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Explore the Watershed

Four Mills Nature Reserve

    Trail Head

    Wissahickon Trails Headquarters

    Length

    1.5 Miles

    Difficulty

    Moderate

    Amenities

    Restrooms, Parking, Public Transportation (within 1 mile), Leashed dogs, Picnic Area or Benches, Birding Hotspot, Historic Site, Along Water, Equestrian Trail

Trail Overview

Four Mills Nature Reserve is home to Wissahickon Trails’ historic headquarters, the Four Mills Barn. The barn was designed by Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer and built in 1891 as part of an estate called "Abendruh."

 

The 56-acre Four Mills Nature Reserve in Ambler offers visitors two trails along the Wissahickon Creek. Both are part of our larger Green Ribbon Trail, and begin at our offices, at the Four Mills Barn. You’re welcome to stop in Monday through Friday from 8am-4pm to request information or speak with our staff. Enjoy a snack at our picnic tables before or after your walk.

 

Choose from two loop trails, each about 0.5 miles in length. As you leave our offices to begin your walk, you’ll use two bridges to cross the Wissahickon Creek. Here the trail divides. Turn left, and you will eventually cross the Rotary Bridge which connects to the Borough of Ambler. Turn right, and you will follow the trail and come to the Rose Rubenstein Stepping Stone Crossing in a quarter mile. This crossing was added in 2011 to connect the reserve to Germantown Academy.

 

As you walk, you’ll experience the Wissahickon Creek’s beautiful floodplain, which consists largely of wooded areas. You’ll see a variety of trees in the canopy, including red maple, box elder, sycamore, bitternut hickory, and American elm. Wild leek, trout lily, and jack-in-the-pulpit intermingle on the forest floor in spring.

 

Several local creeks, including Prophecy Creek, Stuart Farm Creek, and Spring Run, all join the Wissahickon Creek at Four Mills. You’ll see lots of dragonflies and damselflies, which flock to the varied waterways here. 

 

Download Trail Map
Trail Details
Detailed Accessibility Information about
Four Mills Nature Reserve Below

Download a printer-friendly PDF with trail descriptions.

Green Ribbon Trail

  • Surface: Hard-packed dirt with many exposed roots up to 2” high. 

  • Distance: 1 mile each way from Butler Pike to Morris Rd. 

  • Gradient: Less than 5% 

  • Width: 40” 

  • Cross slope: Mostly minimal. Moderate for three short sections.  

  • Benches: 3 

  • Shade: Complete in warmer months.  

  • Drainage issues: Some channeling in places. 

  • Obstacles: Exposed roots and some exposed rocks up to 2” high. Four sections of short boardwalk that require a 3-5” step up and/or down. Three bridges requiring steps (see below). Four stepping stones near the intersection of the short trail that connects the Green Ribbon Trail with the Rotary Trail. Twenty stepping stones at the Rose Rubenstein Stepping Stone Crossing, with a steep ladder that can swing to climb back up to the level of the trail, which requires holding on to the handles. 

  • Bridges: Three large, high bridges along this trail. Two connect the Green Ribbon Trail to the Wissahickon Trails Headquarters; the other is part of the Green Ribbon Trail. In order to cross them, all three bridges require 10-14 steps up and then down. Bridges are 44-48” wide and constructed of metal or wooden planks (some steps are see-through), with 42” high safety barriers on
    both sides. 

Freya McGregori

Rotary Trail

  • Surface: Hard-packed dirt/mowed grass along a sewer line. 

  • Distance: 0.5 miles one way 

  • Gradient: Flat 

  • Width: 8” of hard-packed dirt; extensive mown grass on either side of this. 

  • Cross slope: Minimal/none 

  • Benches: None 

  • Shade: Some 

  • Drainage issues: None 

  • Obstacles: The Rotary Bridge, near the northwest end of the Rotary Trail (on the Green Ribbon Trail) by Butler Pike has 11 steps up and down again. The bridge can be quite slippery when wet. 

Freya McGregori

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE

You’ll also find a large wetland area located on the southeastern portion of Four Mills, near Morris Road. Here you’ll see native plants, such as skunk-cabbage, tussock sedge, floating manna grass, and sharp-fruited rush. Along the waterway you may see two-lined and red-backed salamanders, and northern ring-necked and northern water snakes (both of which are non-venomous to humans). Listen for green and pickerel frogs and American toads. Eastern Box turtles have been spotted here as well. In the summer, Four Mills is home to a pair of nesting red-shouldered hawks. Keep your eyes peeled! 

Margaret Rohdei