Forbidden Drive

About Us:

Forbidden Drive runs from the merging of the Monoshone and the Wissahickon Creeks (near Lincoln Drive) northward to Northwestern Ave. at the Philadelphia city limits all the while running adjacent to Wissahickon Creek.  Once called the Wissahickon Turnpike, the crushed stone surfaced road is largely a flat surface encouraging walkers of all ages.  Walkers share this two century old road with runners, bikers and equestrians (since 1922 automobiles have been banned from the road, hence its common name, Forbidden Drive).  Looking to the left and right one sees two magnificently forested ridges, and throughout those woods are trails running from creek to ridge top, and north and south along the whole distance of the Creek.  These woodsy trails sometimes take steep routes to the top of the ridge, but most often follow rolling terrain on paths that are rocky or packed earth.  Walking these trailsm, hikers are in the midst of a forest so engulfing that it seems impossible to be entirely within the city limits of Philadelphia.  Not only do these trails provide myriad routes to explore the valley, but they lead hikers to nearly two dozen historical, geological or anthropological sites scattered from the Schuylkill to the northern end of the valley.

FOW publishes a detailed Map illustrating the hiking trails within the Park. Several hiking clubs, including the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Sierra Club, the Batona Hiking Club, the Philadelphia Trail Club, and others offer guided hikes throughout the Park.