Beginner English: Top Day Hikes Around Philadelphia

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The great thing about living in Philadelphia is that you have access to many awesome outdoor adventures. Hiking is one of my favorite outdoor activities. This is a list of my favorite hiking places around Philadelphia. All of these hikes can be finished in one day. 

The Wissahickon

The Wissahickon is a great and quick escape from the city. The environment is calming and you forget that you are still in the city. There are over 50 miles of trails. You can spend a whole day hiking here and not cover the entire park! During the Fall, the park turns into a beautiful mixture of reds, yellows, and oranges. The main trail in the Wissahickon is wide and flat. It is a great place to take a family. Some trails are handicapped accessible because parking locations lead right to the trail. 

Hiking isn’t the only activity you can do at the Wissahickon. People can ride bikes, fish, swim, and bird watch. You can eat delicious food at the Green Valley Inn. The park also has a lot of history that you can learn about.

Fairmount Park

This is a huge park in the city. The large Schuylkill River runs through the park. Fairmount Park has many different types of trails. Activities you can do in the park include hiking, cycling, and horseback riding. The park is connected to museums like the Philadelphia Art Museum. It also has a Japanese Tea House, multiple Mansions, and Philadelphia’s famous Boat-House row. In the spring, the trees bloom pink and white. 

If you want to learn more about the park visit Fairmount Park’s Website.

Schuylkill River Trail

Many parts of this trail follow old train routes. Over the years people have been working to connect smaller trails to make one very large Schuylkill River Trail. There are about 75 miles of completed trail. However, there are still some sections that do not connect… yet. 

Many people run, walk their dogs, and bike. I love how this trail winds through the city. You can walk off the trail and stop in a restaurant for some food or a drink. The trail also goes through other beautiful parks like Fairmount and Valley Forge. It even goes far beyond Philadelphia! Many parts of the trail are paved. If you are interested in learning more about the trail here is the website.

Valley Forge National Park

This national park is free to enter and has great hiking trails any time of the year. It is a very historical site in the U.S. You can learn about U.S. history when you hike. The park has tours to learn about the history. 

There are also multiple paved trails here. When it snows they only shovel out a few trails. In the winter you will see many people come to the park for winter activities. One of my favorite activities is to go sledding down the hills. This park has some awesome sledding spots! If you are interested in learning more about the park click here for the website.

Hawk Mountain

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is about an hour and a half drive from Philadelphia. It is a birds of prey sanctuary. When visiting you can also check out the garden, visitor center, and education building. The trails have many great views of the valley. The trees are colorful in the Fall. Meadows of beautiful flowers bloom in the spring. There is a $10 fee you need to pay to visit here. The money helps support the sanctuary and the birds. If you want to know more about the Sanctuary or trails click here.

The Pinnacle

This trail is known to have the best views in the state. You can see for many miles on a clear day! This trail connects to another trail. The other trail also has a beautiful view called The Pulpit. These two trails make for an excellent day hike. These trails are near Hawk Mountain. Here is the trail link to the All Trails map. You can also search All Trails for the routes.

Delaware Water Gap

This is a little under 2 hours of a drive from Philadelphia. The park is very beautiful! One of my favorite views is on the Mt. Tammany trail.  I recommend turning your day trip into a weekend trip. The park is very large. There are more than 100 miles of hiking trails. You can see many waterfalls, rivers, and lakes. The trails have different difficulty ratings and some are accessible. People also enjoy driving through the beautiful landscape. You can also go kayaking or rafting on the Delaware River. To learn more about the park click here.

Bushkill Falls

Right outside of the Delaware Water Gap are the Bushkill Falls Trails. These trails take you around multiple waterfalls. However, this location is privately owned and there is a fee to hike on the trails. The area where you buy tickets has also been built up over the years. It includes a gift shop, small places to get food, and hands-on activities for kids. This place is good for kids. However, it can get pretty crowded. Buy your tickets online before you go to the park. I think the waterfalls are worth the price of the ticket. Click here to learn more about the falls and buy your tickets online.

Ricketts Glen State Park

This park is the furthest away from Philadelphia. It’s about a 2 and a half-hour drive.  Ricketts Glen has about 26 miles of trails. Their 7 mile Falls Trail is my favorite! You see 21 different waterfalls when hiking this trail. The tallest waterfall is 94 feet high! I enjoy hiking this trail each summer. The breeze from the splashing water can help cool you off in the summer heat. It is important to wear hiking shoes because the trail is wet and slippery. I recommended bringing a pair of water shoes and a towel. You can stop along the way to dip your feet in the water.

The campsites at the park are also very nice. Try to stay overnight so you can enjoy the other trails and lake activities at the park. You will need to book a campsite far in advance because the camping spots fill up quickly! Click here if you want to learn more about the park and book a campsite.

Pennsylvania is great for hiking any time of year. These locations are only a few of what the state has to offer. If you do choose to go hiking at any of these locations, read the websites before you go. This way you know what to expect. Also, many of these places have trails that are moderate to hard. Make sure you have appropriate clothing and enough food and water to last you the whole hike. Feel free to comment down below with some of your favorite trails in the area. I am always interested in a new hiking adventure!