Walk Philadelphia's Car-Free Forest Road to an 1850 Stone Inn
Wissahickon's 1,800-acre gorge, a carriage road closed to cars in 1921, and a stone inn from 1850 at the end of the walk.
🗺 St Martins stop to Valley Green Inn
🌲 Closed to cars since 1921
The St Martins stop sits on the rim of the valley above the creek, a mile and a third from the inn. St Martins Lane runs south, West Springfield Avenue drops toward the water, and Valley Green Road finishes the descent. That last stretch is steep and root-crossed, and shoes with grip make it easier. Forbidden Drive itself is gravel, twenty-five feet wide and nearly flat. Motor vehicles were barred from the upper stretch in 1899; after nearly 13,000 protesters rallied in 1921, the whole road was closed to cars for good.
🍲 A tavern built in 1850
Valley Green Inn serves lunch and dinner in a stone tavern built in 1850 as the Valley Green Hotel, a stop for carriages working the turnpike. Weekday lunch starts at noon, Saturday at 11, Sunday brunch runs 11 to 3, and dinner begins at 4. The dress code is smart casual, and walk-ins are accepted, with reservations suggested on weekends. Private events sometimes close the dining room early; check the day's hours on the Inn's site or call 215-247-1730 before you set out.
🚆 The order that works on a weekend
Weekday trains from Suburban Station run hourly. On weekends the Chestnut Hill West line runs every two hours: the 10:20 a.m. out of Suburban reaches St Martins at 10:49 a.m., and the 3:19 p.m. back is the last one that starts in daylight. Allow about 30 minutes walking each way. The sun sets near 4:45 p.m. in mid November. Starting the walk back by 3:15 p.m. keeps it in light. Dogs stay on a six-foot leash, per park rules.
