We start at the parking lot about 100 yards from Chamonix Mansion. We then take the road to one of my favorite bridges, Strawberry Mansion Bridge. It will be one of your favorites too, once you cross it. One, it has a walking boardwalk the size of the one in Atlantic City. Two, the ironwork on the bridge is unsurpassed. Three, there are several interpretive signs that give the history of the area. Four, you get the best view of the Schuylkill that I've ever seen. (see photo) Five .....

After crossing the bridge we pass Strawberry Mansion, an 18th century structure, that is being refurbished. Around 1800 you could stop here for strawberries and cream. Still sounds like a good idea to me.

The Boxer Trail starts near here and gets it's name because boxers like Joe Frazer (once beat Mohammed Ali) once trained in this area. Many historic houses and large trails come off this trail. Civil War buffs and historians might know that General George Meade, the victor at Gettysburg, is buried here. What you might not know is that he lived in Philadelphia after the war and became a commissioner of Fairmount Park.
We pass 7 historic houses before crossing the Schuylkill on the Girard Ave Bridge. We wind our way through the park to Memorial Hall, the Horticultural Center, Belmont Plateau, and the Maze back to our starting point. The terrain is half flat, half slightly hilly.

Here is a link to the meeting spot at a parking lot down the road from Chamounix Mansion. http://maps.google.co...

Bring plenty of water. I drink 1 liter per hour in hot weather.
Make sure to bring a camera for this hike.

After the hike I gotta go, but you can head to Earth or Tavern on the Hill or elsewhere.

To carpool from Hill House (201 W Evergreen, 19118) meet at 1115 am. Email me if you want to carpool.
If the weather is iffy I'll email a weather report a few days before the hike.. To see more about the weather visit: http://www.hikingarou...

Have your event fee ready in dollar bills so we can get going right away. No coins, dubloons, or 5's or 10"s. Thank you.

Please be aware of our group rating system. We need 5 stars ratings or no rating. http://www.hikingarou...

If you change your mind please change your RSVP. No-shows may be barred from future events.