Located on 12 Morris Road in Ambler, Four Mills Nature Reserve is the headquarters of the Wissahickon Trails organization. This 56-acre preserve features two trails along the Wissahickon Creek.
The property was once part of an estate known as Abendruh, says Wissahickon Trails. Wissahickon Trails bought some of the estate and transformed the barn there into a visitor center. The barn provides picnic tables, drinking water and indoor restrooms. Visitors can stop by the front desk from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for park information.
After stopping by the barn, visitors can explore the preserve’s trails. Paths are forested and cover packed dirt, gravel and grass surfaces. The half-mile Rotary Trail is the shorter of the two and features the Rotary Bridge pictured above. The nearby Ambler Wastewater Treatment Plant sometimes uses the trail as a service road, so hikers may occasionally encounter slow-moving trucks.
Part of the Green Ribbon Trail also stretches through the park. Access is available from the Four Mills barn or the Butler Pike trailhead. The 10.5-mile trail extends from Parkside Place in Upper Gwynedd Township to Fort Washington State Park and runs through over 10 preserves.
The Wissahickon Creek flows alongside the park. According to Wissahickon Trails, the word Wissahickon comes from the Lenape Wisamickan, meaning “catfish creek,” or Wisauksickan, meaning “yellow creek.” Along the banks, visitors can find salamanders, frogs and many freshwater clams.
Due to Ambler’s history as the former headquarters of the Keasbey & Mattison asbestos company, asbestos disposal sites border the park. Thin fibers of the asbestos mineral can cause lung issues and mesothelioma when inhaled, says the EPA. The material is buried under earth to prevent particles from entering the air. Sites are blocked off from trails and clearly marked with signage warning hikers not to venture near them. Wissahickon Trails advises that visitors remain on paths and leave the sites undisturbed.
Four Mills Nature Reserve is open from sunrise to sunset and can be accessed through the trailhead on Butler Pike or by parking at the barn lot.
Photos – Suzanne McNaughton