Join Fairmount Park Conservancy and Andrew Kirkpatrick, Urban Greening Coordinator with Parks and Recreation’s Farm Philly Program, for a 1.5-mile tree identification hike around Concourse and Centennial Lakes in West Fairmount Park.

From sweetgums to tulip poplars to a variety of oaks— our urban landscapes are teeming with a variety of tree species. Concourse Lake, in particular, is a dedicated 14-acre Native Plant Park with over 100 trees from roughly 25 different species. On this hike, we’ll learn to identify 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 (April–November). Second Saturday hikes are at various locations.

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.

2026 SECOND SATURDAY GUIDED HIKE SERIES SCHEDULE 
Please continue to check back as additional topics will be added soon. Second Saturday hikes are April-November.

April 11: Birding + Fair Amount Food Forest Tour

May 9: Family Hike + BioBlitz with the Philadelphia Zoo

June 13: Tree Tour with Andrew Kirkpatrick

July 11: Birdwatching Walk with Troy Bynum of TB Wildlife Photography LLC

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

• We will meet at Ohio House (4700 States Drive).
• This hike is roughly 1.5 miles along sidewalks and paved paths.
• 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.
• There are bathrooms available if needed at the start and end of the hike.
• 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.
• Important pre-event information and any event updates are sent out via email. Please make sure the email address entered is correct and that you check it before coming out to the event.

PARKING/GETTING THERE: We will meet at Ohio House (4700 States Drive). 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 South Georges Hill Drive – a two-minute walk from the start. The closest Indego bike station is at Parkside and Belmont Ave – a little over a half-mile from the start.

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

Enjoy our programs? Play it forward for Philly parks! Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Fair Play Campaign is creating healthy park infrastructure, expanding people-centered programs, and preparing our organization for the future. Learn more and get involved at fairplayphilly.org