Wissahickon Valley Park Bouldering

Wissahickon Valley Park (the Wis) contains most of the outdoor climbing on natural rock within the city limits of Philadelphia. Most of the climbing here is bouldering on Wissahickon Schist along the valley of Wissahickon Creek. There are also a handful of toprope, sport and/or buildering routes. The setting is mostly forested, giving it a scenic, isolated feel despite being so close to a major urban area. This makes it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts; you'll usually see hikers, runners, bikers, swimmers and tourists in decent weather.

The best bouldering is on the Manayunk end of the park along the bike path on Lincoln Drive. There are about 50 problems from V0-V11 (some pure lines, some are eliminates). If you enter from Ridge Ave, there are 5 distinct "areas"/boulders within a half mile (Urination Amphitheater (just off ridge), Main Area (top of the hill), Slab (just past 100 steps), Long Wall, & Torque (directly across from the (old) police station on Lincoln Drive).

The main spot for roped climbing is off Livezey Lane near Chestnut Hill.

Friends of the Wissahickon are a non-profit group that care for the park, beyond what the city does itself. You can volunteer for a trail maintenance day, learn about the park, or help out in other ways through their website.

A new digital guidebook is available in the Gunks+ app, which includes high-res photos, GPS navigation and maps.