Where Am I? A Look at Wayfinding in the Wissahickon
Well, what even is wayfinding?
Wayfinding can mean many things depending on who you are and where you are in the world. In the Wissahickon, wayfinding includes trail blazes, trail posts (at most trail intersections and entrances), and kiosks (structures with 1-3 informational panels). Park visitors can also use nearby landmarks (ex: Thomas Mill Red Covered Bridge) as a wayfinding tool, as well as maps (check out our forthcoming pocket map update this summer!) and other digital tools (like our Map App!).
Wayfinding is the process of navigating from one place to another.
In 2015, we published our Wayfinding and Signage Plan in coordination with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) knowing that improving the park’s signage and navigation tools were a priority to a more welcoming and accessible Wissahickon Valley Park.
This project began with replacing all the trail markers with tiled posts which indicated surrounding trails, their use (hikers, bikes, and equestrians), and distances to nearby Wissahickon landmarks. FOW also installed kiosks at popular entrances to help alleviate visitor conflict and share information about the park to users at the start of their visit.
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- Tiled wayfinding post (White Trail)
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- Trailhead Kiosk (Courtesy Stable)
We made strides to further accessibility to the park with the development of the free FOW Map App in 2020. The app is free to download and includes the ability to use with or without cell-service, so you always know where you are, all from the palm of your hand. Download today: fow.org/mapapp
A decade later, the tiles of once-new posts have begun to chip, and there is still a knowledge gap between our park visitors and our wayfinding infrastructure.
This past year, FOW sought recommendations from NPS-RTCA on how to inform our wayfinding improvements through the lens of 5 priority areas: Houston Meadow, Pachella Field/Gorgas Run Area, East Falls Trails, Kitchen’s Lane Area, and Hermit Cave Area.
The problem. Our friends at NPS-RTCA evaluated the Wissahickon’s signage and concluded that it was underutilized by visitors and confusing to navigate due to the pervasiveness of social trails, shortcut trails that are created by park-users along fall lines which increase erosion of the hillside, and insufficient signage at trail intersections.
The solution. Over the last year, FOW staff and the NPS-RTCA team have conducted site visits in each priority area and released surveys to solicit feedback from hikers, bikers, and equestrians, on the park’s signage gap and began blazing trails.
With the help of FOW Zone Stewards, a subset of our trained volunteer Crew Leaders, we completed an assessment of all markers at intersecting trails in the park; whether they require a tile refresh, and which intersections are unmarked.
From our survey respondents, we learned that visitors are often confused at trail intersections, especially with the addition of social trails. Furthermore, when there is signage at these intersections, they can be counterintuitive to those trying to navigate.
FOW understands that wayfinding is an essential part of outdoor recreation. Ensuring that everyone, from the novice to the expert, can navigate the park’s 50+ miles of trail freely and easily is important not just for our visitors’ enjoyment, but also their safety.
FOW continues to further define which trails are official through physical infrastructure and educating park visitors about the importance of Leave No Trace Principles. We are committed to continue working in collaboration with the park’s primary stakeholders, hikers, bikers, and equestrians to ensure our multiuse trails are suited for all user groups.
From our survey findings, we concluded that on a scale of 1-5, 1 being little trail experience and 5 representing the highest level of trial wayfinding experience, 90% of respondents ranked themselves as 3 and above, but only 26% of respondents surveyed that they were confident they could explain their location on the trail to emergency responders.
The lack of confidence in most respondents in an emergency situation is compounded by a lack of understanding of this tile system, from both visitors and EMS. FOW has initiated conversations with PPR on how to improve the tile system and make the Wissahickon a safer place to recreate.
We’re grateful to our Wissahickon community who has provided insight on how to improve user experience. We look forward to continuing the conversation and the work on the ground required for a more accessible Wissahickon Valley Park.