Penllyn Natural Area

If you’re looking for a family-friendly outing, look no further than the Penllyn Natural Area. This 19-acre preserve in Lower Gwynedd offers a brief 0.6 mile loop trail, with the option to connect to the Green Ribbon Trail for longer hikes.

The Penllyn Natural Area is Wissahickon Trails’ oldest preserve and spans both sides of the Wissahickon Creek. On the west side of the preserve, a brief loop trail offers lots of interpretive signage. As you walk through the preserve, you’ll pass through wooded and wetland habitat, and educational signs will help your whole family learn about the natural environment around you. If you visit in the spring, you’ll see wildflowers along the trail. Two-lined salamanders, pickerel frogs, and Eastern garter snakes can be found here, and some visitors have even seen common snapping turtles in the deeper parts of the Wissahickon Creek.

On the eastern side of the Wissahickon Creek, continue your walk on a 0.4 mile section of the Green Ribbon Trail. This will lead you to Penllyn Woods Park, where you can keep going on the Green Ribbon Trail all the way to Plymouth Road.