in the past. - “Tedyuscung,” the “Lenape Chief.” Flowing technical and nice climbs!! I love the variety; technical root/ rock sections, single trek, nice hills and nice down hills. It's certainly doable for a beginner but ultimately will come down to an individual's skills, fitness and competency. Hiking Great! Looking for a great trail in Wissahickon Valley Park, Pennsylvania? Overall this is one of the best Trails in the Philadelpha area. Visitors find themselves lost in a feeling of wilderness as they walk, bike or ride horses through this undisputed gem of Philadelphia’s park system. Great double, triple whatever wide tracks. This will take you to a page where you can send the corrections to Singletracks staff. Most of the park is heavily wooded, save for two large open meadows seeded with native wildflowers and grasses. Become a member, support FOW’s conservation mission, or volunteer to help take care of the Wissahickon. Beware that all the rocks are lose. The trails are primarily intermediate to expert and have plenty of both up and down hill sections. If you're unsure, a trail bike with 130-140 rear suspension and 150-160mm front suspension is a good place to start. The Wiss is truly amazing considering its proximity to Philly, but I don't think it's amazing enough to warrant 5 stars. That will also make the downhill tricky as your tires will want to washout or send you over the bars. There's a lot in the way of technical features and some decent climbs and drops. The following landmarks are indicated on the interactive map: Cities are great, but if you’re like me, sometimes you want to see a little wildlife (pigeons don’t count). 54 trails on an interactive map of the trail network. The paved trail ends at a trailhead on Ridge Avenue, where it meets the Schuylkill River Trail. A: End to end (Northwestern Ave to Lincoln Drive) the park is less than 5 1/2 miles and well served by Forbidden Drive. Physically demanding trail system with tons of 2-3 minute PUNCHY climbs. Downhills are short, part rocky part flow and very fun. One of my favorite 6-mile hikes starts at the northern parking lot and loops through both meadows and the woods connecting them, before returning via Forbidden Drive. Take care. From there you can access the trail on either side of the creek. Great trail system! thrown in for fun. Each destination here is within a 90-minute drive—or, when directions are available via GoPhillyGo, within a 90-minute bike and transit ride! Best Bike Trails | it is well maintained and lots of fun to ride. Friends of Wiss (FOW.org) has a great map you can also buy at REI in Conshy. Easy access back to the gravel section for a bailout in case of emergency. Can ride it both directions. Widgets, Explore Best Walking Trails in Wissahickon Valley Park. I head here at 6 am about once a week before work. The trail that goes all the way around the park is full of technical climbs and rocky descents, mixed with some smooth singletrack sections. Grab a trail map and get all the tips you need about hiking Wissahickon Valley Park. The trails range from flowing double track to technical and grinding climbs with some great descents. Don't be intimidated or expect EWS level downhills. It was a nice ride. The creek, its deep gorge and wooded banks have been described lovingly by Mark Twain, John Greenleaf Whittier, and Edgar Allan Poe. There is a multi-use flat trail that runs the length of the park. find trail maps, reviews, photos & driving directions on traillink.com Terms | Privacy, Many access points in Philadelphia: Northwest Ave, Valley Green Road... Be careful parking in remote spots and take all of your valuables because theft is a real issue in parts of Faimount Park, Mountain Biking Wissahickon Park - January…. October 23, 2020. Don't get caught out here at night without damn good light or 2. We've got 5 easy trails in Wissahickon Valley Park ranging from 3.4 to 21.9 km and from 42 to 110 meters above sea level. So it almost doesn't matter where you park you should be able to get to whatever section you intend to ride. If you're in the area, it's a must ride. For more information, please see https://wissahickontrails.org/explore-the-watershed/find-your-trail/green-ribbon-trail-2, #9 - Margaree Dam White, Orange, and Forbidden Drive Loop, #10 - Orange Trail to Lavender Trail to Forbidden Drive, Wissahickon Park Orange Trail to White Trail, Orange Trail - Yellow Trail - Wissahickon Bikeway, Margaree Dam White, Orange, and Forbidden Drive Loop, Orange Trail to Lavender Trail to Forbidden Drive. The trails are well marked and not all trails allow mountain bikes. Consider leaving a buck or two to help with hosting costs! There are 57 miles of trails in Wissahickon Valley Park, a lush, 1,800-acre gorge, crossing forest and meadow before plunging down to the sun-dappled waters of the Wissahickon Creek. The Wissahickon has plenty of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and running (the most popular being Forbidden Drive, a wide hardpack path that follows the creek). This is my home trail so I'm a bit biased, but the Wiss is an amazing trail system. - The goldmine caves, perhaps created by settlers looking for gold. Well maintained and loads of climb, remember to fill up your water bottle! This is a beautiful place with some great but challenging riding. Loads of fun. definitely not recommended for the beginners, and it gets packed with people on the weekends, bring a bell and get there early! Gabrielle & Olivia conquer the drainage infrastructure. The soil has tons of schist and drains very well after the rain but the trail erodes very rapidly so something is different every time I go. I really like the concept of forbidden drive, you can go all out on the trails and then loop back onto forbidden drive to take a breath before you take another trail. I don't mind having to pay to ride, but if I am paying I wish the majority of the trails were open to biking. You can find easy, flat hiking trails here. Support Us | - Walnut Lane bridge, one of the first reinforced concrete bridges and the highest in the world when it was built. 1,955 reviews Directions Print/PDF Map; Share; VIEW FULL MAP. Mountain Biking Wissahickon Valley Park Add a review #3 of 297 mountain bike trails in Pennsylvania #128 in the world. AllTrails has 10 great hiking trails, trail running trails, walking trails and more, with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. Lots of tight single track with log crossings, tree roots, rock gardens, and some steep hill climbs. They are a ton of fun and a must if you are in the Philly area!! - The Great Beech, a 150-year old specimen tree. Welcome to the Wissahickon’s 1800 acres and 50+ miles of trails – we know there’s something for everyone in Wissahickon Valley Park. - Cave of Kelpius, where a German mystic prayed while awaiting what he thought would be the end of the world in 1694. About an hour and fifteen minutes from the jersey shore you can find this hiking and biking trail. IMBA Epics | There is a multi-use flat trail that runs the length of the park. I will definitely be riding this place when it gets warmer. Just looking to take a quick stroll? In the meantime, I’ll use the tips section to explain what I’ve managed to locate. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/pennsylvania/wissahickon-valley-park This provides access to the many trails that climb out of the valley. One good one is if you park at the Bells Mills lots (where forbidden drive and Bells Mills meet). The rich history of Philadelphia is evident in every corner of the Wissahickon valley, from dams left behind by the country’s first paper mills, to a statue memorializing the displaced Lenape people—though, awkwardly enough, there isn’t any real evidence that the Lenape actually lived in the park, and the marble chief mistakenly wears the signature feathered war bonnet of the indigenous people of the Great Plains. There are a lot of would be great trails that are not open biking. over all great trail, and very fun to ride. Thomas Mill Covered Bridge (photo by Smallbones on, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Discover new tips with our (not too frequent, I promise). Really fun trail with some tough climbs. I park at NWA as it' has the most spots and is closest to my home. Plus with the Forbidden Drive always close, you can always head back easily. Generally well maintained and respectfully ridden by local riders. -GT. Five2Ride: 5 of the Best MTB Trails in Pennsylvania. Start checking them out and you'll be out on the trail in no time! Use good judgement and have fun ripping through these trails. That will make your climbs hard as you spin out or get pushed off your line. this is a awesome trail. This was the very first trail I ridden on a mountain bike with no prior experience. Park Map | Trails | Directions. Company A little up and down but not to strenuous if you are looking for a nice hike to do. For being so close to the city this place is a gem! At the south end of the park, the 1.4-mile Lincoln Drive Trail runs on the opposite side of Wissahickon Creek from Lincoln Drive. And it's dog-friendly! Philly Day Hiker is my attempt to catalog them. Lots of double track with some good single track mixed in. Getting there by car is crazy, there are so many small parking lots that are so hard to find, getting there from the city by bike is super simple, there's a bike path that directly leads to the Wiss. - Devil’s Pool. I dipped into the technical stuff a tiny bit...seems like it will be a challenge!! Lucky for us, it hasn’t been parceled off, and today it’s part of what makes Fairmount Park one of the largest urban park systems in America.