Wissahickon Trails
04/02/2020
By: Gail Farmer, Executive Director
Although so much of our work is evolving in response to COVID-19, we are still moving forward with a big change.
After more than a year of careful consideration, we have made the important decision to change our name. Starting April 2, we will be doing business as Wissahickon Trails.
Please know that our staff, mission, and core values stay the same. What’s changing is how we present ourselves to the public.
We chose Wissahickon Trails because trails are the gateway for people to experience every aspect of our work – from land preservation to protecting the Wissahickon Creek, to learning about the natural world. We know our mission is about so much more than trails; but trails, like us, are what connects land, water, and people. Learn more about our decision in the spring newsletter.
As I write this article, we are under a Stay at Home order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Under the Governor’s order, outdoor activities are still permitted and so our trails remain open. We couldn’t be happier to share our trails with you – especially now when you need them most. Allowing for public exercise and activity in nature is important and our priority is to protect the health and safety of trail users and staff. When using the trails, follow all CDC guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
These guidelines include, but are not limited to the following:
- Maintain social distancing—stay 6 feet apart from other trail users, if you can’t due to crowds, please leave the trail.
- Visit on your own or with people with whom you live.
- If the parking lot is full, so is the trail, please come back at another time or visit another preserve.
- Bring and use hand sanitizer frequently; soap and water are not available on the trails.
- If you think you may be sick, stay at home
- Be kind to your fellow trail users and keep your dog on its leash and clean up and remove its waste.
Visit Before You Go for a full list of trail rules.
We aim to keep our trails open so long as it remains safe for trail users and our staff. One challenge we are facing is crowding. Our trails are being used by significantly more people than usual, especially on weekends and in good weather. Crowded trails make it difficult to maintain social distance, making trail use an unsafe activity. Please help us ensure that we can keep our trails open by not crowding the trails (see guidelines above).
We have 12 nature preserves and 24 miles of trails for you to explore. Several of our trails are typically less busy and have plenty of parking, consider visiting one of the preserves below:
Check out our staff-recommended itineraries to help you plan your next visit or use the interactive map tool to find the right trail for you .
If our trails have helped you during this difficult time, please consider making a donation to support their care and maintenance.
