Two Philly Trails Get Major Updates

The new pedestrian bridge connects to the Orange Trail.

Recently, two trails from 60 Hikes Philly have gotten updates.

Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) recently opened the Valley Green Run Restoration and Pedestrian Bridge. The new bridge marks the turn in the loop hike around the Upper Wissahickon Trails. It’s hike #12 in the latest edition of 60 Hikes.

In both the 2nd & 3rd editions of my hiking guide book, the directions describe a construction barrier and re-route of the Orange Trail. I’ll make an update in the next edition of the book, but for now, know that if you are doing the entire 5-mile loop, you’ll need to look for the new pedestrian bridge for your return trip.

New pedestrian bridge in the Wiss.

The bridge is super easy to spot and is really lovely. I had a chance to check it out last week and snapped some pics for reference.

The new bridge reroutes foot traffic away from Valley Green Road, reducing pedestrian-vehicle interactions and improving access to the park’s most visited area. A new stone trailhead and hillside stabilization features were also added to manage stormwater and accommodate high visitor volumes.

The second trail update is for the gorgeous Schuylkill Banks trail along the riverfront. On May 17, the city will officially open this part of the trail, which will connect Center City with South Philly.

Schuylkill River Trail is hike #7 in the latest edition of 60 Hikes. This lovely urban trek gives you up-close views of the art museum, city skyline, and Schuylkill River. The new section of the trail adds an additional 2,812 feet and provides a critical connection for the 5-county Schuylkill River Trail (SRT).

The SRT is part of the Circuit Trails network and the East Coast Greenway. I can’t wait to check out the new section!