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Explore the Watershed

Crossways Preserve

    Trail Head

    Cathcart Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422

    Length

    1.5 Miles

    Difficulty

    Moderate

    Amenities

    Public Transportation (within 1 mile), Hard Trail Surface, Parking, Stroller Friendly, Bicycles Allowed, Birding Hotspot, Leashed dogs, Equestrian Trail

Trail Overview

A visit to the Wissahickon wouldn’t be complete without a walk at Crossways Preserve in Whitpain Township. Crossways is a 57-acre haven for many species of plants and wildlife and has the most native plant species of all of our preserves.  

 

Begin your journey along the 1.5 mile trail by walking through tall grass meadows. On your right, you will see the chimney swift tower. You will also see native grasses and wildflowers. These meadows also provide food for pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and dragonflies. You may see the juniper hairstreak butterfly, a species of “Greatest Conservation Need” in Pennsylvania.

 

The landscape quickly turns into woods, where you’ll find towering hardwood trees. Along the trail wildlife is always moving, creating a feast for the senses. You may see deer or hear frogs, and Crossways is a local favorite for birding. During the spring and fall, thousands of migratory birds pass through, stopping over to rest and refuel along their long journey.

 

Wissahickon Trails uses Crossways every summer for our bird banding station, a program established in 2015. Bird banding allows us to understand how bird populations change over time. The data we collect is part of a project across North America, Canada, and South America, but also supports our decisions in how we manage land. 

 

As you walk, you will see Wissahickon Trails’ bird nesting boxes. Many species of birds, including tree swallows and eastern bluebirds, use these boxes to nest each year. Wissahickon Trails’ staff and volunteers monitor these boxes and band the baby birds. This allows us to collect data on their populations over time. To learn more about volunteering with this program, click here. 

 

Make sure to look for the exclosure, a fenced-in natural area where deer cannot eat the vegetation. Wissahickon Trails created this area in 2015 to restore native species and protect a vulnerable wetland important for declining butterfly species. The increased variety of plants that will grow here will help attract native insects, birds, and other wildlife to Crossways Preserve.  

Download Trail Map
Trail Details

  • Parking

    Small parking lot about mid-way on Cathcart Road, Blue Bell, PA.

  • Public Transit

    SEPTA Bus Route 94

  • Google Maps

    Directions

  • Access Points

    A 1.5 mile walking and riding trail begins from a parking space off Cathcart Road. In some places, the equestrian and pedestrian trails diverge.

  • Before You Go

    General Trail Rules & Information


Detailed Accessibility Information about the Trails at Crossways Preserve Below

Download a printer-friendly PDF with trail descriptions. 

 

Crossways Trail

  • Surface: Loose-packed crushed stone from parking lot to furthest footbridge; thick, mown grass to the intersection of West Township Line Rd; asphalt beyond to the Crossways Bridge. Loose-packed crushed stone from the parking lot to the intersection with Morris Rd. 

  • Distance: The entire Crossways Trail is 1.9 miles each way. Within the Crossways Preserve, it is 0.5 miles each way from the trailhead parking lot to the trail intersection with Plymouth Rd. From there, along the Crossways Preserve to Penllyn Woods Connector, it is another 0.4 miles each way. 0.15 miles each way from the trailhead parking lot to the trail intersection with Morris Rd. 

  • Gradient: First 0.1 miles from the parking lot towards the Crossways Bridge is less than 2%. After that the trail slopes gently downhill no stepper than 5%, except for a short 12% downhill after the third footbridge. 

  • Width: 64” 

  • Cross slope: Minimal 

  • Benches: One, at the parking lot. 

  • Shade: Almost complete in the warmer months. 

  • Drainage issues: Some channeling is present between the third and fourth footbridge. 

  • Obstacles: Chicane gates have a space 39”-50” wide to pass through. Exposed roots up to 2” high. Two road crossings. 

  • Footbridges: Four concrete footbridges have no steps and are 96” wide with an 8 ¼” high edge on both sides. 

Freya McGregori

Meadow Trail

  • Surface: Thick mown grass; some bumps and dips up to 2.” Can become soft and muddy after rain. 

  • Distance: 0.2 miles each way 

  • Gradient: Slopes consistently down and away from the parking area at 5-8%. 

  • Width: 60” 

  • Cross slope: Minimal 

  • Benches: None 

  • Shade: Very little in the warmer months. 

  • Drainage issues: Can become soft and muddy after rain. 

  • Obstacles: Potential muddy sections. 

Freya McGregori

Sassafras Trail

  • Surface: Thick grass with some dips and bumps; can get wet and muddy in places. 

  • Distance: 0.4 mile lollipop 

  • Gradient: Up to 8% 

  • Width: 100”+ 

  • Cross slope: Moderate 

  • Benches: None 

  • Shade: Partial in the warmer months. 

  • Drainage issues: Can get muddy after rain, especially around the southern corner of the deer exclosure where the ground is often shaded by the nearby trees. 

  • Obstacles: Muddy sections 

Freya McGregori

Trail History

A Community that Cares

Crossways was originally a privately held farm by the Harris family. In 1997, Wissahickon Trails worked with Saly Glassman, who owns the neighboring Kindle Hill Farm, to acquire the land and turn it into a preserve. 

 

As you depart Crossways, you can easily connect with the Montgomery County Trail or the Green Ribbon Trail to continue your walk.

Jamie Stewarti