Magarge Dam Falls Hike

The Magarge Dam Falls hike at Wissahickon Valley Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an easy 0.7-mile out-and-back walk along Wissahickon Creek and leads to the 6-foot tall waterfall, Magarge Dam Falls.

Hiking to Magarge Dam Falls

This very short hike begins at the main parking lot at the end of Forbidden Drive within the park. You'll begin by heading north from the parking lot, following Forbidden Drive for a short distance before passing a service road gate that leads directly to the Forbidden Drive walking trail.

Wise's Mill Run Falls - Mile 0.16

Before reaching the walking path section of the Forbidden Drive Trail, you'll come across a scenic but short waterfall located just uphill from Wissahickon Creek. Wise's Mill Run Falls, a short waterfall, spills down the bedrock adjacent to a scenic stone bridge along Wise's Mill Road. Don't miss this additional waterfall while exploring the Magarge Dam Falls.

Magarge Dam Falls - Mile 0.32

Further down the trail sits the 6-foot tall, 15-foot wide, Magarge Dam Falls. The old dam juts across the entirety of Wissahickon Creek and forms the scenic human-made waterfall. While not naturally-formed, the cascade is well-worth a visit if you're taking a walk within this section of Wissahickon Valley Park. Note that to reach the base of the waterfall, you'll find several unofficial trails that lead down to the water. The route depicted in the trail map provided leads downstream of the base before reaching the base of Magarge Dam Falls. After exploring Magarge Dam Falls, this route leads back to the parking lot for a short ~0.-7-mile out-and-back jaunt.

Parking

Hikers will find a medium-sized parking lot at the coordinates provided, located along Forbidden Drive, south of the eastern terminus to Wise's Mill Run Road. The lot is large enough to fit approximately 15 vehicles as of April 2025.