Hike #513 9/16/10
9/16/10 Wissahickon/Green Ribbon; Manayunk to Gwynedd Valley With Conrad Blease and Teresa Montes
Path along Stenton Rd
Like so many of my other hikes this one would run much longer than anticipated.
Conrad and his wife Teresa were free on this occasion to do a hike in their area. Conrad had recently reappeared with his new wife on the benefit hike my friends had arranged in the Belvidere vicinity, and I was quite looking forward to hiking with them again. I found an end point, Gwynedd Station along the upper Wissahickon Creek and planned a hike along the greater Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail, a long distance trail stretching almost the entire length of the creek. I'd already done the section from the Schuykill River to Fort Washington State Park, but there was so much more to do. We'd do that first part again on this occasion.
We parked in Manayunk and headed through town.
We followed the main road heading downstream along the Schuykill and took the side trip up hill to the abandoned stone frame of a building with the stair case we'd visited on our first trip to Manayunk a few years ago.
Old stone ruins, Manayunk PA
Old stone staircase, Manayunk PA
Old stone ruins, Manayunk PA
We reached the end of the Wissahickon Creek at the Schuykill and then started heading along the trail to the left. The trail kept to the left side for a bit, then after a while crossed over. There were people working on one of the big bridges we went under as I recall. The trail continued along a nice walkway until we reached the southern end of Forbidden Drive, the former road that ran through the Wissahickon.
Dam along the lower Wissahickon
Trail along the lower Wissahickon
Bridge along the lower Wissahickon
Lower Wissahickon Gorge
Trail along the lower Wissahickon
Map of Wissahickon Gorge
Map of the Wissahickon
There were a lot of people walking along Forbidden Drive at the first stretch, as there always are.
Someone put a "no swimming" sign on the outside of the restroom. Wow.
There were quite a few signs this time warning not to swim, moreso than I'd ever seen before. It was quite hilarious that there was one on the outside of the privy high above the water of the creek!
Bridge across the Wissahickon in the gorge
Old building in Wissahickon Gorge
We continued north following the upstream flow of the Wissahickon and checked out the ruins and such along the way. There was a nice old stone stair case leading down to the water at one point which we stopped off to check out as well.
Old stairs in Wissahickon Gorge
Old stairs in Wissahickon Gorge
In Wisahickon Gorge
We passed by the old hostel in the gorge along the way north, and then we stopped and I took a swim in the creek above a wonderful old dam where I'd stopped the previous time we were out there.
Old dam in Wissahickon Gorge
We then continued on to the north and past the only remaining covered bridge in Philadelphia across the Wissahickon. We also crossed Bells Mill Drive, the only main road that crosses the gorge in the preserve at grade.
Forbidden Drive, Wissahickon Gorge
Philadelphia's last covered bridge in Wissahickon Gorge
No back stroke?
Philadelphia's last covered bridge in Wissahickon Gorge.
At the end of the gorge, we turned left off of the main trail up to a sort of nature center area. I wasn't sure if the Green Ribbon Trail would continue this way or a different direction, but we didn't see it. I went up and into a visitor's center I recall, and chatted with those running it before heading back to the main trail.
Ruins along the Wissahickon
We had to turn right on Northwest Ave to continue on the trail. A pedestrian bridge next to the regular bridge was in place over the Wissahickon, and beyond a paved path started up along the road.
Paved Path along Northwest Ave, part of Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail
We turned left onto Stenton Road and there was a spot between two fences that appeared to be a trail route but we just weren't sure so we walked it anyway.
Path along Stenton, Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail
We continued up the road and it took us across the Wissahickon again on a bridge.
Crossing the Wissahickon
Wissahickon Bridge
When we reached the intersection with West valley Green Road we turned right and picked up the next developed trail section heading up stream. There was an interesting place to put a no parking sign.
No parking sign? On the trail in Fort Washington State Park
The trail led us close to a parking area for Fort Washington State Park I'd seen before, then continued north. We crossed over an abandoned rail right of way without knowing it I beleive,
Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail in Fort Washington State Park
The trail weaved around through the park and then took us across Valley Green Road.
Bridge crossing on Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail
The trail continued north from there and came out on a side road called Fort Washington I think. It's hard for me to remember how we went from here. The trail seemed to end, but I knew it continued. We ended up walking roads to the left from here I think, probably Toland to East Skppack to Lafayette.
Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail
Bridge over the Wissahickon
Bridge over the Wissahickon
I remember when we got back on the trail it was a nice footpath section, now on the other side of the creek, and it took us out for a while. It was tough to find the green blazes but we managed for a bit.
I remember following a section of roads again, and then cutting in to a section of path to Butler ave I think it must have been, then north of there we came to what must have been Mt Pleasant Ave. I don't think it was official trail here but we managed to follow the creek anyway on some old road.
Foot bridge over the Wissahickon along the Green Ribbon Trail
Old dam site along the Wissahickon
Strange trail crossing over the Wissahickon
Golf course, Cedar Brook
Somehow we lost our path and ended up walking across Cedarbrook Country club where fortunately we didn't have any problems.
Wissahickon Map
Building in the home stretch
It started getting pretty dark. I remember we had to walk some roads back to Gwyenedd Station. I remember it was Lantern Lane to Plymouth Road to the station. It was dark by the time we were done.
Near the end of the hike,
Along this hike there was an area where we were walking behind buildings, and I want to say they were part of some campus. We also had a nice section with some foot bridges and trails on either side of the creek, but I'm not sure where either of these sections were or how we picked them up.
We will have to do this hike again with better planning. It was indeed a great one.
No comments:
Post a Comment