Come 'Walk the Wissahickon' with fellow outdoor lovers in late September

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Put on your walking shoes and grab those trekking poles, if you've got them, because if you are an outdoor enthusiast, late September in suburban Philadelphia offers a great opportunity to check out one of the region's premier watersheds.

On Sept. 26, nature lovers are invited to join in the festivities of the 25th anniversary of 'Walk the Wissahickon' by taking part in a hike down the Green Ribbon Trail.

Participants will be able to choose from three different hike lengths — 4, 7 or 12 miles — as they wind along one of the more popular meandering trails that snake around the Wissahickon Creek.

The event is being hosted by Wissahickon Trails, a stewardship and watershed advocacy organization.

During the hike, Wissahickon Trails staff members and volunteers will help lead folks down the natural, mostly unpaved trail through diverse wetlands, woodlands and meadows that follow along the creek, according to information about the event on the organization's website.

The starting point for the hike will be at Parkside Place in North Wales (Upper Gwynedd Township), while the ending point will vary. The 4-mile walk will end at Penllyn Park in Lower Gwynedd; the 7-mile walk will end with lunch at Four Mills Reserve and historic barn in Ambler (on the border with Whitemarsh Township); and the longest, 12-mile walk will finish at Fort Washington State Park.

All walks will begin at 8 a.m. sharp and the event is taking place rain or shine.

Participants will have the option to be bussed back to Parkside Place in Upper Gwynedd upon completion of the event.

The cost to participate is $35 if you register by Sept. 6, $40 if you register by Sept. 19, and $45 if you register starting Sept. 20.

All proceeds will benefit ongoing efforts to protect and preserve the areas surrounding the Wissahickon Creek.

The event differs from walks of years past because the long, 12-mile hike will now end at the Flourtown day use area of Fort Washington State Park as opposed to portions of Lincoln Drive in Philadelphia, as it did in years past, due to current closures along that stretch of city roadway.

There is a new course map that is now available for download from Wissahickon Trails.