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Brochure of Fort Washington State Park (SP) in Pennsylvania. Published by Pennsylvania State Parks.
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A Pennsylvania Recreational Guide for
Fort Washington State Park
Fort Washington State Park
Rich in modern recreational facilities and historical
significance, Fort Washington blossoms with flowering
dogwood in the spring. The park takes its name from the
temporary fort built by George Washington’s troops in
the fall of 1777, before heading to Valley Forge. The park
is popular with hikers and picnickers. Birders enjoy the
seasonal migration of raptors from the Observation Deck.
NO HUNTING: Hunting is prohibited in all areas of Fort
Washington State Park.
FISHING: Wissahickon Creek passes through the park
offering trout fishing in the spring. During the summer,
it offers warmwater fishing for carp, catfish, panfish, and
suckers. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations
and laws apply.
Directions
Fort Washington State Park consists of 493 acres in eastern
Montgomery County. The park lies between the towns of
Fort Washington and Flourtown along the Bethlehem Pike.
It is about two miles from PA Turnpike Exit 339.
Flourtown Day Use Area:
44 West Mill Road, Flourtown, PA 19031
Militia Hill Day Use Area:
447 Militia Hill Road, Fort Washington, PA 19034
6036 Joshua Road, Fort Washington, PA 19034
Reservations
Make online reservations at www.visitPAparks.com or call
toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM to
5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.
Recreational Opportunities
HAWK WATCH OBSERVATION DECKS: The lower
deck is ADA accessible.
All 16 species of raptors that migrate on the east coast can
be seen here. The “Watch” begins on September 1 and lasts
through October 31. Volunteer compilers are on duty every
day, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, counting raptors that migrate past
the deck.
For more information, or to bring a group to the
observation deck, call the park office at 215-591-5250. The
deck provides a scenic overlook year round, and also great
views of the butterfly garden.
HIKING: 4.2 miles of trails
Moderate difficulty trails wander through forest and open
fields.
Fort Washinton State Park
500 South Bethlehem Pike
Fort Washington, PA 19034
215-591-5250
email: fortwashingtonsp@pa.gov
GPS DD: Lat. 40.13027 Long. -75.21764
Make online reservations at
www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks or call toll-free
888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM
to 5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.
www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks
visitPAparks
PICNICKING: Flourtown Day Use Area and Militia
Hill Day Use Area provide over 300 picnic tables. Three
picnic pavilions are available for year-round use, weather
conditions permitting. The pavilions are available for rental
with advance reservations. If not reserved, they are available
on a first-come, first-served basis. Large playfields offer
ample room for group or individual picnic activities.
The entire park is a carry-in/carry-out trash disposal area.
There are no trash collection or recycling facilities. Visitors
are asked to limit the amount of disposable items brought to
the park and to take all trash, garbage, and recyclables home
to be disposed of properly.
ADA accessible picnic tables and parking spaces have
been designated throughout the park. Militia Hill Day Use
Area has two ADA accessible picnic pavilions, a minipavilion, a playground, and restrooms. The Flourtown Day
Use Area Pavilion and restroom are also ADA accessible.
SOFTBALL FIELD: The softball field in the Flourtown
Day Use Area is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
An Equal Opportunity Employer
2018
ORGANIZED GROUP TENTING: This rustic area is
open year round and has a maximum capacity of 220 people.
Groups must call the reservation system to reserve a site.
Green Ribbon Trail: This 2.5-mile multi-use trail provides
opportunities for biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing
along Wissahickon Creek. It connects the Militia Hill and
Flourtown day use areas via Montgomery County park
land. Plans are underway to extend the trail through local
communities to the south and connect with Fairmount Park’s
Forbidden Drive in Chestnut Hill.
History
Fort Washington State Park and the community of Fort
Washington take their name from the temporary fort built
here by soldiers of the American Revolution in the fall of
1777. Formerly known as Whitemarsh, the area saw the
encampment of 12,000 soldiers of General Washington’s
army from November 2 until December 11, 1777.
Following the unsuccessful battle of Germantown,
Washington chose the heights of the Whitemarsh Valley as
an easily defendable position. From here he pondered the
possibility of launching an attack against General Howe’s
British army in Philadelphia.
Although Washington decided against an attack, the British
marched out from Philadelphia on December 5 in order to
engage the Americans in battle. Because of Washington’s
strong position, only local skirmishes took place. After
much marching back and forth, Howe led his army back to
Philadelphia on December 8.
Knowing his poorly clad men needed better quarters, and
also to protect the iron forges and foundries in the Schuylkill
Valley, Washington left Whitemarsh on December 11, 1777,
and marched the Continental Army to Valley Forge. There the
American spirit had its first rendezvous with destiny.
Although Fort Washington State Park is beyond the
boundaries of Philadelphia, the city’s famous Fairmount
Park Commission began acquiring land here in the early
1920s. The commission, with the assistance of the Secretary
of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters,
administered the park until 1953 when an act by the state
legislature turned the park over to the former Department of
Forests and Waters, now the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources.
FORT HILL: This hill was the western end of the
Continental troop positions and was the site of the fort. All
traces of the original fort have been lost.
MILITIA HILL: The Pennsylvania Militia, under the
command of generals Armstrong, Cadwalader, and Irvine,
held positions along this ridge.
DOG WALKING: Pets are permitted in Fort Washington
State Park. All pets must be controlled and attended at all
times and on a leash or otherwise safely restrained. Be
considerate when walking your dog and carry a container to
clean up after your pet. Also, please stay outside playfields,
ball fields, picnic areas, and the organized group tenting area.
DISC GOLF: The wooded, 9-hole course begins in Lot 2 in
the Militia Hill Day Use Area at a kiosk with a map of
the course.
Winter Activities
SLEDDING AND TOBOGGANING: Near Lot 5 in the
Militia Hill Day Use Area is a 400-foot slope for sledding.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Both beginner and expert
skiers can enjoy the 1.7-mile loop trail in the Militia Hill Day
Use Area and the 2.5-mile Green Ribbon Trail.
Nearby Attractions
Information on nearby attractions is available from the
Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau,
610-834-1550. www.valleyforge.org
Just south of Fort Hill on Bethlehem Pike is Hope
Lodge, a fine example of early Georgian Colonial
Architecture. Built circa 1750, Hope Lodge is managed by
the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is
periodically open to the public. 215-646-1595
Valley Forge National Historical Park is 15 miles to the
south and provides the visitor with an understanding of the
winter encampment of General Washington’s forces.
610-783-1099. https://www.nps.gov/vafo/index.htm
Protect and Preserve Our Parks
Please make your visit safe and enjoyable. Obey all posted
rules and regulations and respect fellow visitors and the
resources of the park.
• Be prepared and bring the proper equipment. Natural areas
may possess hazards. You are responsible for your and your
family’s safety.
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Because uncontrolled pets may chase wildlife or frighten
visitors, pets must be physically controlled, attended at all
times, and on a leash, caged, or crated. Electronic fences and
leashes are prohibited.
• Do your part to keep wildlife wild! Enjoy wildlife from a
safe distance and do not feed or approach wild animals.
• Park only in designated areas and obey all traffic
regulations.
• Share the road. Drive slowly and watch for walkers,
bicyclists, and children.
Access for People with Disabilities
This symbol indicates facilities and activities that are
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for
people with disabilities. This publication text is available in
alternative formats.
If you need an accommodation to participate in park
activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan
to visit.
In an Emergency
Call 911 and contact a park employee. Directions to the
nearest hospital are posted on bulletin boards and at the
park office.
CLIFTON HOUSE: Built in 1801, Clifton House lies just
north of Fort Hill on Bethlehem Pike. Formerly the Sandy
Run Tavern, it now houses a valuable library and museum
of local importance. It is operated by the Fort Washington
Historical Society and is periodically open to the public. For
more information regarding the Clifton House contact:
Fort Washington Historical Society, 473 Bethlehem Pike,
Fort Washington, PA 19034, 215-646-6065.
http://historicalsocietyfw.wixsite.com/fwhistory
NEAREST HOSPITAL
Chestnut Hill Hospital
8835 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215-248-8200
Road
a
Joshu
Mi
MILITIA HILL
DAY USE AREA
Philadelphia
0
Hil
Lot #5
Par
k
MHL-1
Lot #3
Pik
e
Bet
hle
hem
Road
n
Roa
d
L
UA
Playfield
Morris
AREA
Historic
Site
25
PA HISTORICAL &
MUSEUM
COMMISSION SITE
Pen
nsy
SANDY RUN
AREA
Limited Access
lvan
Hope Lodge
ia
309
0
Disc Golf
Course
Mather's
Mill
erce
Comm
n
0
150
0
Ru
20
ill D
M il i t i a H
20
UN
CO
FORT
HILL
Clifton
House
600
Drive
Lot #4
Lot #1
TY
Road
l
e
Pik
Historical
Society
Bldg.
e
Avenu
a
200
ee
a
Sta
te
Sandy
liti
25
300
Road
To Conshohocken, 4 Mi.,
I-476, 5 Mi.
276
em
p
Ave.
To Allentown,
30 Mi.
on
Madis
nia
sylva
oo
To Fort Washington
Expo Center
MHL-3
o
Lot #2
o p Tr.
Ave.
it
Summ
LAND
ad
p
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Joshu
Gr
0
AE
NEW
JERSEY
20
Ro
Loo
0
Ave.
tte
Lafaye
Penn
CHE
STE
R
0
20
l
est
LD
Rib
Pike
3
0
Ave.
0
20
95
611
ke
Hil
30
PHILADELPHIA
30
npi
AW
1
76
1
LD
Willow
Grove
Tur
itia
Jenkintown
Benjamin
Rush
73
Conshohocken
DELAWARE
Mil
532
FORT
276
WASHINGTON
25
Ave.
363
Norristown
Farm
Norristown
73
Creek
Trail
0
202
n
hicko
e
eserv
n Pr
Wissa
bo
250
Warminster
309
N
250
20
Evansburg
332
152
nia
ack
0
Tyler
S
lva
eh
611
Lansdale
20
BUCKS
263
n
nto
SteAve.
20
heaff
Skipp
476
73
nsy
Buckingham
Road
To Ambler, 1 Mi.
To Butler Pike,
1 Mi.
0
Pen
202
Road
Sheaff
thl
Chalfont
MONTGOMERY
0
Be
Doylestown
30
To Evansburg State Park, 12 Mi.
250
ct
Prospe
N
To Butler Pike,
1 Mi.
ing
Spr
To Norristown
Mi
liti
a
Hil
l
Rd
150
200
200
50 0
10
0
ND
0
ai
0
Tr
25
300
200
1600 FEET
Stenton
bo
n
Pik
e
Rib
eh
em
thl
.
Ave
800
Ave.
400 METERS
d
FLOURTOWN
East
Mill
Road
750
700
To Chestnut Hill, 2 Mi.
Multi-use Trail: Hiking
and as Designated
Picnic Pavilion
Parking
Playground
Hawk Watching
Deck
Organized Group
Tent Camping Area
Parking Unpaved
Sledding
State Park No Hunting
CONTOURS ARE ON
50 FT. INTERVALS
County Land
To Chestnut Hill, 2 Mi.
Parking ADA
Gate
200
Unpaved Road
200
To Chestnut Hill, 2 Mi.
0
200
Be
Cree
k
on
ick
sah
800
0
Roa
Picnicking
300
200
73
Water
Cross-county Skiing
Recommended
Hiking Trail
0
20
e
0
Biking
nue
Grov
309
Park Office
Blue Symbols Mean
ADA Accessible
Modern Restrooms
Road
Hill
Camp
250
Wes
0
Ave
t
Road
Mill
a
l
i
an
Mil
20
Road
20
lv
sy
150
Green
nyb
rook
nn
Volleyball
Court
Ballfields
Sun
Pe
150
0
FLOURTOWN
DAY USE AREA
150
y
Valle
Road
N
e
atur Tr.
Road
20
V
0
ch
alley
Green
Roa
Green
25
Chur
Run
Valley
Gr e en Roa d
West
Wis
Exit
339
ine
rra
0
200
Y
NT
Preserve
d
West
150
W.
ke
20
Lo
t
Road
20
Road
l
0
Ave.
cke
Flou
To P
A
Ent Turnp
ran ike
ce
npi
U
CO
0
Cri
Road
Tur
276
LA
15
20
rtown
Hill
150
on
Stent
FORT WASHINGTON STATE PARK
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
To Joshua Road, .25 Mi.
Camp
WHITEMARSH
20
To Jenkintown,
4.5 Mi.
Rev. 12/04/18