Walk in Wissahickon Woods

Nothing is as soothing or relaxing for me as taking a walk in the woods after a long and stressful week. This week I chose the Bells Mills Rd section of Wissahickon Park.

While there are lots of things to complain about in the city of Philadelphia, one thing they are really good at is preserving open space. Fairmount Park, of which Wissahickon Park is a part is one of the largest urban green spaces in the country.

Straddling the Piedmont and Inner Coastal Planes, Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park provides an unexpected diversity of wildlife, foliage, wildlife and landscape and consists of more than 9200 acres of trails, woodlands and wetlands.

Wissahickon Park runs along the Wissahickon Creek, an area that during the early European settlement of the area was used for paper mills and other industrial pursuits. Now Mother Nature has reclaimed this space, but every now and then you come across a reminder of human settlement, like this stairway to nowhere.

Visiting the Wissahickon Woods is a popular outdoor activity that offers a unique and immersive experience in nature. The Wissahickon Valley Park is located in the northwestern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and covers over 1,800 acres of forested land along the Wissahickon Creek.

Visitors to the Wissahickon Woods can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, birdwatching, picnicking, and fishing. There are many trails available, ranging from easy walks along the creek to more challenging hikes up steep ridges and through dense forests. The park also features historic sites, such as the Limekiln House, a restored 19th-century structure, and the Wissahickon Environmental Center, which offers educational programs and guided tours.

Visitors to the Wissahickon Woods can also enjoy scenic views along the creek and observe wildlife, such as deer, turkeys, and a variety of bird species. The park is also home to a number of threatened and endangered species, such as the bog turtle and the Indiana bat, making it an important habitat for conservation.