Wissahickon Cleanup Events Set For June 3

PHILADELPHIA — Recently, we told you about a how you could help provide potential cash influx for the Friends of the Wissahickon group. Now, we're telling you about a way you can help directly, as the group will hold two cleanup events in Wissahickon Valley Park to celebrate National Trails Day.

On Saturday, June 3, Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) will hold a cleanup at Devil's Pool and along Wissahickon Valley Park's trails.

Interested volunteers can choose to lend extra hands and muscle at either the legendary Devil’s Pool, the most trafficked area in the Wissahickon Valley Park, or the Yellow Trail, a semi-technical trail that’s a favorite among bikers.

The Devil's Pool Cleanup will be held from 10 a.m. to noon with volunteers meeting at Valley Green Inn, while the Yellow Trail clean up will go from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The FOW will embark on a two-week cleanup road trip and the Devil's Pool Cleanup will serve as that trip's kick off.

All volunteers will receive an exclusive Cleanup Crew trucker hat. You can sign up for the Devil's Pool Cleanup online here.

Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that they don't mind getting wet or muddy.

Those wishing to participate in the Yellow Trail Cleanup should meet at Summit Avenue and the Yellow Trail at 9 a.m. June 3.

Each year FOW celebrates National Trails Day with a trail work workday. The Wissahickon’s 50 miles of natural surface trail feel the effect of more than 1.1 million user visits a year, in addition to the impact of increased storm water flows due to the urban landscape that surrounds the park.

This all adds up to a lot of impact on a delicate piece of infrastructure.

To keep the trails functioning, as well as keep excess soil out of our waterways, the trails require regular maintenance.

This includes clearing drains, narrowing user-widened trails, and maintaining proper out slope.

For more information or to volunteer, contact volunteer coordinator Christina Anthony at anthony@fow.org or (215) 247-0417, extension 351.

Through National Trails Day, the American Hiker Society aims to connect more people to trails. Wissahickon Valley Park boasts more than 50 miles of trails enjoyed daily by runners, bikers, hikers, and horseback riders.

To keep these trails safe, FOW volunteers repair and rebuild damaged or unsustainable trails, remove tree debris, pick up trash, and perform other maintenance throughout the park, while Trail Ambassadors provide everything from education to first aid.

Photo by Chuck Uniatowski, courtesy of Friends of the Wissahickon