North Wissahickon Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Fishing · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Spring

This popular option links a few creekside trails together in a counterclockwise loop. It passes the famous statue honoring the Lenni-Lenape indians, which is often referred to as Tedyuscung, within 1.5 miles, so folks short on time or looking for a shorter option could head back from the statue or connect to the other side of the creek on the Rex Avenue bridge to Forbidden Drive.

Sticking with this complete loop, hikers will continue north past the statue to the Lavender Trail, looping along the creekside slopes that make up the majority of the elevation gain, before crossing the creek to return on the Yellow Trail above Forbidden Drive back to the parking area near the Valley Green Inn.

Trail sections can be muddy especially after recent rainfall. Some intersections are poorly marked, check out the Hiking Project mobile app for on-trail navigation (when in doubt use one of the main trails: Yellow Trail, White Trail, or Forbidden Drive).

This loop hike can be traveled in either direction and adapted for varying abilities or time constraints. Following the counter-clockwise direction (as shown), cross the bridge to find the White Trail heading north on your left. The Orange Trail runs parallel so this is another option to head north, as they meet up at most creek crossings. The White Trail generally stays further east and inland, away from the creek, while the Orange Trail follows more closely to the creek.

After a mile or so, continue north across Rex Avenue, this time making sure to find the White Trail in order to visit the statue. Again, the Orange Trail can be used as a parallel option heading north toward the Lavender Trail. After 0.75 miles from Rex Avenue, head right (east) to connect with the Lavender Trail loop, which begins the major sustained up-and-down section of the hike, and also an easy way to tell that you're just about halfway done.

At the northern end of the Lavender Trail loop, head left (south) back on the Orange Trail, starting the return journey. Keep an eye out for the covered bridge to head right (west) toward Forbidden Drive. Turn right (north) along Forbidden Drive, looking for another connector trail to the left cutting up along the contours of the hill. This connects up to the Yellow Trail.

At the Yellow Trail, turn left (south), heading uphill gradually, gaining elevation above the creek below. Stay on the Yellow Trail until around the five-mile mark, looking for another connector trail on the left to head down the hill toward Forbidden Drive for a brief connection south back to the parking area.

Holly, ferns, may apple, white pine.

The current statue honoring the Lenni-Lenape Indians is the third version, the first dating back to 1854. The Lenni-Lenape Indians used this land to hunt and fish, before relocating further west.

Numerous mills and dams can be seen along the Wissahickon as remnants of a booming industrial time during the early 19th century. This was followed by the construction of inns and road houses, like the Valley Green Inn, for vacationers during the middle and latter half of the century.