Join Fairmount Park Conservancy and Andrew Kirkpatrick, Urban Greening Coordinator with Parks and Recreation’s Farm Philly Program, for a two-mile tree identification hike along the Belmont Plateau Cross Country Course and the historic Trolley Trail.

From sweetgums to tulip poplars to a variety of oaks— our urban forests are teeming with many tree species. On this hike, we’ll learn to identify commonly found trees based on leaves, branches, and bark. We’ll take time to observe the body language of trees, why they grow the way they do, and what we can learn about the life of the forest. 

This hike is part of our Second Saturday Guided Hike Series. These hikes occur from 10 AM–12 PM on the second Saturday of every month (May–November). All of these hikes depart from Belmont Plateau in West Fairmount Park. Please see below for the full schedule.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Andrew has been leading tree walks for the past ten years during his various roles, including at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education and Willistown Conservation Trust. Andrew joined the Farm Philly team in December as Urban Greening Coordinator. His past work experience and education in conservation, ecological restoration, and social impact strategy combined with his passion for community and urban agriculture made the position a natural fit. He brings this experience to Farm Philly where he is managing the Community Compost Network and Land Access Program. Andrew enjoys the opportunity to engage local community gardeners and urban farmers as they gain access to resources needed to support their work.

Originally from Harrisburg, Andrew moved to Philly in 2010 for graduate school in Landscape Architecture/Ecological Restoration at Temple University and never left. Andrew loves trees and talking about their connection to the land and the past. He lives in Germantown with his family and their numerous pets. He loves riding his bike in the Wissahickon and along the Schuylkill River, listening to WXPN, and gardening with native plants.

TICKETS: Free**, donations appreciated. Registration is required.

**We are proud to be able to offer these events for free. However, there is limited capacity for all of our hikes. Last-minute cancellations and no-shows can take away tickets from others. We ask that you be mindful of this and please only register if you plan to attend.

 2025 SECOND SATURDAY GUIDED HIKE SERIES SCHEDULE
Please continue to check back as fall topics will be added soon.

May 10: Hiking 101 with the Appalachian Mountain Club

June 14: Birdwatching Walk with Troy Bynum

July 12: Tree Tour with Andrew Kirkpatrick

August 9: Guided Hike + Meditation with Krista Nelson

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

• This hike is roughly two miles over a combination of hilly dirt trails and flat gravel paths (moderate exertion).
• Hikes are appropriate for adults and mature adolescents.
• Please dress according to weather conditions and wear good hiking shoes (boots/sneakers).
• Bring water (drinking water is not available in the park) and a snack.
• Unfortunately, there are no bathrooms along the hike route so please plan accordingly.
• This event is part of our Second Saturday Guided Hike Series. The hikes are not dependent on one another so feel free to sign up for one or for more than one!
• We will leave a few minutes after the scheduled start time. Please arrive at the departure location at least five minutes early. We cannot guarantee that latecomers can join after the group has departed.
• Space is limited in this hike and registration is required. If you cannot attend an event, please show courtesy to fellow parkgoers and try to cancel your registration with advance notice so that someone else can participate. Repeat no-shows may not be able to register for future free hikes.

PARKING/GETTING THERE: We’ll meet at the parking lot across from Belmont Mansion, overlooking the city skyline. There is plenty of free parking available in the lot. As always, never leave valuables in your car! If traveling by public transit, the nearest stop is at Belmont Ave and Belmont Mansion/Fairmount Park Drive – a half-mile walk from the start. The closest Indego bike station is at Parkside and Belmont Ave – also a half-mile walk from the start.

QUESTIONS?: Feel free to reach out to programs@myphillypark.org.

Enjoy our programs? Become a Supporter of Fairmount Park Conservancy to help ensure that Philadelphia’s parks are enhanced for generations to come!