Date/Time
Date(s) - June 20, 2026
8:30 am - 10:30 am
Meeting at Northwestern Avenue & Forbidden Drive (200 W Northwestern Ave)
Come celebrate Pride Month in the Wissahickon with a morning of birdwatching and community building! Join Friends of the Wissahickon and Philly Queer Birders for a gentle hike along Forbidden Drive as we keep our eyes and ears peeled for birds summering in the park.
Philly Queer Birders formed in 2021 to build queer community through birding and to create welcoming, inclusive, and accessible LGBTQIA+ spaces in the outdoors. Birders of all levels and life experiences are welcome!
We’ll be sticking to Forbidden Drive, a wide and mostly flat gravel trail, and moving at a relaxed pace. Bring binoculars if you have them, or let us know you’d like to borrow a pair here! You can also check out a Birding Backpack from any Free Library of Philadelphia location which includes binoculars, a field guide, and a Wissahickon Valley Park map—learn more here.
Distance: 2-3 miles
Level: Easy (flat walking)
Parking and Transit: Parking is available in the Northwestern Avenue Parking Area near our meeting location, with additional free parking on nearby side streets. The closest bus stop at Germantown Ave and Northwestern Ave is a quarter mile walk away and is serviced by the 51 and 97 buses. If you’re coming from the Roxborough side of the park, you can take the 27 bus to Ridge Ave and Northwestern Ave, though that’s closer to a mile walk. See map for details.
Bathrooms: There will be porta potties available for use at our meeting location, and there’s an ADA accessible composting restroom up the hill at Wissahickon Environmental Center.
Registration is required for all hikes so that participants can be informed of weather or other emergency cancellations. Unless otherwise specified, guided hikes may be on rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Wear sturdy shoes or boots with socks. Walks are cancelled in heavy rain. Service animals are always welcome. For more information contact Marisa Miller at [email protected].
