PA / 01 • NORTHWEST PHILADELPHIA
WISSA-
HICKON.
A deep, rocky gorge in the middle of Philadelphia. Short, punchy climbs, rock gardens, a covered bridge and Forbidden Drive running along the creek when you need a break.
50+ MI
Of trail in the park
10.6 MI
On the classic Wissahickon Loop
951 FT
Of climbing on that loop
BLACK
Technical. Not for beginners
THE PLACE
A GORGE IN THE CITY.
Wissahickon Valley Park covers about 1,800 acres of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park system, following Wissahickon Creek through a steep, rocky gorge. Forbidden Drive, a 5-mile gravel road along the creek, is the park’s main thoroughfare, with the Valley Green Inn about halfway.
The singletrack climbs out of the valley on both sides. The Yellow Trail on the west side is the longest, at nearly 8 miles, and the White Trail on the east side brings rugged paths and steep climbs. Expect rock gardens, roots, log-overs and old water viaducts.
MIDPOINT
Valley Green Inn
7 Valley Green Road, Philadelphia, PA. Water, restrooms and food.
PERMIT
Riders 16 and up need a city trail permit for the upper trails: free for Philly residents (donation requested), $35 otherwise.
OTHER LOTS
Lincoln Drive, Northwestern Avenue and Bells Mill Road. Lots are small; don’t leave valuables in the car.
SHARED WITH
Hikers, runners, dogs and horses. Weekends get busy.
THE TRAILS
THREE COLORS.
ONE GORGE.
Not every trail is open to bikes. Follow the trail signs and the park map.
YELLOW TRAIL
The park’s longest trail, on the west side. Rocky, rooty singletrack and fully multi-use.
WHITE TRAIL
Rugged and steep, with the climbs that make a Wissahickon loop hurt.
ORANGE TRAIL
Follows the creek. Only some sections are open to bikes; check the signs.
FORBIDDEN DRIVE
Flat gravel along the creek. Your connector, bail-out and cool-down.
Trail descriptions from Philadelphia Magazine, Billy Penn and MTB Project. Singletrack ratings follow MTB Project’s rating for the Wissahickon Loop; Forbidden Drive’s is our own.
HOW WE RIDE IT
THE WISSAHICKON LOOP.
MTB Project’s Wissahickon Loop is the classic tour: about 10.6 miles, 95% singletrack and roughly 951 ft of climbing. It strings together the Orange, White and Yellow trails, using Forbidden Drive to connect.
Junctions aren’t always well labeled, so bring a map. Forbidden Drive is your fast way out if anything goes wrong.
ON CAMERA
OUR RIDES HERE.
Every video in our
Wissahickon playlist.
No rides here yet. Add videos to this trail’s YouTube playlist and run the import.
BEFORE YOU GO
RIDE IT RIGHT.
GET THE PERMIT
Riding the upper trails without a valid permit can mean a $25 fine. Permits run April through March.
DON’T RIDE IT WET
The soil erodes quickly and volunteers keep these trails alive. Give them time to dry after rain.
BRING A BELL
Weekends are packed with hikers, dogs and horses. Ride early and be friendly.
Sources: City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Magazine, Billy Penn, MTB Project. Conditions and rules change; check the official page before you ride.