Winter is coming. The air has grown colder, the remaining leaves are flashing their last striking colors, and we’re bundling up inside.
There’s one more change in store: This newsletter is taking a break.
Before we part ways, let’s hit nature together one more time.
Bridge debuts: Walk along the newest pedestrian bridge across the Schuylkill.
Best of Outdoorsy: Your favorite adventures of the year, ranked.
Plus: It’s “Love Your Park” weekend, a progress report on the Philly Tree Plan, and much more.
🥶 Your weekend weather outlook: Watch out for some rain on Friday, and a December-like chill.
— Paola Pérez (outdoorsy@inquirer.com)
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The long-awaited Schuylkill River Crossing Swing Bridge is now open in what officials call a major engineering achievement for the Schuylkill River Trail.
The newly refurbished bridge spans the east and west sides of the river, allowing for pedestrians and cyclists crossing from the Grays Ferry area to reach Bartram’s Garden and other areas. Boaters and jet skis also have room to pass freely below.
🌉 Why it’s special: For one, the red steel bridge reuses foundations from the original swing bridge that was last open in 1976. It also connects historic Philly landmarks.
🌉 What could come next: The new crossing provides a critical stepping stone for future southern extensions toward Passyunk Avenue and, ultimately, Fort Mifflin, writes environmental reporter Frank Kummer.
🌉 How it works: Swinging the bridge takes roughly one to two minutes. An on-site Streets Department worker in a nearby operating house controls it.
Get all opening-day details, and scroll along our interactive to learn how the bridge functions.
News worth knowing
Philadelphia has planted 18,581 trees on streets, yards, parks, and schoolyards over the last three years under the Philly Tree Plan, which aims to grow the city’s shrinking tree canopy.
It’s Love Your Park weekend, and your help is wanted. Register to clean up, plant trees, and tend gardens at more than 100 neighborhood parks ahead of winter.
All the animals that lived at the Academy of Natural Sciences have found new homes. Shout-out to armadillo sisters Blue and Violet, who are reportedly “having a blast” after relocation.
A dam near the Brandywine was dismantled in October in an effort to tame flooding throughout the watershed. The Inquirer’s resident weather expert reports that the grand battle may never end.
🌳 Your outdoorsy experience
Alyssa Passeggio, The Inquirer’s senior editor for notifications and newsletters, recently escaped to the desert. Here’s what she saw:
This serene image is from Barker Dam in California’s Joshua Tree National Park. It was our first hike of the trip and we were early enough to hear birds chirping here. The park’s sandy trails, rock formations, and slightly dangerous plants were unlike anything I’d seen before. The weather changed enough through our short trip to offer different color palettes every few hours, unexpectedly helping us notice different beauties even on the same roads.
What a treat. Thanks, Alyssa!
Best of Outdoorsy
You know how music streaming services give you a year-end recap of your top songs, albums, and artists? Consider this Outdoorsy ‘26 Wrapped, our curated year in review for memorable adventures in nature.
Your favorite season
For most of you, it must be fall, because of all the activities we took on, the majority of top picks centered around autumn, including:
🎉 Celebrating at fall festivals.
🍁 Best spots for leaf peeping and foliage-focused hikes.
🍎 Apple picking at the best orchards.
Beyond fall, you also loved:
🏝️ Exploring our area islands.
🌊 Learning about where flood risks rise.
🌺 Building a tropical garden.
Best reader experiences
I want to give a huge thanks to everyone who sent in personal stories and pictures. Special shout-out to these al fresco anecdotes:
🐢 Joe Berkery discovering a star turtle at Palmyra Cove Nature Park
🍄 Barbara B. spotting a humongous fungus, and a bug’s-eye view from a summer meadow
🌼 Lisa Dukart enjoying the quiet oasis of PHS Meadowbrook Farm
🌱 Bonnie Zetick finding a moment of calm at the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
🥾 Chloe Pantazi-Wolber and family admiring waterfalls and taking on tricky terrain together
Did I miss your favorite? What did you like about this year’s newsletter? Write me an email to let me know.
Paola’s picks
👻 Stories of the year: Spooky trails around the Philly region, meeting the “‘renegades’ of the river,” and dealing with a strangely beautiful invader: the spotted lanternfly.
🐿️ A sighting: The first time I ever saw a black squirrel was in Canada in 2019. I’ve noticed some around Philly, like the one pictured above. Here’s a fascinating history lesson on the species.
🪸 An underwater marvel: The SS United States, docked for almost three decades in Philadelphia, has sunk and will now become the world’s largest artificial reef.
🦋 A mystery: Where do monarch butterflies go on their long migrations across North America? Tiny trackers help scientists follow their journey.
🦎 A frozen hazard: As a former Florida girl, the concept of iguanas falling in tune with the temperature never ceases to amaze me.
🔴 A fall treat: It’s National Pomegranate Month. I didn’t know they are part of the berry family.
A parting view
This photo made me think of a recent story my colleague Stephanie Farr wrote about Bob’s Diner in Roxborough. It’s located extremely close to Leverington Cemetery, almost forcing you to face your mortality as you enjoy your syrupy pancakes.
Years ago, I followed up my first breakfast at Bob’s with a walk through that cemetery. It was a chilly day. I remember feeling an appreciation for the synchronicity of the moment, the transformation of the seasons and the circle of life, intertwined.
Now, as we burrow in for colder, darker months, consider a handful of helpful tips from health psychologist Kari Leibowitz: “Our mindsets influence what aspects of winter we pay attention to, which in turn shapes our behaviors and how we feel about the season.”
👋🏽 I’m grateful to you for joining me on this journey. Thank you for reading and sharing your own experiences along the way.
Outdoorsy may be going into hibernation, but I’m still around! You can sign up for The Inquirer’s Morning Newsletter to read more of what I write on Saturdays and Sundays, or check out The Inquirer’s Things To Do Newsletter for fun happenings in and around Philly every week.
Take care out there.
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