Field guide
Running and hiking on the Wissahickon trail
Find official information for running and hiking the Wissahickon trail in Philadelphia. Learn about Forbidden Drive, Houston Meadow, and Andorra Meadow.
Wissahickon Valley Park is a gorge preserved within Fairmount Park. It contains trails, interesting geology, and historic mill dams.
This page provides information on several routes for running and hiking, including Forbidden Drive and various meadow loops.
Official facts at a glance
- Type of park
- Wissahickon Gorge, preserved as part of Fairmount Park
- Houston Meadow loop length
- about 3.5 miles
- Andorra Meadow loop length
- about 2 miles
- Lavender Trail length
- about 1.5 miles
- Forbidden Drive (Bell's Mill to Valley Green Inn) length
- 4 miles (out-and-back)
- Forbidden Drive surface
- wide, level
- Non-resident permit fee
- $35
- Houston Meadow parking
- Houston Playground (900 Grakyn Ln., 19128)
- Andorra Meadow parking
- Wissahickon Environmental Center (300 W. Northwestern Ave., 19118)
- Houston Meadow transit access
- SEPTA routes 9 and 27
- Forbidden Drive bike access
- Bikes are allowed, shared with hikers, dog walkers, and equestrians
- General notable features
- trails, interesting geology, historic mill dams
- Andorra Meadow notable trees
- massive Cucumber Magnolia or the Great Beech (second largest tree in Philadelphia, largest European Beech in Pennsylvania)
Sources: Wissahickon Watershed (water.phila.gov), Top fall hikes in Wissahickon Valley Park (phila.gov), Get a trail permit (phila.gov). Official pages, checked Oct 21, 2026.
Forbidden Drive trail
Forbidden Drive is a wide, level trail. The route between Bell's Mill and the Valley Green Inn is 4 miles as an out-and-back trip.
This is a shared-use path. Bicycles are allowed, and users can expect to see hikers, dog walkers, and equestrians.
Meadow and other loop trails
The park includes several loop trails of different lengths. The Houston Meadow loop is about 3.5 miles, the Andorra Meadow loop is about 2 miles, and the Lavender Trail is about 1.5 miles.
The Andorra Meadow area contains notable trees, including a large Cucumber Magnolia and the Great Beech, which is the second largest tree in Philadelphia and the largest European Beech in Pennsylvania.
Access and parking
To access the Houston Meadow loop, parking is available at Houston Playground. The area can also be reached by SEPTA routes 9 and 27.
For the Andorra Meadow loop, parking is located at the Wissahickon Environmental Center.
Before you go
- Forbidden Drive is a wide, level path shared with cyclists and equestrians.
- The Houston Meadow loop is accessible by public transit.
- Parking for Houston Meadow is at Houston Playground.
- Parking for Andorra Meadow is at the Wissahickon Environmental Center.
- A non-resident permit fee of $35 is required.
Nearby options: running and active spots in Philadelphia. All cities: City running and hiking guides.