Rescheduled Event

Join Friends of the Wissahickon to Celebrate Forbidden Drive’s 2018 Trail of the Year Designation by DCNR 

June 21 at Valley Green Inn

In February, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) designated Forbidden Drive in Wissahickon Valley Park the 2018 Trail of the Year. Now, Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) is celebrating the honor with a ceremony and party on Thursday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the drive, in front of the Valley Green Inn.

The ceremony begins at 11 a.m., with speakers Pennsylvania DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, City of Philadelphia Managing Director Michael DiBerardinis, and Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee Member-at-Large Henry Stroud, followed by a commemorative tree planting. Also planned are several guided hikes led by local experts along the Trail of the Year. Visit fow.org/events for a detailed schedule of events and to register.

Each year, the Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee designates a Trail of the Year to help build enthusiasm and support for both large and small trails, and raise public awareness about the value of Pennsylvania’s 11,000 mile-long trail network. The 20-member committee is charged with implementing the recommendations of the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan to develop a statewide land and water trail network to facilitate recreation, transportation, and healthy lifestyles.

Once known as the Wissahickon Turnpike, the five-mile Forbidden Drive was the site of numerous taverns and roadhouses in the 1800s – including the Valley Green Inn — later becoming Forbidden Drive when it was closed to motor vehicles. Today, the trail, which was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1975, is one of the most popular destination for visitors of all ages to enjoy its beauty and history, whether on foot, bicycles, or horseback.

“We want to share our delight in receiving this honor with everyone in our community and beyond who love Forbidden Drive and Wissahickon Valley Park as much as we do,” said Maura McCarthy, executive director of Friends of the Wissahickon. “The celebration is also an opportunity to thank the many friends who support us and our tireless volunteers who work so hard in preserving this precious resource for generations to come.” FOW partners with more than 40 organizations annually, and 1,100 volunteers a year, including nearly 20 volunteer groups, who contribute more than 14,000 hours annually toward maintaining Forbidden Drive and the park.

For more information about the celebration, which is free and open to the public, visit https://www.fow.org/.