Full Moon Hike in Wissahickon Valley Park

I did a night hike under the super blue blood moon! On Wednesday, January 31, the Wissahickon Environmental Center hosted a full moon hike from 8-9:30 pm. It was really more like a walk than a hike, about 1 ½ miles at a leisurely pace, a little bit of uphill but not steep and overall mostly flat. We walked for about 45 minutes. We could have done a longer route, but our tour leaders opted for the shorter one as the evening temperature was 31 degrees. The relaxed pace made it easy to walk and gaze at the moon and to stop and grab pictures. There wouldn’t have been time to set up my tripod and get shots with my DSLR camera which is what really needed to be done, but a slight sense of community was forged in the collective attempt to get our iPhones to focus.

Twinkling tea lights lined the dark path from the parking lot to the Environmental Center where a campfire greeted and warmed us. There were plenty of sticks and a bag of marshmallows, so of course I roasted one! I couldn’t really see it but it came out perfectly warm and gooey. My modus operandi at campfires is usually to roast a bunch of marshmallows and hand them out to others, but between the darkness and all the hats, hoods, and scarves, I couldn’t really see anyone in the group. We were all incognito which added to the mystical atmosphere.

The moon was absolutely brilliant and we had no trouble seeing our way without any flashlights or head lamps (which the leader actually asked us not to use). I felt like I was partaking in a pagan ritual, awed into reverence by the great orb and filled with peace. Those who wanted to walk in silence stayed in the front of the line, ostensibly to listen for animals, while others chatted quietly in the back. The moonlight seemed to command a hushed presence from everyone.

The hike was a really beautiful experience; I’d recommend it for everyone. They had a family friendly version earlier in the evening too. For the adult hike I was on, there were probably 30 people in attendance although I think the guide said that around 40 had registered. If you want to attend – register early! The hike is free but registration is required and attendance is limited. It fills up fast.

The next one is planned for the spring – don’t miss it!